MYSTERIES OF MARIA; Inside Artes de la Rosa's Maria De Buenos Aires - BLOG 7 - Argentina Looks French?

Today we blog with Technical Director and Maria de Buenos Aires Scenic Designer, Oliver Luke. Oliver's designs for Artes de la Rosa theatre have been called beautiful, emersive, and 'art'...and we'd agree! Whether taking us to a dark prison in Argentina or a massive mansion in Miami, Oliver has helped in the revitalization and renisannce of the Rose! He's out done himself with Maria de Buenos Aires. Make sure to check out his work by buying your tickets at www.artesdelarosa.org!

ARGENTINA LOOKS FRENCH?           Approaching the design of a show that has no real setting other than the city of its inception can be a liberating and daunting task. That was the first thought that ran through my head, how do i approach an original design but stay true to the setting of Buenos Aires, Argentina?

My first step to this approach was to study the architecture of Buenos Aires and understanding its influences, which turns out to be very French and Italian in the Baroque Style. Unfortunately the Rose's stage doesn't always allow for the style that may be necessary for a design that would require monumental staircases and expansive dome ceilings. However I did try to focus on the rich interiors and of course the openness of the space which would allow for greater movement opportunities for the dancers. The other issue was deciding on wether we wanted the streets of Buenos Aires where the tango was born or the interior of the Bordellos where the tango was practiced and perfected.

So after about five design sketches, some conceptual and others more literal, we made a decision on our location. The second element to work with would then be color. I decided to play with more earthy and cool colors to contrast the fiery passionate colors one would associate with the tango. Here and there you will get a splash of those passionate colors such as reds but overall it will be a very dark contrast. The last element of my design was that I really wanted to play with lighting opportunities and how lighting can really change the mood and feel of a setting. So the set will feature some really great elements that will play with, lighting designer Michael Coles' work. You'll hear from Michael next week! Till then...