La Fura dels Baus
Encyclopedia
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".
and street theatre
, performing contemporary theatre and opera, and producing major corporate events. La Fura produced the opening ceremony for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which was broadcast and watched live by more than 500 million viewers. Since this first large show, companies such as Pepsi, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Swatch, Airtel, Microsoft, Absolut Vodka, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros, the Port of Barcelona, Telecom Italia and Sun Microsystems have commissioned it to produce large promotional shows for them around the world.
From 2000 to 2010, La Fura dels Baus performed street theatre, evolving towards a concept of theatre that combines a wide range of stage resources, based on the classical idea of an all-round show. The main contribution of La Fura was to approach its shows by encouraging the audience to take an active part in areas traditionally reserved for the public, and adapting its stage work to the architectural characteristics of the spaces in which each performance takes place. This blend of techniques and disciplines came to be known as llenguatge furer ("Furan language"), a term that has also been used to describe the work of other theatre companies.
The particular concept of shows designed by La Fura dels Baus is seen in its large scale performances such as: L’home del mil.leni (2000), to celebrate the new millennium, which drew an audience of more than 20,000 in Barcelona; the Divine Comedy, performed in Florence
in front of more than 35,000 spectators; La Navaja en el Ojo, which opened the Biennial of Valencia, and which attracted an audience of more than 20,000; and Naumaquia 1 – Tetralogía Anfíbia – El Juego Eterno, which drew an audience of more than 15,000 spectators at the Forum de les Cultures in Barcelona.
A number of courses and workshops have trained actors in the "Furan language". Accions (1984) was the first show to use it, followed by Suz/O/Suz (1985), Tier Mon (1988), Noun (1990), MTM (1994), Manes (1996), ØBS (2000), Matria 1 – Tetralogía Anfíbia – La Creación (2004) and OBIT (2004). The company has made use of new technologies, for example in Work in Progress 97, an on-line show that put on simultaneous performances in different cities in a digital theatre environment.
In 2011 La Fura attracted controversy for performing for the 35th birthday party of the Chechen dictator, Ramzan Kadyrov
.
La Fura dels Baus has also worked in the unconventional and always risky areas of written drama or Italian style theatre, for example in: F@ust 3.0, a show that examines the classical work of Goethe; Ombra, a reinterpretation of various texts by Federico García Lorca
; and XXX, a version of de Sade's Philosophy in the Bedroom
, its international tour, which closed October 2000 after almost 3 years.
The company has also worked in the field of classical theatre. The premiere of a version of Euripides
’ tragedy The Trojan Women
, co-directed by Irene Pappas and La Fura dels Baus, with music by Vangelis
and set design by Santiago Calatrava
, took place in Sagunt in September 2001.
On October 2004, La Fura dels Baus gave the première of OBIT, a performance about life and death.
La Fura works with news projects and languages. A version of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis had its première in Japan on September 2005 and was planned to be on tour till February 2007.
In 2006 La Fura designed a show to inaugurate the Design Fair in Milan.
On 1 May 2007, La Fura gave the premeiere of the new "Furan language" show Imperium, to mark the celebrations of the Spanish Year in China.
Currently, the Company is developing Boris Godunov, a new theatre piece to be performed on stage and that will première next March.
These shows have the characteristics that have traditionally defined the work of La Fura dels Baus from the beginning: use of unconventional venues, music, movement, application of natural and industrial materials, including new technologies and the active participation of the audience in the show. This approach to theatre has attracted audiences that are not usually theatre-goers.
