BBC Three brings Bollywood Live to Bradford

 

Romance, music, intrigue and drama are set to hit the City of Bradford this summer as BBC Three announces Bollywood Live, a one hour “spectacular” live from the centre of Bradford which re-tells the story of Bizet’s Carmen in a contemporary Bollywood style.

Bollywood Live follows the story of Bradford girl Karmen who is bored with her job. She’s a wannabe dancer obsessed with movie stardom. When a Indian film crew comes to the city to record sequences for their new movie version of the opera Carmen she thinks her time has come…. cue fabulous dance routines, gorgeous saris and passionate melodrama.

Bollywood Live is a BBC Classical Music Television in-house production and will have music at its very heart and was commissioned by Jan Younghusband Commissioning Editor for Music and events in conjunction with BBC Three and BBC North. As well as special arrangements of some of Bizet’s best-loved themes from the opera, there will be a new original score by Kuljit Bhamra and a selection of pop songs, Bollywood movie classics, and Bhangra hits. Kuljit Bhamra is one of the UK’s Bhangra pioneers, his projects have included working with Andrew Lloyd Webber on the West End Musical Bombay Dreams and as the Indian Music Consultant for the stage adaptation of The Far Pavilions

Zai Bennett, Controller of BBC Three said, “BBC Three has a great track record of producing spectacular live events such as Frankenstein’s Wedding and Manchester Passion. We are delighted to be able to bring the excitement and glamour of Bollywood in this unique way to our viewers.”

Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor BBC Music & Events says: “The combination of Bizet’s classic story re imagined with the flamboyancy of new Bollywood music commissions and pop songs is an example of how the BBC brings music alive through new musical commissions and innovative exploration of classic work.”

Peter Salmon, Head of BBC North says: “ Bollywood Live continues our commitment to engage with audiences across the region through big, innovative events. Following the success of the award winning Frankstein’s Wedding in Leeds and The Preston Passion, this stylish, contemporary retelling of a classic story should captivate and entertain not only the people of Bradford but audiences across the UK.”

Bollywood Live will take place on the 9th June 2013 at City Park in Bradford. The City of Bradford is the world’s first UNESCO City of Film and 2013 also marks the first Indian feature film. Speaking about the project David Wilson, Director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film says: Bradford earned the UNESCO title as a world centre for film because of the city’s rich film heritage, its inspirational movie locations and its many celebrations of the moving image through the city’s annual film festivals. City Park will make the perfect set for this live extravaganza.”

The cast of Bollywood Live will be made up of international and national stars, dancers, musicians, with involvement from the local Bradford community, and audience participation. (Full details of the cast will be released at a later date)

Bollywood Live has been commissioned for and on behalf of Zai Bennett, Controller of BBC Three by Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor BBC Music and Events, with additional funding from BBC North and BBC Learning. The Executive Producers are Oliver Macfarlane and Pat Connor. The Director is Indra Bhose and the Script Development Producer is Andy King-Dabbs