Frida Kahlo was without a doubt one of the most well-known painters. She was most famous for her portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. She has movies, shirts, tote bags, books, and many other items made to honor her work. To add to the list, on Thursday, it was announced that Kahlo’s life story will be made into a musical.
The musical’s creators hope the show will offer a new look at her life, showing previously untold details and personal stories about the famous artist. It will be based partially on the book “Intimate Frida,” by her niece Isolda P. Kahlo, and include some conversations with Kahlo’s family in Mexico. Although there have been other attempts to make Kahlo’s life story a musical, this is the only one her family has officially approved.
“In all the stories I heard when I was a little child, our family remembered Aunt Frida as a very joyful woman,” said Mara Romeo Kahlo, universal heiress to the Frida Kahlo legacy, in a statement to The Washington Post. “She was passionate about music, arts and Mexican culture. ‘Frida, The Musical’ honors everything she was: a real woman who fought for her dreams, loved like anybody else and always lived ahead of her time.”
Although many people tend to focus on the physical and emotional suffering often depicted in her work, the creators of the musical say they want to capture something more holistic. “We really want to see Frida through a wider perspective,” said Lozano in a phone interview.
Berger agrees. “Everyone knows a colder Frida, a suffering Frida, but she loved life,” Berger said. “She was really, really fun. That’s what we want to portray. I used to have a sad view of Frida, like, ‘Oh, the poor woman.’ Now, knowing how she was so smart and so clever, I look up to her.” The playwright is also excited about capturing Kahlo’s funny side, which she believes is often overlooked. “I really connected to her humor,” she said. “I don’t think I knew how funny she was — that she had this wry, dry sense of humor. She really was of the people.”
The production will follow Kahlo’s life from Mexico City to Paris to New York, and back to the famous “Blue House” where she was born and later died in 1954. Titled “Frida, The Musical,” the show will include music by Jaime Lozano and lyrics by playwright Neena Beber, and it will be produced by Valentina Berger. It is expected to open on Broadway in 2024.
Link to article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/07/24/frida-kahlo-musical/
The musical’s creators hope the show will offer a new look at her life, showing previously untold details and personal stories about the famous artist. It will be based partially on the book “Intimate Frida,” by her niece Isolda P. Kahlo, and include some conversations with Kahlo’s family in Mexico. Although there have been other attempts to make Kahlo’s life story a musical, this is the only one her family has officially approved.
“In all the stories I heard when I was a little child, our family remembered Aunt Frida as a very joyful woman,” said Mara Romeo Kahlo, universal heiress to the Frida Kahlo legacy, in a statement to The Washington Post. “She was passionate about music, arts and Mexican culture. ‘Frida, The Musical’ honors everything she was: a real woman who fought for her dreams, loved like anybody else and always lived ahead of her time.”
Although many people tend to focus on the physical and emotional suffering often depicted in her work, the creators of the musical say they want to capture something more holistic. “We really want to see Frida through a wider perspective,” said Lozano in a phone interview.
Berger agrees. “Everyone knows a colder Frida, a suffering Frida, but she loved life,” Berger said. “She was really, really fun. That’s what we want to portray. I used to have a sad view of Frida, like, ‘Oh, the poor woman.’ Now, knowing how she was so smart and so clever, I look up to her.” The playwright is also excited about capturing Kahlo’s funny side, which she believes is often overlooked. “I really connected to her humor,” she said. “I don’t think I knew how funny she was — that she had this wry, dry sense of humor. She really was of the people.”
The production will follow Kahlo’s life from Mexico City to Paris to New York, and back to the famous “Blue House” where she was born and later died in 1954. Titled “Frida, The Musical,” the show will include music by Jaime Lozano and lyrics by playwright Neena Beber, and it will be produced by Valentina Berger. It is expected to open on Broadway in 2024.
Link to article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/07/24/frida-kahlo-musical/
