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‘Frida’s World’ ballet at the ‘Ivan de Zajc’ Croatian National Theatre in Rijeka on 18 and 20 Jun
18 June 2026
The Ballet brings to stage a sensual, political and wounded Frida Kahlo, immersed in a physical and extreme choreography by Reginaldo Oliveira.
The production, created by Brazilian choreographer Reginaldo Oliveira – director of the Salzburg State Theatre Ballet – was the result of a collaboration between the two institutions following its 2024 premiere in Salzburg and subsequent run in Rio de Janeiro.
The ballet is a self-portrait in motion rather than an illustrated biography, and it does not adhere to a conventional narrative structure. Frida's many personas—the woman, the lover, the activist, the daughter, the painter, and the survivor—are revealed in choreographic tableaux that are inspired by Kahlo's paintings, letters, and writings.
Oliveira creates the spectacle as though each scene were a living canvas, with the dancers' bodies serving as the color and brush. The story revolves around the conflict between creation and suffering, depicting Frida between a wounded body and a free soul—a body that, despite physical limitations, surgeries, and accidents, becomes the vehicle of the most profound expression.
The play chronicles significant events in Frida Kahlo's life, such as the streetcar accident that rendered her immobile and inspired her to paint, her tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera, which is depicted in passionate and angry duets, her self-discovery as a woman and artist, represented by the "second Frida"—an alter ego that converses with her on stage, as in her self-portraits—and her travels, losses, and rebirths, which are conveyed through solos and group dances that combine realism and surrealism.
“What interests me most about Frida is her personality, not her illnesses. She never let her limitations define her life. I want to tell the story of this fighter, inspired by her art and her writings,” explains Reginaldo Oliveira.
Taken from this website.
‘Frida’s World’ made its debut last 28 and 29 May in a crowded ‘Ivan de Zajc’ Croatian National Theatre.
Anyone who missed the premiere can see the show on 18 and 20 June.
Logistic info at the link below (in Croatian).
Review in Italian at this link.
