The full-length ballet, which features choreography by Ted Bandsen and music by Tarik O'Regan to a libretto by Janine Brogt, was premiered to critical acclaim at Dutch National Ballet in February 2016. It tells the story of one of the most remarkable women in Dutch history, Mata Hari (born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle) and the turbulent personal, cultural and political circumstances that shaped her life, causing her to reinvent her identity entirely.
Librettist Janine Brogt says:
“Mata Hari’s personality was larger than life itself. Everything she did was theatrical and of an intensified reality. She was a goddess, she-devil, enchantress, diva and outcast. She was as changeable as the weather and had dozens of different faces. She is a mystery, a dream, a myth”.Anna Tsygankova dances in the title role for which she was nominated for the Dutch dance award the ‘Zwaan’ (Swan) for the most impressive dance achievement of 2016. Set and lighting are by the acclaimed design duo Clement & Sanôu and costumes by Francois-Noël Cherpin. The Dutch National Ballet Orchestra is conducted by Matthew Rowe.
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O’Regan residency announced
Tarik O’Regan has been announced the inaugural Senior Fellow in Residence at the Center for Ballet and the Arts at New York University for the 2016/17 academic year. The appointment sees the composer return to the Center where he completed the score for Mata Hari during his residence in Autumn 2015. As Senior Fellow, O'Regan will share his expertise and broad understanding of music and collaborations across the arts, compose a score for a full-scale opera commissioned by Houston Grand Opera for 2019, and work with CBA to explore and expand programs that accomplish its mission.
