As they say, everyone loves a love story.
Whether intentional or not, every love story we heard becomes an inspiration to anyone who dares to listen to the narratives, hoping that someday they could live and tell their own love story.
We consume even the most tragic love stories because they mirror the different facets of this complex emotion, and reflect our very own stories. Stories, such as Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, do happen in real life.
With a compelling story of star-crossed lovers propelled Romeo and Juliet to the status of the most adapted love story in the romantic sphere.
The classic story has been adapted into different art forms, performed in all theaters possible, and has been constant in cinematic works because its themes are something that every generation could relate to.
Notably, there’s West Side Story, with love blossoming between two characters amid the gang wars of the Jets and Sharks. Or the Leonardo di Caprio starrer set in Miami beach. The story is also brought to life with ballet movements, danced to the music of Sergei Prokofiev. Then there’s also the opera version, particularly by Charles Gounod.
As the ultimate representative of all star-crossed lovers’ stories are there anyway new ways to tell this classic?
Apparently, there will always be, as far as British choreographer Martin Lawrence is concerned. For Ballet Manila’s 25th performance season, Lawrence gave a new take on this classic ballet piece.
“Romeo and Juliet is very heavy all the way through. I need some variety, some light and shade. It is a sad story. I don’t want everyone walking out the theater wanting to cut their wrists,” shared Lawrence.
Lawrance’s iteration of Romeo and Juliet is uniquely done in the modern Filipino setting, and pushes the envelope in so many ways. The contemporary imagining of this iconic ballet classic will have dancers dressed in cool, hip costumes, dancing to a mash-up of the original Prokofiev score and popular OPM tunes such as Apo Hiking Society’s “When I Met You” and Yeng Constantino’s “Ikaw,” among others.
“I wanted that texture and variety. It is challenging to put everything together and make sure that what I take from West Side Story connects with OPM music. I need it to flow,” said Lawrence.
“When I saw the first run-through in the studio, I’ve never been excited to present a world premiere. This was inspired by the Romeo and Juliet that Martin presented during the Tuloy ang Sayawan concert. He had a 20-minute version that premiered in Star Theater at that time. I wanted to expand that, and make it into a full-length ballet and make it a season opener in February 2023, perfect for Valentine’s Day and the National Arts Month,” shared BM artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.
Lawrence’s Romeo and Juliet will have its world premiere on February 18, 8:00 p.m., with matinee performance on February 19, 5:00 p.m.
After the tragic story, Ballet Manila presents the radical adventures of Don Quixote, featuring San Francisco Ballet principal dancer Esteban Hernandez and soloist Katherine Barkman, who will dance the lead roles Basilio and Kitri, respectively. The shows will be on May 27, 8:00 p.m., and May 28, 5:00 p.m.
Don Quixote will be a homecoming of sorts for Barkman, who was mentored by Macuja-Elizalde from 2015 to 2018 and became a principal dancer at Ballet Manila before moving back to the USA in 2018.
“Don Quixote was my first full-length ballet; and it is going to be my second one, too. I feel honored to be back at the company that set my career in motion. It always feels like coming home, with lots of love and joy. That’s what Don Quixote is. What I’m feeling is probably how Kitri would feel,” said Barkman.
She added: “This ballet is full of joy – inner joy, outer joy—nd sharing that joy on stage, and to the audience. After a very harsh couple of years, I think we can use a little bit of joy and laughter, and love of life and dancing.”
Principal danseur Hernandez agreed, saying: “Don Quixote is my favorite ballet to perform. It has something for everybody—there’s romance, there’s comedy, action, and exciting dancing.”
Macuja-Elizalde shared why she chose this classic ballet as part of BM’s new season.
“My ballet teacher in Russia once said that a ballet company’s dancers get strong with putting up classical ballet. Honestly, the easiest to put on, with not many dancers, is Don Quixote. You can’t do Giselle if you don’t have 32 girls. And I don’t have that at this time.”
She continued: “Creating a season is very difiuclt. I didn’t know how many dancers I would have during the season. I didn’t knw if it would be possible to put up a season until when we opened the Aliw Theater in August last year.”
Back then, the BM artistic director decided to postpone announcing the whole season of Ballet Manila until all the ballet companies in Mnaila have done theirs. “I decided to do something completely radical – to open a season in February, instead of August.”
She revealed that watching all the rehearsals have been very painful, knowing that her dancers want and hope to dance more performances.
“The challenges that Ballet Manila have been through these past years have only proven our grit and resilience in the face of adversity. That is why we feel that it’s only right to open our 25th season with performances that showcase Ballet Manila’s enduring artistry and excellence,” said Macuja-Elizalde.
Finally, the 25th performance season will close with an original Filipino work, Gerardo Francisco’s Ibong Adarna, which is slated on August 19, 8pm, and August 20, 5pm.
For Macuja-Elizalde, it is only fitting to close the season with Ibong Adarna, which was the production that the company initially planned to open their 25th season with.
“We did plan to open the season with a national tour of Ibong Adarna. This was before pandemic. When it happend, everything closed down and all plans to bring Ibong Adarna all over the country and to different theaters fizzled out. I really thought it is very appropriate to end with Ibong Adarna.”
The first full-length ballet that toured internationally, particularly in Israel, this dance production has received multiple accolades, including Gawad Buhay Awards for Outstanding Male Lead for Modern Dance, Outstanding Modern Dance Production, and Outstanding Choreography for Modern Dance, among others.
For this season, the company will present a touring version, with smaller cast. Audience has to watch out how the production will maximize the use of the LED screen to tell the epic poem about an elusive, mythical bird penned by Francisco Balagtas.
“This is truly an auspicious time for us, as we begin the new year with a new performance season, in a better and more modern Aliw Theater; and working with some of the best creative minds in the industry. We hope that audiences will once again flock to Aliw Theater to watch these shows we worked so hard to mount, in the hopes that they will leave the theater feeling moved and inspired,” concluded Macuja-Elizalde.
All performances will be staged at Aliw Theater, CCP Complex in Pasay City. For tickets, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call 8891 9999. To know more about Ballet Manila and its shows, visit www.balletmanila.com.ph.
