Ballet Manila unveils its adaptation of the literary classic Florante at Laura on October 12, 13 and 19 at Aliw Theater, with the choreography of Gerardo Francisco Jr. and Martin Lawrance, the music of National Artist Ryan Cayabyab and the artistic direction of Lisa Macuja Elizalde.

To usher in this world premiere, balletmanilaarchives.com is running a series of articles about the Francisco Balagtas masterpiece to give context to the story and its characters and to underscore its continuing relevance today, almost two centuries after it was first published. The series is written by Michael M. Coroza, PhD, who served as libretto consultant to the production. He is a full professor and former chair of the Department of Filipino, School of Humanities, Ateneo De Manila University, and is also chairman of the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL).

By Michael M. Coroza
(Fourth of a series)

There are two heroines in Balagtas' masterpiece, Laura and Flerida. Both of them are blessed with mesmerizing beauty. This is how, in Florante's description, Laura looks like:

Laura, whose face radiates like Febo's at dawn, is a nurturing force in Florante's life. She symbolizes the hope that is reborn each morning, offering a fresh perspective to her beloved. In the dark period of Florante's mourning for his mother's passing, Laura miraculously appears, bringing warmth and light into his life. Her caring nature is further exemplified when she meticulously inspects all her lover's implements before he goes to war, ensuring his safety and success.

On the other hand, this is how Aladin describes Flerida:

Flerida, a princess comparable to Diana among the nymphs, is a force to be reckoned with. Her persistence as a hunter is a testament to her strength, as she embarks on a mission to explore the forest not in search of animals to shoot but of her beloved, Aladin. Her unwavering determination is further demonstrated when she victoriously shoots dead the beastly Adolfo, who is violating Laura in the middle of the woods.  

Indeed, Laura and Flerida are both coveted by arrogant men. Apart from being romantically (or carnally) attracted to Laura, Adolfo aims to have her as his wife to legitimize his kingship of Albania; King Linceo, Laura’s father, h no male heir. Sultan Ali-Adab's insistence on claiming Flerida, though she is already his son Aladin's fianceé, manifests excessive greed for power and pleasure. 

But both heroines have had agency in confronting and subduing those disrespecting their personhood. When the enemies first conquer Albania, Laura is sentenced to be hanged because she refuses the lurid advances of the Emir in the city. Luckily, Florante saves her. When Adolfo usurps the throne of Albania, Laura asks to be given five months to decide on the new king's marriage proposal. She uses that time to send a message asking for help to Florante, then in Etolia. When Adolfo whisks her away to the jungle while Menandro's army is forcefully moving to retake Albania, Laura exerts everything to prevent Adolfo from claiming her honor. And, as she is destined to be the next queen of Albania, Flerida miraculously arrives to save her. In all these incidents, Laura displays her belief that if she has nothing else to do after doing everything, she is ready to face death with dignity. She utters to herself upon learning that Florante has been held captive and sentenced to die by Adolfo, "Matanto ko ito’y sa malaking lumbay, / gayak na ang puso na magpatiwakal” (When I learned of this, Oh woe! / My heart prepared that I should die.)                                                                         

On the other hand, Flerida, who has warrior qualities, is able to trick Sultan Ali-Adab into saving her lover, Aladin, from death. She pretends to agree to the Sultan's marriage offer. She thinks, "Ano’ng gagawin ko sa ganitong bagay? Ang sinta ko baga’y bayaang mamatay?” (What could I do before such a thing? Abandon my love to his perdition?) But as the ceremony draws near, she carries out a daring plan:

Flerida manages to escape from Sultan Ali-Adab. She explores the forests to find her beloved Aladin. Until one day, she hears a woman's voice asking for help. It is Laura that Adolfo is attempting to assault sexually. Out of compassion, like her lover Aladin, who saves Florante, Flerida becomes Laura's savior. 

In an essay by poet-critic-educator Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo, "Florante at Laura: Ilang Obserbasyong Feminista" (Florante at Laura: Some Feminist Observations) (1989), the difference between the grounds for the rescuing acts of Aladin and Flerida was paid attention to. According to Mabanglo, Balagtas' patriarchal tendency made Aladin's sense of justice more ideological than Flerida's. It was also such a tendency that Laura was made to appear more feminine while Flerida was masculine. Moreover, Flerida's actions towards the end of the story seemed astonishing only because she was given the garments of a (male) warrior to wear.

Accordingly, Mabanglo's essay ends with a call to reread Balagtas' masterpiece. Proper guidance, she insists, should be given to teachers and students to make sure that the text will help women liberate themselves from "nakalulupaging impluwensiya ng takot at kahinaang bunga ng kawalang-tiwala sa sarili" (overwhelming influence of fear and weakness resulting from self-doubt). Nonetheless, she believes categorically that Florante at Laura is indeed a masterpiece.