Ballet Manila Moments: The rise of the Swan Queens

Since 1995, Ballet Manila has been creating unforgettable performances on stage. As the acclaimed storytellers on toes, they have breathed life to an amazing range of classical and contemporary fare. The Ballet Manila Archives celebrates some of those moments from the company’s first 25 years through this series.

Considered among the most physically, technically, and psychologically demanding characters in classical ballet, the dual role of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake is often reserved for a special kind of ballerina. She must be young enough to have the stamina to perform a dual role. Yet she must be mature enough to communicate the complexities of the characters that are polar opposite of each other.

In 2017, Ballet Manila crowned three Swan Queens — soloists Abigail Oliveiro and Joan Emery Sia (both promoted to principal dancer since) and principal dancer Katherine Barkman (now with The Washington Ballet). All three were making their debut in the challenging full-length dual roles. Each ballerina delivered a unique performance worthy of the trust of prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde who was the company’s Odette/Odile for two decades.

In this clip are highlights of the three Swan Queens’ performances.