The Show Must go on for Ballet Manila

An unwavering passion for dancing is what's keeping Ballet Manila, the most solidly trained classical ballet company in the Philippines, resilient and strong after the Star City complex, which housed both Aliw and Star Theaters, recently was razed by fire.

Ballet Manila was all set to stage a breathtaking performance of Giselle as part of its 24th season when Aliw Theater, the original venue of the show and the dance company's home for nearly 20 years, was damaged in the fire.

With the theme park and theaters gutted by fire, many thought that it was the end for the company's 24th season, but Ballet Manila CEO and artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde said that they will dance, no matter what.

Macuja Elizalde has expressed her gratitude to the overwhelming outpouring of support and assistance to Ballet Manila. She said that the help Ballet Manila got from the performing arts community enabled them to stage Giselle in a different venue and date.

Ballet Manila's production of Giselle will now be at the CCP Main Theater on October 17, Thursday at 8:00 PM. Tickets for the original dates will be honored, and refunds are also available for those who cannot make it to the new play date.

Despite what happened, the dance company assures that Giselle will still be as sensational as they have originally planned. Fans will still get to witness the timeless tale that has all the melodramatic elements of first love, heartbreak, death, and love beyond death.

To create the perfect atmosphere and intensify the emotional impact, Giselle will have live music accompaniment from the Manila Symphony Orchestra, one of Asia’s first symphony orchestras. The orchestra will be conducted by Alexander Vikulov who has been the music director of Ballet Manila for many years. Vikulov is also a conductor at the Mariinsky Theater of Russia and has appeared at prominent opera houses including the Wiener Staatsoper in Austria and the Teatro Regio di Torino in Italy.
Ballet Manila is one of the pillars of Philippine Ballet. You can show your support by buying tickets to Giselle by visiting any Ticketworld outlet, calling 8891 9999, or going to www.ticketworld.com.ph. For more information, visit https://balletmanila.com.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/BalletManilaOfficial/.

“Ballet Manila Embarks on an Enchanting Journey with “Snow White

For the first show of its 24th performance season, Ballet Manila highlights nostalgia, romance, enchantment, and sophisticated rhythmic movements with its breathtaking production of Snow White which will be restaged on September 7 and 8, 2019.
An all original choreography from Ballet Manila CEO and artistic director, Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Snow White, first performed in 2017, is the second installment in her Princess Trilogy.

With the theme being a play on the term “on point,” it is only fitting for the ballet company’s upcoming performance of Snow White as it showcases Ballet Manila’s standard of excellence and perfection.

Unlike the other installments of the Princess Trilogy (Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty), Macuja Elizalde said that Snow White has no existing ballet performance which is why she has decided to create an entirely new take on it for their 22nd performance season.“I chose Snow White to be the second ballet because it has never been done before. It was something completely new that I wanted to do,” she said.

From the music and choreography, to the costume and sets, Macuja Elizalde was hands-on to perfect her masterpiece and give the viewers a new interpretation of the classic fairy tale. She said, “For me, as a choreographer, the most important thing is the music, and that was the problem with creating Snow White -- it has no preexisting musical score. What I did was I listened to a lot of music and the first thing I heard was the music during the chasing scene between the dwarves and the evil witch. That was from Jules Massenet. So I decided to use a collection of suites by Massenet for the rest of the ballet.”

Aside from the music of Massanet, viewers will also get a dose of nostalgia as it features melodies from the Disney animated film, while the overall look took inspiration from the story based on Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.

“I was very inspired by my cast of dancers and my prospective audience of children. I always try to choreograph with the audience in mind. Wanting to create a ballet that they would want to come back to again and again because of all the good feelings the performance evokes,” she added.

Aside from Snow White, Ballet Manila has more thrilling shows lined up for the rest of the 24th season including Giselle, a romantic ballet in two acts; Sleeping Beauty, the last installment in the Princess Trilogy; and Carmina Burana and La Traviata, a collaboration of opera, ballet, and live orchestra music.

Take delight in the mesmerizing and graceful dancing of Snow White which will run on September 7, 2019 at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, and on September 8, 2019 at 3:00 PM. Shows on both days will be at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City, Manila.

