The first public screening of a video documentary created in 1992 based on a script and directed by Janez Meglič (post-production MEG 1997). 35 years after the premiere performance, Pino Mlakar created a reconstruction of the ballet performance Lepa Vida with the Ljubljana Opera Ballet ensemble. Pino Mlakar's critical reflections on the creation of the performance are also recorded, emphasizing the ethical role of art.
Pino Mlakar was born on March 2, 1907 in Novo mesto, and finished high school in Maribor, where he began to engage in dance as a self-taught dancer while still in high school in Maribor. In 1927, he left his university studies and went to live with Laban in Hamburg, where he met his future wife Pia, and later to Berlin. They then continued their life and artistic journey together abroad – Darmstadt, Dessau, Zurich and Munich. In 1946, he received his first invitation to come to Ljubljana and take over the position of professor of rhythmic gymnastics and dance at the newly established Academy of Dramatic Arts in Ljubljana, by decree of the then government. He accepted the offer and at the same time collaborated with Pia in directing the Ljubljana Ballet, in which they choreographed and initially also danced together until 1952, when they went back to Munich for two years. Meanwhile, the Ljubljana Ballet was led by ballet soloist Silva Japelj, and after their return to Ljubljana, he taught at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television until his retirement in 1970. From 1948 to 1952, he was also the director of the newly founded State Lower Ballet School in Ljubljana. Most of their joint choreography was created while working abroad. The most important of these are their joint project Lok, a full-length duet in three parts entitled Youth, Love and Maturation, which they first presented in 1939 in Munich, and then in Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade and elsewhere, and The Devil in the Village, which they first created in Zurich as an expanded and rearranged version of Lhotko's ballet The Devil and His Disciple, choreographed in Zagreb in 1931 by Margarita Froman. While working in Ljubljana, they prepared a family ballet with their daughter Veronika in 1947, entitled Little Ballerina, and new works included the ballets Diptych (later expanded into Triptych), The Legend of Ohrid, Love and Justice, In Our Beloved City, Cinderella, Daphnis and Chloe, while Pino independently choreographed The Symphonic Wheel and Beautiful Vida. They also renewed their choreographies from previous periods: The Card Game, The Creatures of Prometheus, Sequin or Fiddle, Danina, Medieval Love, Coppélia, Former Ceremonies, The Witty Fox, Les Petits Riens and Princess Turandot. They also worked as choreographers occasionally in Zagreb, Belgrade, Vienna, Berlin, Bayreuth, Skopje, Sarajevo and Novi Sad. Together they wrote a historical overview of dance events in Munich from approximately 1650-1992, in two parts entitled "Unsterblicher Theatertanz" (Immortal Theater Dance).
In 1999, Pino wrote the book "Dance as Art and Theatre", which is a continuation of the previous book, and in 2005, "Happy Stories of Pain" as a reflection on dance and theatre. They received numerous awards for their work: in 1932, at the choreographic competition in Paris, they won one of six bronze medals for the ballet Medieval Love, they received the Prešeren Awards in 1949 for the ballet Cekin or the Fiddle and Night on Lisa Gora in the opera Sorochinsky Fair, in 1951 for original choreographies, in 1950 and in 1972 for their lifetime achievement in the field of dance art. In 1949, they were awarded the Order of Part II. degree, in 1971 the Order of Merit for the Nation with Silver Rays, in 1984 the Association of Ballet Artists of Slovenia declared Pino its honorary president, in 1994 they were awarded the dance prize of the provincial capital Munich, in 1997 they became honorary citizens of Ljubljana and were also honored by Novo mesto, where they spent the last years of their lives. Henrik Neubauer, Faces of the Slovenian Ballet, Biographical Lexicon, Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre, Ljubljana, 2008
Pia Scholz was born on December 28, 1908 in Hamburg. From childhood she had a joy for dance movement and a sacred respect for art accompanied her throughout her life. After graduating from high school, she studied dance from 1927 to 1929 at the Rudolf von Laban Choreographic Institute in Hamburg and Berlin, where she met her husband Pino Mlakar, with whom her artistic work was always connected. In 1929 they received their first engagement as dancers in Darmstadt, from 1930 to 1932 they were soloists and Pino ballet master in Dessau, from 1934 to 1938 they were ballet masters and soloists in Zurich and from 1939 to 1945 in Munich. In 1946, when Pino was invited to the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Ljubljana, he was offered the position of head of ballet at the Ljubljana Opera, where they then worked as choreographers and dancers until 1952, when they returned to their previous position in Munich for two years.
After returning to Ljubljana in 1954, she took over the ensemble again and led it until her retirement in 1960. Most of their joint choreography was created while working abroad. The most important of these are their joint project Lok, a full-length duet in three parts entitled Youth, Love and Dawn, which they first presented in 1939 in Munich, and then in Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade and elsewhere, and The Devil in the Village, which they first created in Zurich as an expanded and rearranged version of Lhotko's ballet The Devil and His Disciple, choreographed in Zagreb in 1931 by Margarita Froman. While working in Ljubljana, they prepared a family ballet with their daughter Veronika in 1947, entitled Little Ballerina, and new works included the ballets Diptych (later expanded into Triptych), The Legend of Ohrid, Love and Justice, In Our Beloved City, Cinderella, Daphnis and Chloe, and independently Pia staged a ballet without music The Dancer in the Fetters. In addition, they also renewed their choreographies from previous periods: The Card Game, The Creatures of Prometheus, Sequin or Fiddle, Danina, Medieval Love, Coppélia, Former Ceremonies, The Fox with a Twist, Les Petits Riens and Princess Turandot. As choreographers, they also occasionally worked in Zagreb, Belgrade, Vienna, Berlin, Bayreuth, Skopje, Sarajevo and Novi Sad. They wrote a historical overview of dance events in Munich from approximately 1650 to 1992, in two parts entitled "Unsterblicher Theatertanz" (Immortal Theater Dance). The first was released in 1992, the second part in 1996. In 1977, Studio MEG made a film titled "Lepa Vida - the great life pas de deux of Pia and Pino Mlakar". Television Slovenia also prepared a portrait of their joint work in 1997 and 2007.
They received numerous awards for their work: in 1932, at the choreographic competition in Paris, one of six bronze medals for the ballet Medieval Love, in 1947, Pia received a cash prize from the Committee for Culture and Art of the Government of the SFRY for her role in Prometheus' Creatures, in 1949, they received the Prešeren Awards for the ballet Cekin or the Flute and Night on Lisa Gora in the opera Sorocina Fair, in 1951 for original choreographies in 1950 and in 1972 for their lifetime achievement in the field of dance art. In 1949, they received the Order of Labor, 2nd degree, in 1971, the Order of Merit for the Nation with Silver Rays, in 1994, they were awarded the Dance Prize of the provincial capital Munich, in 1997, they became honorary citizens of Ljubljana and were similarly honored by Novo mesto, where they spent the last years of their lives.
Henrik Neubauer, Faces of Slovenian Ballet, Biographical Lexicon, Slovenian Chamber Music Theatre, Ljubljana, 2008
