«Picasso's Ballerina» in the making

Lorenzo Misuri (Picasso) and Rebecca Storani (Olga)
in La Ballarina de Picasso by Remi Wortmeyer for Ballet de Catalunya.
Photo: Josep Guindo

The pace is hectic these days at the Cultural Center of Terrassa, home of the « Ballet de Catalunya » (BNC). Remi Wortmeyer, Australian choreographer and dancer, currently Principal at the HET National Ballet, has been living in Barcelona for over two months working with this young cast in what will be his first long length ballet, "La Bailarina de Picasso". 

Carolina Masjuan 

«La Ballarina de Picasso» bases her story on Olga, a ballerina of the Ballets Russes and who was Pablo Ruiz-Picasso's first wife, and unique, since she never divorced him. Olga Kokhlova meant a before and after in the life of Picasso, both on a personal and artistic level, she captivated him, inspired him, motivated him, overwhelmed him, despaired him.... Also this new creation, we will not doubt, will be a milestone and a turning point for the Ballet de Catalunya, a company that is consolidating, is becoming known and already has a large audience that continues to be enthusiastic. 

Lorenzo Misuri and Rebecca Storani.
Photo: Josep Guindo

We had a chat with the main authors of this exciting adventure, who told us in first person about their personal experiences, giving their point of view about this production. 

Elías García, Artistic Director of the « Ballet de Catalunya », explains how the idea of ​​a new creation and complete ballet to be part of the 36th Dance Season of the Cultural Center of Terrassa, was born : «As it is well known, Ballet de Catalunya, started a year and five months ago. Starting a company from scratch is a difficult task, (finding dancers, venues, theater, etc). Despite this short journey, we are focusing our work to produce to the maximum in order to offer a product and above all to find the identity that the Company needs. So far, in these months, the Ballet de Catalunya has produced five programs, two of them complete ballets (Don Quixote and The Nutcracker). With Leo Sorribes, General Director, we decided to raise the bar and bet on a new production of full Ballet, but this time something that was created and designed for the Ballet de Catalunya and from here the idea arose. 

Regarding why Remi Wortmeyer, Elías continues: «Remi Wortmeyer is a young choreographer and a dancer with a very great career, currently a Principal Dancer at the Het National. In the second program presented by Ballet de Catalunya, Tripple Bill, one of the choreographies was signed by Remi, Concierto Mondrian, a choreography who has been a great success. Remi uses a very Nordic-European vocabulary, which attracts me a lot. As an artistic director, I seek in all productions to approach, even with small brush strokes, what is the territory, because I believe that our culture can give the identity that the Company needs, in order to differentiate itself from others. Remi proposed this wonderful story, Olga, Picasso's first wife and mother of his first child. The story intrigued me a lot and when we discovered it, we decided to bet on it and I was convinced by the fact that the protagonist was a genius who comes from our territory». 

Lise-Marie Vervoort and Remi Wortmeyer.
Photo: Josep Guindo

And he continues "Like all the choreographers who until now have worked for Ballet de Catalunya, Remi has had complete freedom in regards to the choice of dancers. There is an internal audition and during the creation, Remi has the full freedom to change, if necessary, the cast. In case of doubt of Remi I can intervene, but as artistic director, I try to do the minimum possible, the creator has to feel free to be able to give the maximum. The level of the company is extraordinary, and the alchemy that the choreographer has to achieve with the dancers, arises thanks to the feeling that he finds in his interpreters. Remi has done a great job, not only in conceiving and choreographically capturing a story like Olga's, he has been in charge of designing both costumes and set designs. I have only participated as an assistant» 

As for when the company is now at an artistic level, Elías explains to us "The company is growing exponentially and I am beginning to see a cohesion between the dancers. Do not forget the young age of the cast. At a technical level, the dancers, thanks to the teachers who assiduously work in the Ballet de Catalunya, Angeles Lacalle and Vincent Gros and when time permits, mine, is reaching a high level and thanks to the productions made so far, at the artistic aspect the company is positioning itself at a good point, without losing sight of all the work that we still have to develop. With the Nutcracker and thanks to the Cultural Center of Terrassa where the company has its headquarters, we made a work of awareness to the younger public and I hope that with the new program, La Ballarina de Picasso, we can continue with this important work, reaching the maximum of public of all ages. Hoping that this program will help the Ballet de Catalunya to move forward. 

