This Month in BM History: September 2003
Osias Barroso as Prince Siegfried wanders off into the forest and comes upon a bevy of enchanted swans. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Ballet Manila’s Swan Lake in September 2003 was one year in the making. It was an ambitious undertaking as it was presenting the ballet classic with an all-Filipino cast for the very first time.
Ballet Manila bares the classic Swan Lake as restaged by People’s Artist of Russia Sergey Vikulov in 2003. Souvenir program from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
In 1996, the company had staged its production of Swan Lake – but with 30 Russian dancers from the Krasnoyarsk Ballet by their side. Could they pull off the new challenge all on their own?
They certainly did, with careful planning and meticulous preparation. Ballet Manila invited People’s Artist of Russia Sergey Vikulov to restage and choreograph some new sections in the 19th century Tchaikovsky/ Lev Ivanov classic. Tatiana Udalenkova of the Vaganova Ballet Academy (and artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s mentor in Russia back in the 1980s) “relentlessly polished the dancers during our two-month rehearsal period,” as Lisa herself would write in her director’s notes.
The sorcerer Von Rothbart (Eduardo Espejo) brings Odette’s evil twin, Odile (Lisa Macuja-Elizalde), to the ball to trick the unsuspecting Prince Siegfried. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
She shared further: “Young and very busy designer Gino Gonzalez gave us beautiful sketches of the new costumes. Fred Elizalde’s set designs in the sprawling Aliw Theater stage will awe even the most jaded of viewers.”
The prima ballerina had reason to be proud, as they were the only ballet company in the country that had the classically trained dancers to produce a 25-swan corps de ballet, with the youngest swan being a 12-year-old from the Ballet Manila School. In all, more than 60 dancers were onstage for each show of the two-weekend performance run.
An item published in the Philippine Star announces Ballet Manila’s all-Filipino cast in its Swan Lake. Clipping from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