in Granada
in 1996, Debussy's Le martyre de Saint Sébastien
in 1997, Berlioz's La damnation de Faust in Salzburg
in 1999 and José Luis Turina
's D.Q., Don Quijote en Barcelona in 2000. The premiere of Giorgio Battistelli
's musical based on Ernst Jünger
's 1939 novel Auf den Marmor-Klippen
in Mannheim
in 2002 saw the first use of videoconferencing as a stage element in an opera. In the same year in Palermo
they performed Symphonie fantastique
, based on the symphony of that name by Berlioz. They staged Mozart's The Magic Flute
at the Ruhr Triennale in Bochum in 2003 and revived it in 2005 at the Opéra de la Bastille in Paris and at the Teatro Real
in Madrid. In 2007 the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
staged a performance of Wagner's cycle The Ring
under the musical direction of Zubin Mehta
, with La Fura dels Baus as human scenery. The performances were videotaped and released on DVD. In 2007 they performed two operas for the Opéra national de Paris: Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle
and Janáček's song cycle The Diary of One Who Disappeared
. In September 2007 they performed Juan José Falcón Sanabria
's new opera La hija del cielo and in 2010 at the Teatro Real (Madrid) Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
starring Measha Brueggergosman
and conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado
(released on DVD and Blu-ray).
Music is used in all the company's work, to such an extent that it has sometimes provided the framework for the show itself. Each new stage production by La Fura dels Baus generates a parallel musical project that eventually leads to a record being produced.
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...
, 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".
History
La Fura dels Baus was founded in 1979. Since the early 1990s, it has diversified its creative efforts, moving into the fields of written drama, digital theatreDigital theatre
Strictly, Digital theatre is a hybrid art form, gaining strength from theatre’s ability to facilitate imagination and create human connections, and digital technology’s ability extend the reach of communication and visualization...
and street theatre
Street theatre
Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves and street corners. They are especially seen in outdoor spaces where there are...
, performing contemporary theatre and opera, and producing major corporate events. La Fura produced the opening ceremony for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which was broadcast and watched live by more than 500 million viewers. Since this first large show, companies such as Pepsi, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Swatch, Airtel, Microsoft, Absolut Vodka, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros, the Port of Barcelona, Telecom Italia and Sun Microsystems have commissioned it to produce large promotional shows for them around the world.
From 2000 to 2010, La Fura dels Baus performed street theatre, evolving towards a concept of theatre that combines a wide range of stage resources, based on the classical idea of an all-round show. The main contribution of La Fura was to approach its shows by encouraging the audience to take an active part in areas traditionally reserved for the public, and adapting its stage work to the architectural characteristics of the spaces in which each performance takes place. This blend of techniques and disciplines came to be known as llenguatge furer ("Furan language"), a term that has also been used to describe the work of other theatre companies.
The particular concept of shows designed by La Fura dels Baus is seen in its large scale performances such as: L’home del mil.leni (2000), to celebrate the new millennium, which drew an audience of more than 20,000 in Barcelona; the Divine Comedy, performed in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
in front of more than 35,000 spectators; La Navaja en el Ojo, which opened the Biennial of Valencia, and which attracted an audience of more than 20,000; and Naumaquia 1 – Tetralogía Anfíbia – El Juego Eterno, which drew an audience of more than 15,000 spectators at the Forum de les Cultures in Barcelona.
A number of courses and workshops have trained actors in the "Furan language". Accions (1984) was the first show to use it, followed by Suz/O/Suz (1985), Tier Mon (1988), Noun (1990), MTM (1994), Manes (1996), ØBS (2000), Matria 1 – Tetralogía Anfíbia – La Creación (2004) and OBIT (2004). The company has made use of new technologies, for example in Work in Progress 97, an on-line show that put on simultaneous performances in different cities in a digital theatre environment.
In 2011 La Fura attracted controversy for performing for the 35th birthday party of the Chechen dictator, Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Kadyrov
Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov is the President of Chechnya and a former Chechen rebel.Ramzan is a son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov, assassinated in May 2004. In February 2007 Kadyrov replaced Alu Alkhanov as President, shortly after he had turned 30, which is the minimum age for the post...
.
