THE MONACO STAR LORENA BARICALLA AT THE EVENTS OF THE COTE D’AZUR
Cinema, Ballet, Formula 1 and Fashion
With the month of May, the most important events in Monaco and the French Riviera begin.
And the whole world gathers here for moments of business and lifestyle.
The ballet star, singer and actress Lorena Baricalla tells us the anecdotes related to the events she has participated in this year, from the Cannes Film Festival to Formula 1 in Monaco, and her many projects, which she manages to bring to life thanks to her artistic talent.
What can you tell us about the Cannes Film Festival?
The Festival is for me a time for work meetings and new relationships. This year, with my Manager, Producer Tino Genovese, we have carried out two projects that are very important to us, produced by our production company PromoArt MonteCarlo Production: “There is Life on Mars” and “Origins, The Answer”, both of which we created.
The international project “There is Life on Mars”, in which I am also an actress in the main female role, is a family movie for all audiences on the theme of Artificial Intelligence (AI). A very current theme, with a love story, or rather two, that make you reflect on love, family and evolution.
“Origins, The Answer”, is a new world that we created, an innovative international entertainment project behind which there are years of work and for which I wrote the Trilogy of books that you can find in Italian and English on Amazon. A project for which we have entirely developed the concept, the original visuals and the scripts and which includes a large arena show called “Live Movie Musical Show”, and a Film Trilogy, with in addition other developments.
Which is your character in this project?
My role as a performer and actress is that of Nin.Hur.Sag, the Great Mother Goddess, a truly fascinating character with epic values, who is also an inspiration to me in my life.
Origins – The Answer is based on ancient Mesopotamian tablets and the most recent quantum theories. An epic, adventurous and spiritual saga spanning 1,200,000 years, which between past, present and future brings the Answer to the mystery of the origin of man.
Richard Taylor, owner of Weta who produced “The Lord of the Rings” was enthusiastic about our project and wrote us a letter of intent for his participation in its realization. We already had the agreement of Ennio Morricone for the music, whom we had met in Rome at his home for a memorable coffee. Even after his death, we reconnected with his personal Manager for more than 30 years, Luigi Caiola, who maintains the desire to collaborate on the project.
Which is a moment that you particularly appreciated at the Festival?
It was very interesting to be at the Italian Pavilion of the Festival in Cannes, which brought together the major professionals of Italian cinema. We were guests of the well-known lawyer for cinema Pasquale Gallo.
The Hotel Le Majestic, right in front of the Palais des Festivals, was also a nerve center for further professional meetings for us.
In all of this, fashion has always been present. For very glamorous but also practical day dresses in second skin fabrics, I chose Eles Italia by the fashion designers Silvia and Stefania Loriga who specially created some jeweled pieces for me.
Being an artist, I take care of my clothes on the stage of life as much as I take care of my costumes on stage.
Thanks to this, beautiful collaborations are born with many fashion and luxury brands and to date I have collaborated with more than forty brands.
What events did you attend in Cannes?
I was invited to the premiere of the film “The Strength of Love” presented during the Cannes Film Festival by the international producer Enrico Pinocci. A red carpet and a cocktail party made of beautiful encounters and privileged moments that was held at the exclusive Hôtel Barrière Le Gray d’Albion.
In the beautiful Villa Forbes I was instead at the event of the American platform Herflix, which promotes women in cinema and entertainment. I was a guest as a producer with PromoArt Monte-Carlo Production as well as an artist with many facets being a prima ballerina, singer and actress.
For the evening it was the haute couture designer Luca Giannola who dressed me. From dream to reality a deconstructed coral red tutu materialized that I wore at the premiere while at Villa Forbes I wore a sage green silk chiffon dress from the 2025 Collection that was shown in Paris and Milan.
The style was by Flavia Cannata of Alwaysupportalent who also followed me for many shootings that told the famous atmosphere of the Film Festival and that thrilled my numerous fans on social media.
What can you tell us about the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monaco?
Since I was a child I remember the Grand Prix with great enthusiasm. For us from Monaco, walking on the circuit picking up the pieces of tires left after the race was a moment of joy.
I watched the races from the balcony of the “Princess Grace” Ballet Academy where I studied and from where you could see half of the circuit. A privileged place where for a day we put aside the ballet training since the noise of the engines prevented it, and we looked at the cars whose drivers I knew all.
Unfortunately, over time the rules have changed and have partly ruined that atmosphere where we were much more in contact with the world of Formula 1. Today it remains more a television show.
In those days Monaco becomes the epicenter of the world. Therefore, it is my habit on the Saturday evening before the race to participate in the general atmosphere and starting from the Hotel de Paris, I go around the circuit, which has already been set up for the race and which transforms the city into a racetrack.
Which F1 personalities have you met?
Many, and in recent times as Master of Ceremonies of the Monaco World Sports Legends Award – WSLA, produced by our company PromoArt MonteCarlo Production, I was able to award with the WSLA Awards the most famous and legendary drivers such as Mario Andretti, Mika Häkkinen, Jacky Ickx, and Ayrton Senna with a Posthumous Award received by his niece Bianca Senna….
Guests of honor were Charles Leclerc who I introduced on the very day he signed with Ferrari, and Antonio Giovinazzi, Bruno Senna…
We know that in Monaco there was a big event for June 2nd….
Yes, this week I attended as a guest the beautiful event organized by the new Ambassador of Italy Manuela Ruosi on the dock of the Monaco Yacht Club where the most beautiful yachts are docked.
An institutional and festive moment for which I wore an emerald green dress from the new Luca Giannola collection. I had the pleasure of the personal greetings of Prince Albert who is always very kind when he meets me. And of meeting Daniela Buongiorno who was presenting the Exhibition on Mike, a timeless icon, as well as the captain and vice-captain of the sailing ship Palinuro of the Italian Navy where I was invited for a private visit the following day. A ship rich in history and passion!
Finally this week I will be back in Cannes for a launch event of a design brand.
What are your artistic projects on stage?
First of all, a new show that I am creating entitled “How I became a ballet star” which, through storytelling, dance and singing, narrates my life as an artist with anecdotes related to my career and meetings with famous dancers, actors and singers with whom I have shared the stage.
Furthermore, next week I will finish working on a show in Italy supported by the Liguria Region and the De Mari Foundation, for which I have created a new contemporary ballet entitled “Memorie fra le pagine di un libro” (Memories between the pages of a book) based on 10 of the most famous literary works of the nineteenth century whose characters and their exciting stories come to life in an ancient library. A show in which I give opportunities on stage to young dance talents, professionals and non-professionals, and to actors of all ages.
My aim is to spread art, culture and dance, and in the case of my new choreography on books it is also a social and cultural commitment to promoting reading.
What does being an artist mean to you?
I think that the basis of an artist is creative ability. For me it is not difficult to move from one field to another because I think it is important to express yourself in different and new ways.
I have always had the desire to learn, study and improve my skills. This has allowed me to have a truly rich and intense career and above all long-lasting over the years. It is easy to make a splash and then disappear, as unfortunately it happens today to the majority of these characters launched and exploited by television or social media. But being an artist means having the ability to study, to make sacrifices and have discipline and all that this implies. It is easy to dedicate yourself for a few months or few years but it is more difficult to do it for your whole life. However, my life has always been based on this impulse and on this passion of mine and I cannot do otherwise.
