About:
Lili Elbe Show is a true story and a profoundly personal journey that resonates universally. It explores the human struggles of self-acceptance, identity, and the quiet feeling of never being enough.
The piece tells the story of landscape painter Einar Wegener and his wife, portraitist Gerda Wegener, reimagined through the poetic language of dance. Two realms unfold on stage: the real-life transformation of Einar into Lili, and a dreamlike world of spirits and shadows, where Lili’s presence is already felt.
A mirrorless frame becomes a threshold into this other dimension, where dreams, memories, and inner truths converge. Gerda shines at the center—compassionate, unwavering, and the first to reveal Einar’s hidden truth through her paintings. A nameless masculine figure embodies desire, expectation, and the tension of identity, while a whimsical narrator—a mix of jester and oracle—guides the unfolding destiny.
Lili Elbe Show is a poetic meditation on transformation, courage, and the search for authenticity.
Backstage
Working on the Lili Elbe project with Sasha Riva and Simone Repele was an extraordinary experience. As the creators of this ballet performance, they brought a strong and poetic vision to life.
Different ballet stars arrive to Geneva, the photo sessions individually, each bringing their own presence and interpretation. Through these separate encounters, we gradually built a unified and emotionally layered visual narrative, shaping the concept together across time.