Theatre
The potential offered by stage or Italian-style theatre has also been the subject of intense experimentation by La Fura dels Baus. The company has used resources such as video and other image-based media to create its stage sets, drawing on its experience in other areas of theatre to bring to written drama its idea of encouraging the audience to take part, albeit from the comfort of their seats.La Fura dels Baus has also worked in the unconventional and always risky areas of written drama or Italian style theatre, for example in: F@ust 3.0, a show that examines the classical work of Goethe; Ombra, a reinterpretation of various texts by Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
; and XXX, a version of de Sade's Philosophy in the Bedroom
Philosophy in the Bedroom
Philosophy in the Bedroom is a 1795 erotic book by the Marquis de Sade written in the form of a dramatic dialogue. Though initially considered a work of pornography, the book has come to be considered a socio-political drama...
, its international tour, which closed October 2000 after almost 3 years.
The company has also worked in the field of classical theatre. The premiere of a version of Euripides
Euripides
Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
’ tragedy The Trojan Women
The Trojan Women
The Trojan Women is a tragedy by the Greek playwright Euripides. Produced during the Peloponnesian War, it is often considered a commentary on the capture of the Aegean island of Melos and the subsequent slaughter and subjugation of its populace by the Athenians earlier in 415 BC , the same year...
, co-directed by Irene Pappas and La Fura dels Baus, with music by Vangelis
Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...
and set design by Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls is a Spanish architect, sculptor and structural engineer whose principal office is in Zürich, Switzerland. Classed now among the elite designers of the world, he has offices in Zürich, Paris, Valencia, and New York City....
, took place in Sagunt in September 2001.
On October 2004, La Fura dels Baus gave the première of OBIT, a performance about life and death.
La Fura works with news projects and languages. A version of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis had its première in Japan on September 2005 and was planned to be on tour till February 2007.
In 2006 La Fura designed a show to inaugurate the Design Fair in Milan.
On 1 May 2007, La Fura gave the premeiere of the new "Furan language" show Imperium, to mark the celebrations of the Spanish Year in China.
Currently, the Company is developing Boris Godunov, a new theatre piece to be performed on stage and that will première next March.
These shows have the characteristics that have traditionally defined the work of La Fura dels Baus from the beginning: use of unconventional venues, music, movement, application of natural and industrial materials, including new technologies and the active participation of the audience in the show. This approach to theatre has attracted audiences that are not usually theatre-goers.
Film
Fausto 5.0, La Fura's first venture into the world of film direction, opened in 2001. This feature film, co-directed with Isidro Ortiz, was awarded the Golden Méliès 2003 for the best European film in the fantastic genere. Although it is its first film, La Fura has already been involved in the cinema in the past, for example in Goya in Bordeaux by Carlos Saura.Opera
La Fura has performed in several operas, including de Falla's AtlàntidaAtlàntida
Atlántida is an opera by Manuel de Falla based on a Spanish translation of the Catalan poem L'Atlàntida by Jacint Verdaguer.Atlántida started in the 1920s as a cantata, but grew over 20 years to become a full opera. De Falla died in Argentina before it was finished, leaving a loose collection of...
in Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
in 1996, Debussy's Le martyre de Saint Sébastien
Le martyre de Saint Sébastien
Le martyre de Saint Sébastien, L 124 is a musical work by the French composer Claude Debussy.Written in 1911, the work—a five-act musical mystery play on the subject of Saint Sebastian -- was produced in collaboration with Gabriele d'Annunzio and designed as a vehicle for Ida Rubinstein...
in 1997, Berlioz's La damnation de Faust in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
in 1999 and José Luis Turina
José Luis Turina
José Luis Turina is a Spanish composer, grandson of Joaquín Turina.He studied composition under Antón García Abril, Román Alís, Rodolfo Halffter and Carmelo Bernaola at the conservatories of Barcelona and Madrid, and then, with a grant from the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs for studying at...
