Ibong Adarna: A legendary tale borne on the wings of good old family values
Ballet Manila’s Ibong Adarna underscores the themes of compassion and reconciliation, as the king forgives his two older sons for their erring ways in this scene from the 2019 production. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
A mythical bird with a healing voice and a fabled search for it through forest, sea and mountain are key ingredients that make the Ibong Adarna such a fascinating story. But its underlying theme anchored on family values is what ultimately seals it as a classic, an epic poem that has been interpreted in plays, television scripts, films and even dance.
Ibong Adarna’s royal family and fabled bird, circa 2023: Reparado Marino Jr. and Rissa May Camaclang as the king and queen; Mark Sumaylo, Romeo Peralta Jr. and Joshua Enciso as the princes; and Abigail Oliveiro as the Adarna. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
For Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, there are many lessons to be learned in Ibong Adarna which she expounds on as the company prepares to stage its dance version anew on August 19 and 20 in Aliw Theater: “That family is the most important link we have to protect and value. That forgiveness is key to happiness. That the love we have for others and the health of our loved ones need to be our top priorities. Ibong Adarna is a quest that teaches us that perseverance and generosity empower us to reach our dreams. And of course, that nothing good comes out of any evil intentions. That kindness will always triumph.”
Gerardo Francisco Jr., who crafted the high-energy Ibong Adarna choreography for its world premiere in 2017, says his work was made easier because of the solid foundation it rests on. “The story is already very good,” he affirms, noting that the challenge was in conveying the tale through dance.
Co-artistic directors Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barroso originated the roles of Haring Fernando and Donya Valeriana when the full-length Ibong Adarna premiered in 2017. Photo courtesy of MarBi Photography and Project Art, Inc.
As a literary masterpiece taught in Philippine schools and one that has been retold in various genres, it already has a guaranteed familiarity. But Ibong Adarna, Francisco points out, also lends itself to being a good ballet as it highlights the elements of adventure, sacrifice and betrayal, and the enduring triumph of good over evil.
The full-length ballet follows the quest of three princes – Pedro, Diego and Juan – who must find the Ibong Adarna that has a voice believed to be the only cure for their ailing father, Haring Fernando. Each embarks on the perilous journey, with the two older brothers failing as the Adarna turns them into stone. Juan, the youngest, eventually obtains the prize catch with the help of a hermit whom he had earlier given food and water to. Returned to their human form, the arrogant Pedro and Diego try to steal the credit from their brother, but are found out. Having recovered, Haring Fernando then learns of Pedro and Diego’s misdeeds and orders them banished from the palace. But the queen, Donya Valeryana, intervenes and convinces the king to forgive their erring sons. In the end, love prevails and there is reconciliation.
When Ballet Manila took Ibong Adarna on tour in Israel in 2018, upon an invitation to participate in the Karmiel Dance Festival, there was a hearty response to it. The company’s first performance there was rewarded with appropriate feedback at key moments, capped by sustained applause when it was all over.
Principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro and Ibong Adarna choreographer Gerardo Francisco Jr. pose beside a banner of Ballet Manila’s show also billed as The Mystical Bird in Israel in 2018. Photo by Mark Sumaylo
Principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro, who is reprising the role of the Adarna, recalls: “The audience was fantastic! They got the show; they really did. They began clapping in the family scene when the brothers and the father reconciled] until the curtain came down. That was a good four minutes! And their clapping wasn’t random – it was the unified kind and they never broke their rhythm. We were like, ‘That’s weird, but we like it!’
“Although Ibong Adarna is a Filipino tale, its theme is universal,” Oliveiro continues. “So, there were no apprehensions; the audience understood the story. In fact, one of the Jewish families pointed out that Israel has a similar tale involving brothers, a sick parent and a flower instead of a bird [for a cure]. Again, it’s the youngest brother who triumphs in the story.”
That Ibong Adarna resonates across cultures does not surprise Macuja-Elizalde. “The story is timeless. The values of respect for elders, love and loyalty to family and the golden standards of being good and kind to others and being rewarded for this are aspects that appeal to all audiences.”
She enjoins families to watch the upcoming restaging that she says they will not only enjoy but relate to. She is confident viewers will not only be enthralled by Ibong Adarna but will also leave the theater with a lesson or two etched in the heart.
For the 2023 staging of Ibong Adarna, principal dancers Mark Sumaylo, Romeo Peralta and Joshua Enciso play the brother princes Pedro, Diego and Juan who must seek the mythical bird to cure their ailing father. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
Related links:
Ballet Manila’s ‘Ibong Adarna’: A virtual exhibition
Perfecting Adarna: Gerardo Francisco Jr. takes his masterpiece to the next level
Mark Sumaylo embraces each role as if it was his last
Romeo Peralta Jr. leaps into villain territory once more in ‘Ibong Adarna’
From monkey to prince: Joshua Enciso’s epic ‘Adarna’ adventure