To buy tickets, visit any Ticketworld outlet, call 891 9999, or go to their website www.ticketworld.com.ph. For more information, visit https://balletmanila.com.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/BalletManilaOfficial/.

Ballet Manila Launches "On Pointé" 24th Performance Season

Ballet Manila, the most solidly trained classical ballet company in the Philippines, has launched its 24th Performance Season with the theme "On Pointé" at S'Maison in Pasay City. During the launch, guests were given an impressive preview of the company's upcoming shows for the season, namely Snow White (September 7-8, 2019), Giselle (October 19-20, 2019), Sleeping Beauty (December 7-8, 2019), and Carmina Burana and La Traviata (February 29 and March 1, 2020). Shown on photo during the launch are Ballet Manila CEO and artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde (third from the right) and co-artistic director Osias Barroso (third from left) with (L-R) Ballet Manila principal dancers Gerardo Francisco, Jasmine Pia Dames, Romeo Peralta, and Abigail Lynn Oliveiro.

All of Ballet Manila’s 24th performance season shows will be staged at the Aliw Theater, Pasay City. To buy tickets, visit any Ticketworld outlet, call 891 9999, or go to their website www.ticketworld.com.ph. For more information, visit https://balletmanila.com.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/BalletManilaOfficial/

It’s On Pointé for Ballet Manila’s 24th Performance Season

Ballet Manila, the most solidly trained classical ballet company in the Philippines, will once again stage a series of breathtaking shows filled with graceful dancing for its 24th season.

With the theme "On Pointé," Ballet Manila highlights the most iconic element in a ballet performance – the pointé shoes which make a ballerina stand and dance daintily on her toes. The theme is also fitting for the ballet company’s upcoming performances as it is also a play on being “on point” which defines something to be excellent and perfect – the kind of shows that Ballet Manila consistently gives to their audience.

According to Ballet Manila CEO and artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde, the decision to go with the theme is related to Ballet Manila’s Russian Vaganova style of training and dancing. "It defines what classical ballet is – being able to dance on pointé," Macuja Elizalde said.

This season, Ballet Manila will be staging a thoughtfully curated line up of four shows. The first one is the restaging of Snow White, the second installment in Macuja Elizalde's Princess Trilogy, which will run from September 7-8, 2019. Giselle, a romantic ballet in two acts, will follow on October 19-20, 2019. Sleeping Beauty, the last installment in the Princess Trilogy, will have its world premiere on December 7-8, 2019. Lastly, the season’s finale will be Carmina Burana and La Traviata, a collaboration of opera, ballet, and orchestra, which will be staged on February 29 and March 1, 2020.

“When I plan a season, I first program the full-length classical ballet that we need to present every year. My teacher and mentor Tatiana Udalenkova told me that I should always have a classical warhorse every season to strengthen the company," Macuja Elizalde spoke of their decision to perform Giselle.

She also wanted to revisit the earlier installment of her Princess Trilogy and present Snow White before the premiere of The Sleeping Beauty, which will be the company’s Christmas production, to factor in continuity.

"I love the fact that we are opening our 24th season with Snow White because it captures the fun everyone needs to have when watching and dancing ballet," she said.

After the first two installments of the trilogy, Macuja Elizalde said that the best is yet to come with the final production. "I am saving the best for last. The Princess Trilogy is going to conclude with a bang!" she said.
Talking about the last show, Carmina Burana and La Traviata, Macuja Elizalde said that the back-to-back presentation is a fitting finale to their 24th season.

"I have always wanted to choreograph to the music of my favorite opera – La Traviata – and am excited to collaborate with my long time “partner in crime”, Ballet Manila co-artistic director Osias Barroso. Rudy De Dios, recently retired principal dancer of the company, will be making an auspicious choreographic debut in his first full-length evening work with Carmina Burana," she said.
With the start of the 24th season just around the corner, Ballet Manila is all set to once again capture the hearts of their audiences and showcase a production that reflects their refined techniques, dignified artistry, magnificent storytelling, and genuine passion for dancing.
All of Ballet Manila’s 24th performance season shows will be staged at the Aliw Theater, Pasay City. To buy tickets, visit any Ticketworld outlet, call 891 9999, or go to their website www.ticketworld.com.ph. For more information, visit https://balletmanila.com.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/BalletManilaOfficial/.