A(nother) Belgian in New York!
The Belgian Ivo van Hove, with the help of choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, will be directing a new version of the famous musical "West Side Story" in New York starting next winter.
Ivo van Hove is a 59-year-old Dutch speaker who made his debut as the director of Het Zuidelijk Toneel in the Netherlands and is especially known for having showcased a powerful and modern vision of Shakespeare's "Roman Tragedies" in 2008. He's now taking off for the Big Apple to create this international project for the musical "West Side Story".
Using the music of Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics of Stephen Sondheim, the director will create a brand-new version of one of the best musicals ever written. The forbidden love story of Maria and Tony, each members of rival gangs in New York, brings to mind the romantic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, who also came from rival families situated in the heart of Renaissance Italy. As Ivo van Hove told Belgian news station VRT, he is elated to have the chance to work with Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, whom he considers one of the best choreographers of our time.
Starting February 2020, you will be able to find "West Side Story" and its forbidden love on Broadway during your stay in New York. It will be created entirely by one of our own, coming directly from Le Plat Pays (The Flat Country).