By Rebecca Kay
San Francisco Ballet’s Broken Love was a sensory plunge into a world of color, sound, and poignant storytelling. I was lucky enough to attend Broken Love on Saturday, April 12th, where it runs at the War Memorial Opera House through April 18th. Composed of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Broken Wings and Sir Fredrick Ashton’s Marguerite and Armand, both ballets were passionate retellings of love and loss, heartbreak and resilience. While the ballets used different approaches to convey their message, I found
them equally meaningful and unique – sharing the common threads of intense emotionality and feeling.
Broken Wings brought Frida Kahlo’s art and humanity to a distinct reality by immersing the audience in the rich and vibrant world of Kahlo’s imagination from the moment the curtain rose. Realized by prolific choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Broken Wings drew upon not only dance to tell Kahlo’s story, but also the worlds of vivid costuming and evocative music to encapsulate the depth of Frida Kahlo and the reoccurring theme of struggle and resilience throughout her life. In the words of Lopez Ochoa, “I think the ballet is definitely narrative, but it draws upon symbolism, like the paintings of Frida and
visual poetry… I was really inspired by her because I find it very admirable that she transformed her pain into art…”. Throughout the program, the worlds of reality and imagination are constantly intertwined, showing the cyclical nature in which Kahlo’s experiences informed her art and how her art in turn created fantastical worlds for her to experience. The score was that of Peter Salem, with a beautiful live performance by Geo Meneses and Los Macorinos of “La Llorona” given near the end of the ballet.
The program opened with a horde of skeletons silhouetted in light, hovering around the large black box from which Frida eventually emerged. These skeletons remained a motif throughout the ballet – an ever-present reminder of death and of the force which pulled Frida away from happiness and fulfillment time and time again. The box unfolded to reveal principal dancer Nikisha Fogo, who played a riveting Frida Kahlo, rich with emotional depth and passion. I was enthralled by Fogo’s performance and her
embodiment of Kahlo – transitioning seamlessly from a woman fierce and independent, to flirtatious and tantalizing, to broken and distraught – all in the span of 49 minutes. She was tender yet feisty, using her physicality to showcase her emotional state in a powerful and meaningful way. Fogo truly brought the audience along for the ride that was Frida Kahlo’s life, from her relationship with fellow painter and love interest Diego Rivera (danced by Nathaniel Remez) to her bodily decline through the series of accidents and maladies which eventually lead to death. Yet even more than the retelling of Kahlo’s life, it was the interactions with her art that made Broken Wings so incredibly memorable.
Twelve Male Fridas, dressed in vibrant statement pieces by costumer Dieuweke Van Reij, strode onto stage – their movements majestic and proud. Colorful and declarative, these were the self-portraits of Frida, created by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa as the living legacy of Frida Kahlo’s art. In the words of Lopez Ochoa, “I really felt I wanted one moment where you see the painting move, where the painting comes to life…It gives them the opportunity to channel their inner Frida.” The Twelve Male Fridas executed this vision proudly, and it was mesmerizing to see them move in such a powerful yet almost feminine way. The Female Deer was another powerful quintessence of Frida Kahlo’s art – almost acting as her spirit animal. Pemberley Ann Olson did a wonderful job portraying the innocent sweetness of the Female Deer, eventually pierced by an arrow – killed as Frida herself weakened. Overall, it is almost impossible to put Broken Wingsinto words – so full was it of powerful symbolism and imagery. Yet one thing is true: it certainly did justice to the creative icon that was Frida Kahlo.
The second ballet in this production of “Broken Love” was that of Marguerite and Armand, choreographed by Sir Fredrick Ashton in 1963 for the renowned dancersMargot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. With beautifully intricate music by the virtuosic Franz Liszt, this ballet was definitely the more classical, traditional of the two. The storyline was simple: two lovers, kept away from each other – one slowly dying until the tragic end. For me, the very simplicity of this ballet is what made it so powerful. Nothing detracted from the intense, heartbreaking nature of this ballet – costumes and sets were
paired back for the audience to truly experience the two main characters and the full expression of their relationship. Played by Jasmine Jimison as Marguerite and Wei Wang as Armand, the couple’s raw feeling was palpable and powerful. Jimison was incredible, her technicality and artistry astounding. I was completely hypnotized as she floated across the stage, every step perfectly executed, yet painfully vulnerable and raw at the same time. Jasmine’s portrayal of Marguerite was so genuine and real that
emotion simply oozed out of her body, and I was truly moved. Wei Wang was also superb in his role as Armand, the ultimate lover – loyal to a fault. Wang was as strong as Marguerite was helpless, the controlled foundation to offset the wild tempest. Together, they were unstoppable – the perfect cast for such an iconic and recognizable ballet. As Artistic Director Tamara Rojo described, “[Marguerite and Armand] is one of those pieces that creates a catharsis when you finish. You’ve been spend physically and emotionally. Every artist wishes to do performances like this.” I agree with this statement, and I too felt the emotional weight of this ballet. It rests heavy on the soul yet in such a satisfying and emotionally intelligent way that keeps one coming back for more.
Marguerite and Armand brought the audience back to the simple elegance of ballet, yet I found it just as powerful as Broken Wings. I applaud Tamara Rojo for pairing these two pieces together, the loud and opinionated Broken Wings with the majesty and passion of the traditional Marguerite and Armand. The two ballets make up a magical night of dance and artistry, and I highly encourage you attend San Francisco Ballet’s Broken Love
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