Shifting gears: Lisa Macuja-Elizalde turns from fairy tales to tragedy in new choreography
La Traviata choreographer Lisa Macuja-Elizalde in rehearsal with the ballet’s two lead casts. Video by Giselle P. Kasilag
By Susan A. De Guzman
After the happy-ever-after themes in her Princess Trilogy (Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty), Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde makes an abrupt turn as she tackles the tragic tale of La Traviata in her follow-up choreography.
Based on Verdi’s opera of the same title (which in turn was inspired by a play by Alexandre Dumas), La Traviata is the story of the courtesan Violetta and Alfredo, the man who falls for her and whom she loves in return. But while the passion between them is intense, Violetta is torn as Alfredo can’t offer her the same material comfort that she has been enjoying as the partner of Baron. She later chooses to remain with Baron to avoid intrigue, driving Alfredo to despair. When the truth is ultimately revealed, she has become ill; she is reunited with Alfredo but it’s already too late and dies in his arms.
The irony of jumping from fairy tales to tragedy is not lost on the prima-ballerina-turned-choreographer. “It is definitely different! But it was a welcome challenge. I was scared at first because it was so different and it’s also my first tragedy – but it started to flow and then I just couldn’t stop!” Lisa notes.
La Traviata has always been close to her heart. She is particularly drawn to the romance of Violetta and Alfredo, and how the music takes that story to a heart-wrenching level. “It’s simply so romantic and every aria is just so beautiful and moving.”
Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde rehearses La Traviata with the two pairs of principal dancers alternating as Violetta and Alfredo, (from left) Abigail Oliveiro and Mark Sumaylo, and Romeo Peralta and Joan Emery Sia. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
She recalls first seeing La Traviata on film while she was still living in St. Petersburg, Russia in the 1980s. She was staying then with her teacher Tatiana Alexandrovna (with husband, People’s Artist of Russia Sergei Vikulov, and their son, Alexander Vikulov, now a conductor) and a movie theater across the street once screened La Traviata with Russian subtitles.
“Because my teacher and her family were very artistically and musically inclined – I started to listen to many operas in the evenings after we would have dinner. La Traviata was always my favorite. I also watched La Traviata in the Mariinsky Theater while I was there as a member of the Kirov.”
Lisa feels that La Traviata is a perfect fit for a ballet, saying in fact that it’s a theme that has been interpreted in dance numerous times. “The story lends itself to a ballet so beautifully. And it has been made into ballets in the past. There is Dama D’Camillas, Manon and Marguerite and Armand.”
She cites that one of the most moving performances she has watched of Marguerite and Armand, in fact, was of Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev when she was just 14 years old at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It is a memory that remains vivid in her mind, inspiring her take on La Traviata. “I could never forget the way Margot Fonteyn did her pas de bourrée exit into the wings and her last lift clinging to life – both moments I put into my own version,” Lisa shares.
Her latest choreography is paired with another new work in Ballet Manila’s 24th season-ender titled Carmina Burana & La Traviata: A Double Bill which goes on stage on March 7, 6 p.m., and March 8, 3 p.m., at Samsung Hall, SM Aura, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Carmina Burana is the first full-length work of former Ballet Manila principal dancer Rudy De Dios.
In choreographer mode, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde explains to the dancers the mood in a particular scene in La Traviata. Beside her is co-artistic director Osias Barroso who has been assisting her in getting the piece into shape. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
The double bill was an offshoot of two collaborations that Ballet Manila had with the Klassikal Music Foundation upon the invitation of baritone Andrew Fernando. In a concert in Maybank Performing Arts Theater, KMF presented excerpts from Carmina Burana with Rudy tasked to create a corresponding choreography. Another KMF show, this time in Star Theater, featured an excerpt of La Traviata, with Lisa providing choreography for the numbers Libiamo and Zinferelle and the Matador’s Dance.
The idea to put together a double bill expanding on those excerpts was subsequently born. The ballet production was originally envisioned to include a live orchestra and live singing by KMF talents. Unfortunately, after the fire that struck the Star City Complex which damaged Ballet Manila’s home theaters, Star and Aliw, the plan had to be drastically simplified. Though regretful that the show will now come in a more modest form, without the orchestra and the live musical performances, Lisa says the changes will put the focus solely on excellent dancing.
“The setting is now much more intimate. It’s a smaller venue, a smaller stage, with a minimalist look. I think that creates a different but just as effective impact on the audience.”
In adapting La Traviata, Lisa says she faced a variety of challenges. “I definitely couldn’t use the entire opera – so choosing exactly which arias to put into the ballet was the first challenge. Then, creating the libretto, casting and choreography followed suit. That went rather smoothly in the ballet studio once I had the dancers in front of me. But I must admit that sometimes I would go into rehearsals with a blank mind – not really knowing what to do…”
Principal dancers Joan Emery Sia and Romeo Peralta are one of the pairs performing as lovers Violetta and Alfredo in La Traviata. Photo by Jojit Lorenzo
But in the weeks since, also with co-artistic director Osias Barroso by her side giving feedback and doing minor tweaks, Lisa found her groove until she competed the piece way ahead of time. Seeing the dancers recreate the La Traviata story in the studio, Lisa often finds herself swept by emotions seeing it all unfold before her eyes.
“Violetta is actually a dream role of mine. When I started to create on (principal dancers) Abigail (Oliveiro) and Joan (Emery Sia), I started to actually cry during rehearsals because the role was so beautiful and the story so touching ang tragic. I catch myself tearing up at every rehearsal now. But that’s because I am personally rather surprised with the outcome. The ballet has grown now beyond any of my original expectations!”
Lisa says her confidence as a choreographer has grown gradually with every new project she has handled. “I was very insecure when I first did Cinderella and even more insecure when I did Snow White,” she admits. “But with Sleeping Beauty and La Traviata, I think I have come into my own.”
She can’t wait for La Traviata to premiere, and for people to see what she has been pouring her heart into the past few months. As for what’s next, Lisa enthuses that she has many ideas brewing in her head. But there will be time for all that soon enough.
“Let’s just focus on La Traviata for now,” the choreographer smilingly intones.