's D.Q., Don Quijote en Barcelona in 2000. The premiere of Giorgio Battistelli
Giorgio Battistelli
Giorgio Battistelli is an Italian composer of contemporary classical music. A native of Albano Laziale , he studied at the conservatory in L'Aquila and is a former student of Stockhausen and Kagel, Battistelli has written nearly 20 operas on subjects ranging from Diderot and d'Alembert's...
's musical based on Ernst Jünger
Ernst Jünger
Ernst Jünger was a German writer. In addition to his novels and diaries, he is well known for Storm of Steel, an account of his experience during World War I. Some say he was one of Germany's greatest modern writers and a hero of the conservative revolutionary movement following World War I...
's 1939 novel Auf den Marmor-Klippen
On the Marble Cliffs
On the Marble Cliffs is a novella by Ernst Jünger published in 1939 describing the upheaval and ruin of a serene agricultural society...
in Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
in 2002 saw the first use of videoconferencing as a stage element in an opera. In the same year in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
they performed Symphonie fantastique
Symphonie Fantastique
Symphonie Fantastique: Épisode de la vie d'un Artiste...en cinq parties , Op. 14, is a program symphony written by the French composer Hector Berlioz in 1830. It is one of the most important and representative pieces of the early Romantic period, and is still very popular with concert audiences...
, based on the symphony of that name by Berlioz. They staged Mozart's The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
at the Ruhr Triennale in Bochum in 2003 and revived it in 2005 at the Opéra de la Bastille in Paris and at the Teatro Real
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
in Madrid. In 2007 the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual opera festival which was founded in April 1933 by conductor Vittorio Gui with the aim of presenting contemporary and forgotten operas in visually dramatic productions. It was the first music festival in Italy. The first opera presented was Verdi's early...
staged a performance of Wagner's cycle The Ring
The Ring
- Film :* The Ring , a film by Alfred Hitchcock* The Ring , a film by Kurt Neumann* The Ring , a film by Armand Mastroianni...
under the musical direction of Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, with La Fura dels Baus as human scenery. The performances were videotaped and released on DVD. In 2007 they performed two operas for the Opéra national de Paris: Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle
Bluebeard's Castle
Duke Bluebeard's Castle is a one-act opera by Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. The libretto was written by Béla Balázs, a poet and friend of the composer. It is in Hungarian, based on the French fairy tale "Bluebeard" by Charles Perrault...
and Janáček's song cycle The Diary of One Who Disappeared
The Diary of One Who Disappeared
The Diary of One Who Disappeared is a song cycle for tenor, alto, three female voices and piano, written by Czech composer Leoš Janáček.- Background :...
. In September 2007 they performed Juan José Falcón Sanabria
Juan José Falcón Sanabria
Juan José Falcón Sanabria is a Spanish conductor and composer.Falcón Sanabria conducts the Coral Polifónica de Las Palmas and Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria.-Own works, editions:* Opera La hija del cielo ....
's new opera La hija del cielo and in 2010 at the Teatro Real (Madrid) Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny is a political-satirical opera composed by Kurt Weill to a German libretto by Bertolt Brecht. It was first performed in Leipzig on 9 March 1930.-Composition history:...
starring Measha Brueggergosman
Measha Brueggergosman
Measha Brueggergosman is a Canadian soprano who performs both as an opera singer and concert artist. She has performed internationally and won numerous awards...
and conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado
Pablo Heras-Casado
Pablo Heras-Casado is a Spanish conductor.- Training and competitions :He won the Lucerne Festival Conductors' Competition in 2007 after a unanimous vote from the jury...
(released on DVD and Blu-ray).
Music and Recordings
La Fura dels Baus has created its own record label, with a catalogue of 14 recordings; it has also published its work on other labels, including Dro, Virgin and Subterfuge.Music is used in all the company's work, to such an extent that it has sometimes provided the framework for the show itself. Each new stage production by La Fura dels Baus generates a parallel musical project that eventually leads to a record being produced.