Lili, the Danish Girl
Reginaldo Oliveira
Synopsis
Lili Elbe was born in Denmark in 1882 – as Einar Wegener, who became a renowned landscape painter. Einar married illustrator Gerda Gottlieb and soon began to secretly pose for Gerda’s female portraits – as Lili. In the 1920s, the couple moved to Paris, because Lili hoped that she would be able to express her female side more freely there. It took several sex reassignment surgeries in Berlin and Dresden, however, until she felt she was living in the right body. Lili must have been among the first people to undergo these surgeries. A short period of societal open-mindedness that was brutally terminated in the 1930s sets the scene for this extraordinary life story.
Starting from the example of Lili Elbe, Reginaldo Oliveira explores what it means if the external appearance of one’s body is irreconcilable with the way one feels inside and of what diversity we deprive ourselves with our rigid assignments of masculinity and femininity. What kind of society might breed an inner freedom that would make it possible to break free from the corset of conventional sex assignments and allow for all our inherent possibilities to develop? Oliveira’s choreography, which repeatedly pushes the limits of conventional ballet to arrive at new forms of expression, suggests using dance itself as a means to explore the body – and, in the process, to honour a woman who has a lot to tell us.
Lili Elbe (1882–1931) wrote a book about her life story, which was published in 1932 and translated into several languages. An archive in Dresden is dedicated to preserving her memory. In 2000, David Ebershoff wrote a novel based on her story. “The Danish Girl” became an international bestseller and was filmed by Tom Hooper in 2015.
Reginaldo Oliveira, head of the ballet division, has interpreted classics of world literature including “Romeo and Juliet” and “Anna Karenina”. Together with his long-standing team of stage designer Sebastian Hannak and costume designer Judith Adam, he now employs the example of a historical character to shine a light on a virulent social issue.
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes / no break
Reviews
Die Spannung des 80-minütigen Premierenabends am Samstag entlädt sich in frenetischem Jubel – ein Bewies, dass dem Landestheater-Publikum neben „Manitu“ und Niavarani auch Forderndes, Kontroverses zuzumuten ist.
Reginaldo Oliveira zeigt intensives, sinnliches Tanztheater, das auch durch die Kraft und Ausdauer der Tanzer:innen den Verdacht, auf den aktuellen Trend diverser Genderdebatten und-performances aufzuspringen, gar nicht erst aufkommen lässt. Er erzählt eine Geschichte, bietet jedoch mit der kleinen Compagnie mehr als die nackte Handlung, zeigt den Kampf Lili Elbes um ihre Identität, das Auf und Ab ihrer Gefühle. […] Ein beeindruckendes Tanzstück, das im Premierenjubel endet. Dieser gilt den Tänzer:innen ebenso wie dem Choreografen und seinem Team.
Eine Ballett-Uraufführung in grandioser Umsetzung: Tanz, Musik, Kostüm (Judith Adam) und Bühnenbild (Sebastian Hannak) gingen eine stimmige Liaison ein, erzählten Lilis Geschichte kunstvoll nach. Lilis Schicksal, am Salzburger Landestheater auf höchstem tänzerischem Niveau erzählt, ist so aktuell, wie das Wesen des Menschen individuell und vielfältig ist. Dafür gab es Standing Ovations und einen nicht enden wollenden Applaus.
Wenn Körpergefühl und äußere Gestalt nicht in Einklang zu bringen sind, so Oliveira, liege es nahe, den Körper selbst mit den Mitteln des Tanzes zu erforschen. Das ist ihm mit seiner Compagnie glänzend gelungen.
Audio introduction
von Maren Zimmermann
Cast
Concept and Choreography
Reginaldo Oliveira
State Design
Sebastian Hannak
Costume Design
Judith Adam
Dramaturgy
Maren Zimmermann
Einar / Lili
Klevis Neza
Kt. Flavio Salamanka
Gerda
Larissa Mota
Harriet Mills
Hélène
Valbona Bushkola
Dafne Barbosa
Dr. Warnekros
Lucas Leonardo
Iure de Castro
Prostituierte
Sveva Gaudenzi
Dafne Barbosa
Chigusa Fujiyoshi
Moeka Katsuki
Freier
Diego da Cunha
Iure de Castro
Lucas Leonardo
Cassiano Rodrigues
Ärzte 1
Chigusa Fujiyoshi
Cassiano Rodrigues
Kirche
Chigusa Fujiyoshi
Moeka Katsuki
Ärzte 2
Dafne Barbosa
Moeka Katsuki
Iure de Castro
Lucas Leonardo
Ärzte 3
Dafne Barbosa
Chigusa Fujiyoshi
Sveva Gaudenzi
Moeka Katsuki
Diego da Cunha
Iure de Castro
Lucas Leonardo
Cassiano Rodrigues