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- “Frida” choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa was a great success at the Wrocław Opera, Poland
“Frida” choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa was a great success at the Wrocław Opera, Poland
27 June 2025
In particular, the Wrocław version is more akin to the one-act piece ""Broken Wings, which was created by the choreographer for the English National Ballet in 2015, where we had ony two characters: Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera. The next step was to prepare a full-length production of "Frida" for Het Nationale Ballet in 2020, which already had a developed family thread and character relationships.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, however, always updates, modifies, and confirms her work. Additionally, she avoided a strict realistic plot in favor of abstraction with hints of human life as the years and sequels went by. As a result, the evening was emotionally charged and unsaid, highlighting the suffering of women and their love of creation. Latin America and the pursuit of threads within that cultural circle are Ochoa's frequent points of emphasis. Frida Kahlo was a natural choice for the artistic role because she advocated for women's visibility in society in addition to her own rights. The stage is able to display this thread because the majority of the choreographer's works revolve around feminist issues.
Frida Kahlo's dance narrative attracts the audience with its complexity. Although the woman's life is significant, we are not given a biography of her. Instead, we are immersed in a world that is divided between the colors of life and death through the art of dance. Ochoa draws inspiration for this ballet's representation from the Mexican woman's painting, which serves as the basis for projecting a life filled with challenges onto the vibrant paint palette. The pain of life was brought on by a childhood accident, and escape into the realm of plastic creativity proved to be a lifesaver. There is a contrast and interpenetration between these worlds of ripping life from death and hope in colors that replace the gray of everyday life.
The black and white skeletons, which resemble shadows, poison the soul and thoughts. On the other hand, the title character's interior is a fantasy of creation that includes fictitious images of a deer, a bird, leaves, and most importantly, a male, colorful Fridas. They stand for the emptiness of love, the passion of creation, the hope of life, and the escape from bodily suffering.
Dutch designer Dieuweke van Reij's visual side, supported by lighting designed by Christopher Ash, is extremely clean, even austere in certain areas with well-balanced colors, but it completely fits with the staging concept. A square cube serves as the set's central component, and when doors are opened, it reveals action fields such as the heroine's bed, Rivera's painted murals, or the scene of her death set against the backdrop of a fantastic butterfly. When the heroine is helpless, she flies away to a different world created by her own memories and thoughts. Skeletons and forest fantasy are intriguing, if not addictive. There are some very suggestive scenes. An example of the show's terrifying impact is the impotence of having a child in the form of a large, animated doll with a cadaverous face. To this, red ropes that resemble flowing blood are suspended from the barbells and fall at the moment of losing a cherished child. Because this is a drama full of despair and evil that emanates from the human world pierced by betrayal and inevitable separation, rather than an idyllic story adorned with colors emanating from the images. The interior, art, and escape into one's own dreams and visions are all parts of salvation.
Music written by Peter Salem enhances the Mexican ambiance. Its growing sounds and minimalist style create a contrast with the sounds of the New York street, mariachi music, wildlife, and plants. The orchestra only serves as the dancers' accompaniment, and Rafał Karczmarczyk, the conductor, mutes the music to highlight the dancers' exquisite movements. It serves as the backdrop and atmosphere for the world on stage.
(extract from a review published at the e-teatr.pl website)
Premiere on June 7, 2025