Rebecca Storani and Lorenzo Misuri. Photo: Jposep Guindo

We also had the opportunity to share a very nice evening with Remi Wortmeyer who gave us his vision. Installed for a long time in Barcelona, ​​a city that he confesses to adore, he must absent himself from time to time to attend some premieres of his ballets. He has a lot of work, right now he has six commissions for new ballets, one of them for the next season of the HET National Ballet, with whom he continues to dance as principal in Amsterdam, but now he is completely immersed in this new adventure, with which he is delighted. 

"It was immediately after the premiere of Mondrian Concerto which I created for the Ballet de Catalunya last season that I was asked to create a complete ballet to premiere next year. They asked me to make the argument fit the culture of the country, something that I totally agreed with. So I undertook a search process and found the perfect story in Olga's life».

"The story is based on the Russian dancer who conquered Picasso. Once the character was found, everything flowed naturally, the dancer, Olga, the Ballets Russes, the Spanish painter, Picasso, all confirmed to be the perfect script for a ballet, for a company from the country of the genius and for this young company.

Stanislava Pincekova (Coco Chanel) and
Reo Morikawa (Jean Cocteau). Photo: Josep Guindo

My ballet is not 100% true to reality, I have allowed myself some licenses, just as Picasso interpreted reality in his works, I also wanted to give my vision to the story. I used flash-back to situate the mental moments that Olga goes through, the subject of her medication because of the infidelities of Picasso. But its environment and its circumstances are the real ones and the characters are also those who frequented the couple, Jean Cocteau, Diaghilev, Coco Chanel,... as well as the development of the plot is placed chronologically » 

"Once the plot is found, we move on to the selection of music. Stravinsky, a contemporary of Picasso and related to him thanks to Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, for whom he composed while Picasso participated in the sets, was the perfect composer for this ballet » 

About sets and the costumes, Remi told us : «Yes, I made the designs of everything, I like to control all the production, and I always had a clear idea of ​​what I wanted. The budget is tight and we have had to move to get the necessary elements in the desired quality, or as close as possible to it for fabrics, reproductions, etc ... I must thank the enormous help that Marina Quera (Executive Director of Ballet de Catalunya) has given me in this sense.

Artists of Ballet de Catalunya rehearsing
La Ballarina de Picasso. Photo: Josep Guindo

Absolutely everything is inspired by the time, but evidently the costumes have been adapted to facilitate the movement of the dancers. The sets are inspired by paintings of the genius and pretend that the viewer feels like inside the painting. I have not seen the final result yet, but I am confident that everything will be fine!» 

Regarding the cast, Remi explains «I found the company with some changes, which is normal, but in general they form a very powerful cast and it has progressed a lot since I was last with them. I am very happy to see these young artists grow in the way they do. Obviously for them to participate in the creation of a ballet -in this case with me, but it could have been with any other creator- it is very rewarding and they live it with great enthusiasm and intensity. I came with a clear idea of ​​everything, steps, style and interpretation of each character, etc ... Although something has changed in the meantime, basically I continue with my initial scheme. I teach the dancers exactly what I want and I try to stimulate them to give the maximum of themselves, but if at some point you have to make some small concession so that they feel more comfortable or to improve the fuidity of the dance, I am willing to consider it. But I must say that they have done a great job and I am very satisfied with all of them!" 

