‘Swan Lake’ to enthrall Manila audiences once again
There are three all-time favorites in the classical ballet firmament, ask any balletomane: “Swan Lake,” “Giselle,” and “Don Quixote.”
There are those, of course, who feel that these 19th-century productions with their escapist, fairy-tale auras are passé, not representative of the age. “‘Swan Lake’ nang ‘Swan Lake’, ‘Giselle’ nang ‘Giselle,’” a modernist composer once complained about the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) shows. (He later became a National Artist.)
Well, to each his own. But I feel that the pantheon of the art form is big enough to accommodate both classical ballet and modern dance.
The good news is that Ballet Manila (BM) is going to stage “Swan Lake” again this weekend. This was announced by Lisa Macuja Elizalde, BM artistic director, at a recent media event at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex.
The ballet tells the story of Odette, a beautiful princess who is transformed into a swan by an evil magician. Her love interest is the handsome prince, Siegfried. The wicked sorcerer is Baron Von Rothbart, and his daughter, Odile, the Black Swan (alter ego of Odette) is haughty and seductive. The music is by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Marius Petipa.
“Giselle” is the tragic, romantic tale of a beautiful peasant girl and her lover Albrecht, a prince in disguise. When his secret is revealed, she goes mad and dies. The hypnotic, spirits-filled second act is responsible for the ballet’s enduring appeal, as Giselle is brought back to life and the Wilis, the spirits of maidens betrayed by their lovers, gang up on the repentant Albrecht.
“Giselle” was presented last year by BM.
The influence of Miguel de Cervantes’ masterpiece seems to be minimal in the ballet “Don Quixote.” Here, the man of La Mancha and his faithful squire Sancho Panza are present, but the emphasis is on the lovers Kitri and Basilio. And the choreography is wonderful, especially in Act III.
“Don Quixote” will be staged by BM in August.
A-list dancers
The stars of “Swan Lake” are Katherine Barkman, first soloist of the San Francisco Ballet, and an alumna of BM. She will tackle the roles of Odette and Odile. Siegfried will be played by Esteban Hernandez (from Guadalajara, Mexico), principal dancer of the San Francisco Ballet, who performed as Basilio in BM’s “Don Quixote” in 2023. “Esteban is the complete package,” said Macuja-Elizalde during the press conference.
Abigail Oliveiro, BM principal dancer, and Nathaniel Remez, also a mainstay of the San Francisco Ballet, will dance the lead roles in the matinee performances.
The artistic director spoke on the technical difficulties of staging a major ballet production like “Swan Lake.” For one thing, the dancing by Odette and Odile “requires two different styles.” Odette the White Swan is sweet and demure while Odile, the Black Swan, is as noted earlier something of a villainess.
The corps de ballet confidently performed several key production numbers. The dance of the four little swans, which has to be performed with precision as the four are holding on to one another, is always a showstopper. Pearl Dames and Noah Esplana performed the lyrical pas de deux of Odette and Siegfried. And Shaira Comeros as the mataray Odile almost stole the show, with assist from Rodney Catubay as Siegfried and Joshua Enciso as the sorcerer.
Tragic or happy?
The original “Swan Lake” production had a tragic ending. Most productions nowadays have a happy ending, with the prince and the sorcerer engaging in a duel, Siegfried winning, and claiming Odette. Not always, though. A few years ago, there was a Manila production with Russians in the lead who plunged to their death. This shocked the late Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot, a lover of the performing arts. He exclaimed, “Odette and Siegfried both died! This is a different production.”
Well, let’s see what the ending of the forthcoming show will be. Often a compromise is reached, with the lovers dying but later shown riding off to the sunset.
Barkman and Hernandez starred in “Swan Lake” yesterday at the Aliw Theater. You can also watch them perform today at 5 p.m. and tomorrow, June 1, at 5 p.m. Watch Oliveiro and Remez today and tomorrow, June 1, at 1 p.m.
Get tickets at www.ticketworld.com.
