At the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ballet Hispánico closed the summer season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center with a ballet that brought new light to a historical legend.
By John Lavitt
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 07-22-2024
Is there any South American 20th-century legend that compares to the agony and the power of the tragic life of Eva “Evita” Perón? As choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s first evening-length work for Ballet Hispánico, Doña Perón revitalizes the legend with sheer beauty and undeniable emotional power. Following the celebrated U.S. Premiere of ‘Frida’ in 2023, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa returns to L.A.’s premier performing arts destination to examine the truth behind the dark legend of Argentina’s infamous First Lady. Indeed, it is a true highlight of the past season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.
Discussing the dive into Evita’s life, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa explains, “She’s not a fairytale character, she’s not a literary character. She’s a real woman, and for me, it’s interesting to put her on stage because she’s difficult to pinpoint. I want to give female dancers real roles, not always the nice roles. Women are complex and it’s nice to show all of these facets. I’m very grateful that I can put this woman, Evita Perón, on stage as a female choreographer.”
Beyond putting Evita Perón on stage, the choreographer deconstructs the character of this complex woman, revealing the trauma that defined her tragic life. By creating such an intense and powerful work of art, she makes a seminal work for Ballet Hispánico as the organization moves beyond its 50th Anniversary. Indeed, as the preeminent Latinx ballet in the United States, Ballet Hispánico continues to foster works that center the voices of Latinx artists.
In Doña Perón, the 20th-century storyline is infused with the 21st-century theme of childhood trauma and its toll on human beings. After all, Evita was a bastard child rejected by her father and his family. As the Young Evita, dancer Laura Perich demonstrates the immense pain of this rejection. In a dramatic and intense number, she tries desperately to return to her father and win his love. However, he tosses her away like a piece of trash. Such violent rejection becomes the defining moment, scarring Evita’s soul and mapping her future tragedy.
Without question, the show’s highlight is Amanda del Valle’s profoundly moving performance as Evita Perón. Evita’s unexpected romance with and marriage to General Juan Perón (an excellent Antonio Cangiano) offers a whirlwind of possibility. Indeed, Amanda del Valle connects us to the hopes and dreams of this vibrant woman. However, once the oligarchy of Argentina rejects her, the trauma of her past returns in full force. She realizes that she will never escape the dark legacy of traumatic rejection. She is forever haunted by what she lost in childhood.
Despite this rejection, Evita turned to the people for support. By giving shoes and clothes to the Descamisados, a Spanish word meaning “shirtless” that came to define the impoverished and underprivileged Argentine workers who were Perón’s chief supporters, she gathered power. Evita became the idol of the Descamisados because of her poor origins and reputation for using her significant influence to support them. After her death in July 1952, Perón lost support among the workers.
Moreover, her death came to define her legacy of never finding redemption. She never gained her revenge because cancer took her life. There is a sense that the stress and suffering of the trauma brought on the cancer. She was destined to die young. Such tragedy is expressed perfectly in the movement of the production, allowing Amanda del Valle to convey the frustrations and anger that came to define the end of her life.
Doña Perón is highlighted by music composed by Peter Salem that reflects the time and place. Led by bandleader Hector del Curto and conductor Ahmed Alon, the composition expertly supports the dancing on stage, taking the ballet to the next level. From the beginning to the end, Doña Perón is a stunning success for Ballet Hispánico. As the final ballet of a remarkable season, the production shows why Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center remains at the height of the Los Angeles cultural landscape.
Photos by Paula Lobo
