Ballet Arizona is proud to present the U.S. premiere of Frida, a breathtaking ballet by the renowned choreographer, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa that brings the extraordinary life and artistry of Frida Kahlo to the stage.
This production marks a strategic and artistic milestone for Ballet Arizona and exemplifies our mission to ignite the human spirit through dance by presenting works that challenge perceptions and expand the reach of ballet.
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, a Belgian-Colombian choreographer celebrated for her innovative and emotive works, masterfully brings Kahlo’s world to life through ballet. Inspired by Kahlo’s resilience and her ability to transform personal pain into profound art, Lopez Ochoa translates this spirit into movement. “Frida Kahlo used her life as a canvas,” Lopez Ochoa explains, “infusing every piece with raw, personal truth. Through her art, she challenged conventions and made us confront the beauty in pain and the strength in vulnerability.”
Choosing to produce Frida in-house represents a strategic investment for Ballet Arizona. The estimated $400,000 cost to build the production locally is comparable to the expense of renting it from the Dutch National Ballet. However, by creating these assets internally, Ballet Arizona not only strengthens its financial position but also opens avenues for future revenue generation, cost savings, and potential co-productions with other ballet companies. This decision reflects the company’s dedication to advancing the art form and diversifying its repertoire while fostering a sustainable operational model.
This stunning production features a rich tapestry of visual and musical elements. British composer Peter Salem’s score incorporates traditional Mexican instruments to immerse audiences in Kahlo’s cultural heritage, while Dutch designer Dieuweke van Reij’s striking set and costume designs reflect the vibrant aesthetic of Mexicanismo, the art movement embraced by Kahlo. By building the production locally, Ballet Arizona strengthens its ties to the Arizona community and ensures a sustainable artistic investment that will serve the company for years to come.
The story of Frida is deeply personal and symbolic, capturing the essence of Kahlo’s life through her vivid imagination and surrealist artistry. Lopez Ochoa draws inspiration from several of Kahlo’s self-portraits, using them as mosaics to narrate the artist’s journey. In a powerful creative choice, male dancers portray Kahlo’s iconic self-portraits, symbolizing the larger-than-life legacy of her art. “I wanted the paintings to be bigger than her,” Lopez Ochoa notes, emphasizing how Kahlo’s work transcended her personal struggles to achieve global acclaim.
As audiences prepare to witness Frida, they will experience not just a ballet but a transformative celebration of one of the 20th century’s most compelling artists. Through Kahlo’s story, Ballet Arizona continues to honor the past while pushing the boundaries of ballet into the modern era, igniting the human spirit with each step, note, and stroke of artistry.
