Mata Hari - Tarik O’Regan ballet commission from DNB
18th February 2015

Mata Hari was born to a well-to-do Frisian family in 1876 as Margaretha Zelle. Following an unhappy marriage, Zelle went to seek adventure in Paris. As the exotic, mysterious Mata Hari, she became one of the most famous dancers of her day. She travelled throughout Europe and had highly placed lovers everywhere, which seemingly made her an ideal spy during World War I. She was accused of being a double agent and died in front of a French firing squad in 1917.
Brandsen and DNB have worked with O’Regan’s music before when his work Raï was used for a new short piece in 2012. Following this success, this first full-length ballet by O’Regan was commissioned. The music for Mata Hari will be performed by the Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Matthew Rowe, the sets designed by the highly acclaimed designer-duo Clement & Sanôu, with costumes designed by Francois-Noël Cherpin. The librettist is Janine Brogt.
World premiere: 6 February 2016Other performances: 7*, 12, 13, 14*, 17, 18, 20, 21*, 23 and 25 February 2016
Further information here.
Photo © Petrovsky & Ramone