Lucio
The new ballet by Nimrod Borenstein
Based on a libretto by Mia Sperber
Choreography by Valentina Escobar
Love is the Essence of Life
Lucio is about the magic of youth and the search for dream fulfillment.
It is also about connection with nature and one’s deepest emotions, which translate
into amazing artistic expressions and heartwarming love.
Incredible music, stunning costumes and remarkable dancing will bring to life
a simply beautiful and unforgettable story.
With the lyricism of Dvorak, a sense of the wonder reminiscent of the opening of Mahler’s First Symphony, and a poignant, bittersweet ending evoking a Prokofiev Violin Concerto, Borenstein’s Prayer to the Moon overture can be enjoyed on YouTube conducted by the composer.
Stuart Millson, The Quarterly Review, April 2024.
Choreographer's View
For Lucio I envisage the creation of a ballet which will have the essence of a dream based on human feelings and permanent contact with nature. With the inclusion of various types of dance even tango and waltz, a mixture of classical and contemporary, we will bring forward the universality of a timeless dream in which the dancers will perform with an exceptional depth of expression. The costumes will reflect these basic ideas and will be sourced from nature as if nature itself participates. In short, a ballet Contemporay and classical, dreamy and highly suggestive, poetic, light and full of emotions.
Valentina Escobar
Director and choreographer with flamboyant imagination and a spirit of innovation, Valentina has brought great beauty and originality to innumerable theatre and opera shows.
Mia Sperber
Medical doctor, but also producer, writer and lyricist, Mia has written numerous medical works, but also books, screenplays, lyrics to songs and librettos for a large audience, which bring
forward visionary, heart-warming and thought-provoking topics.
Nimrod Borenstein
The past few years have seen a great number of Nimrod Borenstein's works being commissioned, recorded and premiered at the most prestigious venues and festivals across the globe, from the Royal Festival Hall and Royal Opera House in London to the Salle Gaveau in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, and Hong Kong City Hall. His music is performed regularly throughout Europe, Canada, Australia, the Far East, Israel, South America, Russia and the USA. In recent years, he has been commissioned to write the obligatory performance pieces for the Hong Kong International Piano Competition (2019) and the International Jeunesses Musicales Competition for violoncello (2020).
Among his high-profile champions, Vladimir Ashkenazy has conducted several of Borenstein’s compositions, culminating in the recording of an album of his orchestral works for Chandos (BBC Music Magazine ‘Choice’). Other leading artists to have performed Borenstein’s music include: Pascal Rogé, Roberto Prosseda, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, the Quartetto di Cremona, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, the Oxford Philharmonic, the Israel Camerata, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra. His recent string quartet, Cieli d'Italia, was commissioned by the Quartetto di Cremona, who feature it on their latest album.
Nimrod Borenstein is a Laureate of the Cziffra Foundation and an Associate of London’s Royal Academyof Music. His substantial catalogue continues currently numbers more than 100 works, including orchestral and chamber music as well as vocal and solo instrumental pieces. He also composed the score for a ballet, Suspended, which has received more than 250 performances around the world.
Increasingly in demand on the podium, Nimrod Borenstein has various conducting projects
underway, currently encompassing orchestras in the UK, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Finland,
Brazil and Italy.
Last season Nimrod started a collaboration with the English Chamber Orchestra as composer and conductor. Following a very successful concert in March 2025 he will be recording with the ECO an entire CD Album of his music to be released on Somm Recordings in February 2026.
"Nimrod Borenstein is rapidly establishing himself amongst the most recorded of contemporary composers"
Gramophone
"Brilliant - it begins and ends there" "an inspired composer but also an inspiring conductor"
Opus klassiek
"Borenstein's conducting brings vivid playing from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra"
Gramophone
"It is feel-good music of exceptional quality"
Pizzicato Magazine
"an exuberantly inventive composer"
BBC Music Magazine - Monthly choice
"Contemporary works full of grand gestures and soaring melody"
The Strad
"superbly written for the soloist"
Diaspon magazine
"Borenstein not only possesses a solid craftmanship but even more importantly a true personality. Finally, a music full of happiness!"
Classica
