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Hernán Peñuela was five years old the first time his parents took him to the theatre. He remembers it as a spaceship traveling through his imagination. Music, light, costumes, actors, sets, all of it arriving at once, all of it impossible and entirely real. That experience never really ended. It just became his profession.
His process is as intuitive as that first encounter. He listens to the music, reads the libretto, closes his eyes, breathes, and lets the images come. He catches them in a sketchbook before they disappear. Research follows, then the model, then the collaboration that he considers the heart of everything: the alchemy that happens when creative minds weave together and something neither of them could have made alone begins to emerge.
His design for Platée at the Toulouse Opera in 2020 captures what he is after: colorful, exuberant, exotic, vibrant, and entirely unafraid of joy. When everyone on stage is having fun, he will tell you, the audience feels it. That energy is not accidental. It is designed.
Hernán believes beautiful things save us every single day, and he builds his sets accordingly, in this edition of PROFILES.
Cuando tenía 5 años, mis papás me llevaron a un teatro por primera vez. Quedé maravillado con la magia de la función. ¡La música, la iluminación, el vestuario, los actores, la escenografía… todo! ¡Recuerdo que sentí como si estuviera en una nave espacial viajando a través de mi imaginación!
When I was 5 years old, my parents took me to a theatre for the first time. I was blown away by the magic of the performance. The music, the lighting, the costumes, the actors, the sets… everything! I remember it felt like I was in a spaceship traveling through my imagination!
Diría que Platée, para la Ópera de Toulouse en 2020. Además de ser mi primera gran escenografía en Francia, el diseño era colorido, exuberante, exótico, vibrante, muy “poco convencional”. Todos en el escenario se divirtieron. Eso es crucial, porque el público sintió la energía y la emoción, ¡y les encantó!
I would say Platée, for the Toulouse Opera in 2020. Besides being my first major set design in France, the set was colorful, exuberant, exotic, vibrant, very “non conventional”. Every single one on stage had fun. That is crucial, because the audience felt the energy and excitement and they loved it!
Soy muy intuitivo. Por supuesto, lo primero que hago es escuchar la música y leer el libreto. Luego cierro los ojos, respiro profundo y dejo que mi mente vaya y venga. Las imágenes empiezan a fluir, una tras otra, y las capturo dibujándolas en mi cuaderno de bocetos. Después me lanzo a la investigación: referencias visuales, colores, texturas, atmósferas, etc. ¡Y entonces empiezo la maqueta, claro!
I am very intuitive. Of course, the first thing I do is listening to the music and reading the libretto. Then I close my eyes, I breathe deeply and I let my mind drift back and forth. Images start flowing, one after the other, I capture them by drawing them on my sketchbook. Then I jump into the research: visual references, colors, textures, atmospheres, etc. And the then I start the model, of course!
Aprender a escuchar. A los demás, y a uno mismo. Esta profesión se trata de colaboración, de conexión. Nada es más poderoso que la alquimia extraordinaria que surge cuando las mentes creativas tejen juntas nuevas ideas, conceptos, imágenes e historias. Hacemos magia juntos. ¡Y lo divertido es que esa magia siempre está fluyendo y cambiando!
Learning to listen. Others, and yourself. This profession is about collaboration, about connection. Nothing is more powerful than the extraordinary alchemy that surges when creative minds weave together new ideas, concepts, images and stories. We do magic together. And the fun part is that this magic is always flowing and changing!
La belleza me inspira. Ese tipo de belleza que encontramos en el arte, en una pintura, en una escultura, en la naturaleza, en la arquitectura, en la fotografía, en el cine, en la música, en las tradiciones, en la literatura, en la gente… Creo que las cosas bellas nos salvan, todos los días.
Beauty inspires me. The kind of beauty we find in art, in a painting, in a sculpture, in nature, in architecture, in photography, in cinema, in music, in traditions, in literature, in people… I believe that beautiful things save us, every single day.
Me doy cuenta de que están surgiendo nuevas formas de crear y comunicar muy rápido. No solo nuevas tecnologías, sino también distintos enfoques de cómo contar una historia a través de las artes escénicas. Experiencias inmersivas, participación en tiempo real, efectos especiales impresionantes… Veo el teatro como una ventana al futuro, con la ventaja de ser una experiencia emocional plenamente humana, que conecta a las personas en tiempo real.
I realize that new ways of creating and communicating are emerging fast. Not only new technologies, but also different approaches of how to tell a story through the performing arts. Immersive experiences, realtime participation, mind blowing special effects… I see theatre as a window to the future, with the benefit of being a whole human emotional experience, connecting people in real time.
Confía en ti mismo. Confía en tus instintos. Confía en tu arte. Confía en tu camino. Con frecuencia, la primera idea es la buena. Cree en tu trabajo. Mantente humilde y abierto a la crítica constructiva. No tomes las cosas de manera personal. Sin embargo, no esperes menos que el más puro respeto de parte de tus colegas creativos. Los límites son necesarios, pero tu creatividad es ilimitada. Comparte tu visión con todos. Sé generoso. Sé amable. ¡Sé tu versión más fenomenalmente talentosa!
Trust yourself. Trust your instincts. Trust your art. Trust your journey. Frequently, the first idea is the good one. Believe in your work. Stay humble and open to constructive feedback. Do not take things personally. However, expect no less than the purest respect from your creative peers. Limits are necessary, but your creativity is unlimited. Share your vision with everyone. Be generous. Be kind. Be your most phenomenally talented self!
Espero que mi trabajo como escenógrafo toque a las personas. Quiero que se sientan curiosas, intrigadas, fascinadas, sorprendidas, reflexivas, conmovidas, inspiradas. Me encantaría que se reconectaran consigo mismas y con los demás durante y después de la función. Y no me refiero solo al público. Me refiero a los artistas, los diseñadores, los directores, los músicos, el equipo técnico. A todos. Una experiencia teatral significativa puede traer luz a nuestras vidas y sanar nuestras heridas.
I expect my work as a set designer to touch people. I want them to feel curious, intrigued, fascinated, surprised, thoughtful, moved, inspired. I would love for them to reconnect with themselves and with others during and after the performance. And I’m not only referring to the audience. I mean, the artists, the designers, the directors, the musicians, the technical crew. Everyone. A meaningful theatrical experience can bring light to our lives and heal our wounds.
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