Rebecca Storani and Lorenzo Storani. Photo: Josep Guindo

We also wanted to know about the experience of the main dancers, the very young but highly talented, Rebecca Storanni (Olga) and Lorenzo Misuri (Picasso): 

Rebecca Storani (Olga): «Remi, besides being a choreographer, is a very complete artist and this shows a lot in his work with us. His care in the details and the way to express an emotion with his body, is incredible. I think this is what I will more keep on me of him and of these creations that we are doing. His way of working is also ideal for me, you have to always be very attentive to every little movement he makes, but at the same time make it yours, personal. He, as I said before, takes great care of the details and the little things, but at the same time leaves you room to see how you can make yours a movement without changing the story. 

Surely I have an opportunity that not everyone can have in life, that a choreographer so important and with so much experience is making a creation on you. It is a luxury and an honor for me, especially because I have such a beautiful role, but at the same time very difficult. I am very happy to have been chosen by him for this wonderful creation that is Olga, the wife of Picasso. 

Anna Ishii and Ryo Sasaki. Photo: Josep Guindo

I must admit that it has been a very difficult process, but at the same time a great one. To internalize the character, I started watching documentaries of Picasso's life, to know his whole life well and to know to what extent he abandoned himself to the love of his inspirational muse and future woman, Olga. After, I read some books, I have even seen one in Russian, that although I have not understood anything, but it has helped me a lot because of its photographs of Olga, of them two together or even designs that he made, to see her poses, her movements, trying to look as much as possible like her, and trying to make her own movements but a little more stylized than in that era she lived. 

Olga is a difficult role, with personality changes throughout the ballet. It begins as a happy woman doing what she likes (dancing) and a pure woman, who knows Picasso and falls in love with him. Little by little, during the show we will see Picasso flirting with other women and it is here that Olga will start to faint in her strong and pure character at the same time. When you realize that the person you love most is not the same he was at the beginning, that he will not always be by your side to help you, this hurts... and this goes through until he meets Marie-Thérèse, his future lover and from there it begins for Olga an internal struggle with herself, not to believe that it is true, until her total abandonment to madness for love. 

Rebecca Storani and Lorenzo Misuri. Photo: Josep Guindo

There is still a lot of work to be done, but I am already very happy for the comments that I have been told: "you have found Olga". When I dance, I already feel everything as if it was real, I try to imagine the whole story of truth and I feel the pain in my chest, as if this really hurt me ». 

About costumes « I will have enough changes of costumes, more or less four or five and very fast! Some I will have to change in one minute! But it will be very beautiful because in each part of the ballet it will be a dress adapted to the situation. » 

Rebecca Storani and Carlos Aquino. Photo: Josep Guindo

And regarding the company « It's been a year and a half since the Ballet de Catalunya started and many things have changed. I feel totally another person. I have been lucky enough to always dance the main roles and that helped me a lot to develop the whole story behind each character. Thanks to the management and the choreographers who have always trusted me and given me these opportunities. » 

«I have also always worked a lot, without resting days and I have always given my best and this has clearly helped me too. I think the growth of the company also has to do with the number of shows we do and this year has already been much better than last year, but it's a pity that you can not make entire productions of ten or fourteen shows like all the companies do. Because with the shows people gain more experience in front of the public, it is customary to control nerves, fatigue, breathing and energy and thus helps one to give a little more in each performance. I really hope that this company grows more and more and that they give us support and help to improve the conditions and maybe one day be the National Ballet Company of Catalonia. » 

Remi Wortmeyer and Rebecca Storani. Phoo: Josep Guindo

Lorenzo Misuri (Picasso): «Every time I am struck by Remi's work, his quality of movement is fluid but at the same time dynamic and precise, for me this is the "style of Remi" and it is an element that I have also found in his choreography created last year for the Ballet de Catalunya (Concerto Mondrian) and in Picasso's Ballerina this year. Moreover, another important aspect that I want to highlight is the great talent that Remi has in explaining and transmitting to us dancers in a clean, precise and clear way, the idea that he has of his choreography in all aspects. 

Remi is a Principal dancer with excellent musicality and a beautiful movement, and succeeds in bringing these two important qualities also in his choreographic works ». 

