La Fura dels Baus: Àlex Ollé on the Catalan Collective's Opera Revolution
Born in 1960 in Barcelona, Àlex Ollé serves as the artistic director for La Fura dels Baus, a Catalan theatre group established in 1979. This collective emerged from 'La Fura' and 'Els Baus', creating a unique visual and physical style known as 'furero'. Their early works, highlighted in the 1984 Manifesto Canalla, featured intense and celebratory themes. Since the 1990s, the focus has shifted to opera, with performances at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, including Madama Butterfly in June 2023, where Ollé incorporated modern elements to engage younger audiences. On October 28, 2023, they will stage Italo Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re at Teatro alla Scala. Additionally, Ollé holds the position of artist-in-residence at Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona.
Key facts
- La Fura dels Baus was founded in 1979, five years after Franco's death.
- The collective developed a unique 'furero' language combining action theatre, industrial music, and metal debris sets.
- Founders include Marcel·lí Antúnez Roca, Quico Palomar, Carlus Padrissa, and Pere Tantinya from Moià.
- The group has performed five operas at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, most recently Madama Butterfly in June 2023.
- Madama Butterfly featured a taxi arrival and a backdrop of 'ecomostri' symbolizing urban decay.
- La Fura dels Baus has used interactive and virtual technologies for over fifteen years, including AI.
- On October 28, 2023, the collective will present L'amore dei tre re at Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
- Àlex Ollé is artist-in-residence at Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, working on opera renewal.
Entities
Artists
- Àlex Ollé
- Marcel·lí Antúnez Roca
- Quico Palomar
- Carlus Padrissa
- Pere Tantinya
Institutions
- La Fura dels Baus
- Teatro alla Scala
- Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
- Gran Teatre del Liceu
- Artribune
Locations
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Moià
- Milan
- Italy
- Rome
- Naples