Dates

8-25 Feb 2024

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

2:10, incl. 1 interval

Tickets

From € 21

Frida Salome Leverashvili

Colourful ode to an iconic artist

‘Breathtaking explosion of colour’. That is how Theaterkrant described the world premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Frida, in 2020. The production, which is now in demand internationally, tells the life story of one of the most intriguing artists of the twentieth century: the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Along with designer Dieuweke van Reij and composer Peter Salem, Lopez Ochoa made the magic of Kahlo’s world tangible in her ballet.

Photo: Marta Syrko

Colourful ode to an iconic artist

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) did not have a carefree life by any means. At the age of six, she got polio, and when she was eighteen, she suffered irreparable damage to her pelvis and spine due to a bus accident. But Kahlo did not let fate thwart her. She fought against taboos and fought for women’s rights, and her colourful self-portraits are still inspiring people all over the world today. Lopez Ochoa says, “When I saw Julie Taymor’s film portrait Frida, I was deeply moved by how Kahlo managed to transform her physical immobility and constant pain into art.”

 

Kahlo’s soul and dreams

Already in 2016, Lopez Ochoa’s fascination with Kahlo led to Broken Wings, which she created for English National Ballet. At the request of Dutch National Ballet director Ted Brandsen, she developed this short ballet into a full-length production in 2020. Frida is not an A-to-Z story of Kahlo’s life. The most essential events are portrayed in a succession of impressive scenes in and around two black boxes, which symbolise her many bedridden days. In addition, Lopez Ochoa presents various alter egos, who reveal Kahlo’s soul and dreams, and ten male dancers bring Kahlo’s self-portraits to life.

 

Personal triumph

Involving 49 dancers, Frida is the biggest production created to date by the Colombian-Flemish choreographer Lopez Ochoa. The title role was a personal triumph for principal dancer Maia Makhateli, who danced the world premiere. “Makhateli captures the spirit of the militant Kahlo in a formidable performance.”

Start of ticket sales

General ticket sales for Frida start on 24 August 2023 at 12.00 midday. Want to make sure you don’t miss this moment? Then sign up for the ticket alert, and we’ll send you a reminder as soon as ticket sales begin.

Credits

Choreography  Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Set and costume design  Dieuweke van Reij 
Music  Peter Salem

Musical accompaniment  Dutch Ballet Orchestra conducted by Matthew Rowe

THE MAGIC OF FRIDA KAHLO CAPTURED IN AN IMPRESSIVE BALLET

Order tickets

General ticket sales start on 24 August 2023 at 12.00 midday.

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Frida
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
Frida (2020) | Photo: Hans Gerritsen
 Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Altin Kaftira

Choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa on Frida

‘I wanted the ballet to stay close to my Latino-roots’

rave reviews
on the 2020 production
6 February

Frida stands proudly alone as an excellent new addition to the Dutch ballet repertoire

7 February

Frida is an unqualified ode to the joy of living and to female resilience

8 February

Frida is rock-solid. This ballet will undoubtedly conquer the world before long

Balletorkest

Dutch Ballet Orchestra

Dutch Ballet Orchestra’s mission is ‘to inspire movement in dance’. Since its inception in 1965, the orchestra has been the proud musical partner of Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater. In every performance, the orchestra searches for inspiring synergy between music and dance, in order to give the audience a magical experience.

Dutch Ballet Orchestra

Led by principal conductor Matthew Rowe, Dutch Ballet Orchestra is the leading orchestra for dance in the Netherlands. The orchestra accompanies performances ranging from traditional ballet to modern dance, alongside its activities in music education and talent development.

Besides performances with Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, Dutch Ballet Orchestra has a long tradition of innovative – and award-winning – family performances. For instance, Creatures (in collaboration with ISH Dance Collective) received the international Young Audiences Music Award, and the production Hansel and Gretel (in collaboration with Orkater) won various Musical Awards. In these productions, the musicians play from memory, without a conductor and in costumes, so that they form an integral part of the performance.

And finally, Dutch Ballet Orchestra has a long-term partnership with the Dutch National Ballet Academy. They are therefore involved in the music curriculum for pupils and students, facilitate student visits to orchestra rehearsals and provide music for the academy’s end-of-year performance, where possible.

hetballetorkest.nl/en

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