«When such an important choreographer creates a choreography on you it's already something special. In Picasso's Ballerina the emotion is even stronger because Remi has not created a simple choreography but a whole ballet with a very complex and intense story behind it. Every day being present for this important creation has greatly enriched me as a dancer. Thanks to Remi and his choreography the truest part of myself came out and I was able to rediscover that pleasure of dancing one felt when being a child. Despite the technical difficulties of ballet I feel free when I dance and this is very much thanks to the teachings of Remi. » 

Rebecca Storani and Lorenzo Misuri. Photo: Josep Guindo

«The role of Picasso is certainly not simple and being young and not very experienced, at first I admit that I was afraid of not being able to play this character at best. But Remi immediately believed in me and this was very important for the performance of this character. In addition to Remi, I thank Elias Garcia Herrera (artistic director of the ballet de Catalunya) very much, he has also helped me to dig and better understand Picasso and his story, which is fundamental for me. I hope that the audience will be able to see on stage not Picasso but Lorenzo and his soul as Picasso.» 

About the company, Lorenzo told us : «It's only a year and a half that I'm at the ballet de Catalunya, and that the company was born, but for me it seems that much more time has passed. That's certainly because this experience has helped me mature as a person and dancer. The people who work on this project put a lot of passion into it. We are lucky to have excellent teachers and maître de ballet that from the morning lesson spur us on and help us to give the best of ourselves, we have an artistic director who goes beyond the functions of director, he is always present from the first to the last rehearsal, to get the most out of every dancer. In less than 2 years we will be staging a very important production such as "Picasso’s Ballerina". This is the "Ballet de Catalunya" and it taught me that when we put passion, love and believe in a dream or a project, despite problems or difficulties from starting from zero, something as incredible and special as this company is, can arise. » 

Thank you very much everyone for your collaboration and for allowing us to get closer and also live a little bit this creative process whose end will be this beautiful ballet. We are certain that at Ballet de Catalunya, everyone involved, but mainly these great artists, will make us dream and will deeply move us with this amazing history of Olga and Picasso. There are very few tickets left, hurry up to get yours !! 

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Cast

PRINCIPALS:
Olga Khokhlova: Rebecca Storani
Picasso: Lorenzo Misuri
Marie-Therese: Sofia Pagani

SOLOISTS:
Jean Cocteau: Reo Morikawa
Sergei Diaghilev: Lucien Vecchierelli
Coco Chanel: Stanislava Pincekova

SECOND ROLES:
Colombine: Yuzu Hikosaka
Arlequí: Ryo Sasaki
Pierrot: Clara del Cerro
Acròbata: Yukari Mizu
“Strong man”: Carlos Aquino
Director de la Galeria: Ryo Sasaki
Doctor: Carlos Aquino

CORPS:
Julia Roca,
Alexandra Urcia
Miho Okamura
Yuzu Hikosaka
Mizuki Tanoue
Anna Ishii
Clara del Cerro

Yukari Mizu
Monica Gomez
Ryo Sasaki
Andrea Marselletti
Lisa-Marie Vervoort
Victoria Aletta
Matilde Ferrari

Elizabeth Cohen
Myrsini Petroutsou
Olivia Sparling
Giuliana Restivo
Flavia Carsillo
Lorenzo Di Stasio

Direcció Artística: Elias Garcia
Autoria i coreografia: Remi Wörtmeyer
Música: Igor Stravinsky
Assistents artístics: Elias Garcia, Chase Johnsey, Vincent Gros, Maria Fernanda Urcia
Producció: Marina Quera
Direcció tècnica i il·luminació: Ricardo Alegria
Disseny d’escenografia i vestuari: Remi Wörtmeyer
Confecció de vestuari: Paula Fecker, Marta Muiños, Gina Nunura, Martina Montorfani
Escenografia: Albert Torres, Andrés Gavilano, Pepe Urcia
Fotografia: Josep Guindo