Àlex Ollé
Encyclopedia
Àlex Ollé (ˈaɫəks uˈʎe) (born 1960) is one of the 6 artistic directors of La Fura dels Baus
, the Spanish Catalan theatrical group
founded in 1979 in Barcelona
and known for their use of unusual settings and a blurring of the boundaries separating audience and actor.
in 1992. After this project, he has collaborated in different projects related to theatre, opera and cinema productions:
(both in collaboration with Carlus Padrissa). More recently, and on its own, “Metamorfosis” –in collaboration with Javier Daulte- based on the novel of Franz Kafka
, and “Boris Godunov” –in collaboration with David Plana- a performance inspired by the assault on the Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow
and the work of Alexander Pushkin. With Miquel Gorriz, Ollé directed the Samuel Beckett
play “First Love” as part of the Festival Grec of Barcelona.
and “The Martyr of Sant Sebastián” by Claude Debussy
. “The Damnation of Faust” by Hector Berlioz
was premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 1999. “DQ, Don Quijote en Barcelona”, with music from José Luis Turina and libretto from Justo Navarro, a production of the Gran Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona
Mozart’s “Magic Flute” was presented in the Rühr Biennial in co-production with the Opera de Paris
and the Teatro Real
in Madrid. Béla Bartók
's “Bluebeard Castle” and Leoš Janáček
’s “Journal d’un Disparu” were co-produced by Opera Garnier de Paris
and Gran Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona.
In collaboration with Valentina Carrasco, he directed György Ligeti
’s “Le Grand Macabre”, which premiered at the theatre of La Monnaie in Brussels in coproduction with Gran Teatro del Liceo, the English National Opera
and the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. The opera was chosen for the opening of the 50th Festival of the Arts of Adelaide
, Australia.
in Shanghai
in 2010.
La Fura dels Baus
La Fura dels Baus is a Catalan theatrical group founded in 1979 in Barcelona, known for their urban theatre, use of unusual settings and blurring of the boundaries between audience and actor. "La Fura dels Baus" in Catalan means "vermin from the sewers"....
, the Spanish Catalan theatrical group
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
founded in 1979 in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and known for their use of unusual settings and a blurring of the boundaries separating audience and actor.
Early period
From his early period, there were the shows “Accions” (1983), “Suz o Suz” (1985), “Tier Mon” (1988), “Noun” (1990) and “M:T:M” (1994) that established La Fura dels Baus as a cult group for the audience and the press.1992 Olympic Games
In collaboration with Carlus Padrissa, Ollé created, developed and directed “Mediterrani, mar olímpic”, the highlight on the opening ceremony of the Olympic GamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1992. After this project, he has collaborated in different projects related to theatre, opera and cinema productions:
Theatre
Àlex Ollé has directed four theatre shows: “Faust 3.0” (1998), inspired on Goethe’s work, “XXX” (2004) based on the “Philosophy in the boudoir” by Marquis de SadeMarquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
(both in collaboration with Carlus Padrissa). More recently, and on its own, “Metamorfosis” –in collaboration with Javier Daulte- based on the novel of Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
, and “Boris Godunov” –in collaboration with David Plana- a performance inspired by the assault on the Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and the work of Alexander Pushkin. With Miquel Gorriz, Ollé directed the Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
play “First Love” as part of the Festival Grec of Barcelona.
Movie
Àlex Ollé, Carlus Padrissa and Isidro Ortiz co-directed the movie Fausto 5.0, which won (with others) the best European fiction move award “Melies de Oro” in 2003.Opera
The early operatic works of Àlex Ollé in collaboration with Carlus Padrissa were “Atlantida”, by Manuel de FallaManuel de Falla
Manuel de Falla y Matheu was a Spanish Andalusian composer of classical music. With Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados and Joaquín Turina he is one of Spain's most important musicians of the first half of the 20th century....
and “The Martyr of Sant Sebastián” by Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy
Claude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
. “The Damnation of Faust” by Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
was premiered at the Salzburg Festival in 1999. “DQ, Don Quijote en Barcelona”, with music from José Luis Turina and libretto from Justo Navarro, a production of the Gran Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona
Mozart’s “Magic Flute” was presented in the Rühr Biennial in co-production with the Opera de Paris
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
and the Teatro Real
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
in Madrid. Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
's “Bluebeard Castle” and Leoš Janáček
Leoš Janácek
Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
’s “Journal d’un Disparu” were co-produced by Opera Garnier de Paris
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
and Gran Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona.
In collaboration with Valentina Carrasco, he directed György Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
’s “Le Grand Macabre”, which premiered at the theatre of La Monnaie in Brussels in coproduction with Gran Teatro del Liceo, the English National Opera
English National Opera
English National Opera is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden...
and the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. The opera was chosen for the opening of the 50th Festival of the Arts of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Australia.
Thematic Show
His last project has been the co-direction of the thematic show “Window of the City” for the Universal ExhibitionExpo 2010
Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai China was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010. It was a major World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions, the first since 1992...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 2010.
Sources
- Centro Dramático Nacional, Boris Godunov, La Fura dels Baus, 2008 p. 6
- Crusells Valeta, Magí, "Ollé, Àlex", Directores de cine en Cataluña: de la A a la Z, Edicions Universitat Barcelona, 2009, p. 185. ISBN 84-475-3316-6,
- Dessau, Bruce, "La Fura Dels Baus bring their eye-popping take on Ligeti to London", The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, September 5, 2009