Hailed by Le Figaro as ‘simply magnificent: a miracle in two acts’, Kader Belarbi’s new production of Le Corsaire is a bold reinvention of a 19th-century classic. Belarbi’s fresh scenario and choreography give this colourful yet ultimately tragic story of the corsair (Davit Galstyan) and the beautiful slave-girl who captures his heart (Maria Gutierrez) renewed clarity and simplicity. David Coleman conducts a score based on Adolphe Adam’s original work, but enhanced with music by composers from Massenet to Sibelius, as well as new compositions and orchestrations by Coleman himself. The score is the result of close collaboration between Belarbi and Coleman, and its strong and coherent musical framework brings Belarbi’s staging to life. This is a version of Le Corsaire for the modern age, giving the work – in Belarbi’s words – ‘resonance and meaning today’.