Ballet Manila’s dance adaptation of literary classic ‘Florante at Laura’ in the works
The Florante at Laura UP Centennial Edition edited by National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario has served as a valuable reference material for Ballet Manila’s Florante at Laura team.
By Susan A. De Guzman
Further boosting its reputation as the home of Filipino literary classics, Ballet Manila will premiere its dance adaptation of Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar’s masterpiece Florante at Laura in October.
Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde – who revealed in a media conference last January that Florante at Laura is among the highlights of the company’s jampacked 2024 slate – said the new production is an artistic collaboration among respected names in music, literature and of course, dance.
Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde (center) meets with the Florante at Laura team: (from left) choreographer Martin Lawrance, consultant Michael Coroza, National Artist Ryan Cayabyab and choreographer Gerardo Francisco Jr.
She enthuses, “What I am most excited about is the entire process of creation and retelling of a story. For the first time, we are working with National Artist Ryan Cayabyab for a fully orchestrated original score. For the first time, we are presenting a ballet choreographed by two topnotch choreographers, Gerardo Francisco Jr. and Martin Lawrance. For the first time, we are collaborating with Dr. Michael Coroza who specializes in Florante at Laura!”
Florante at Laura is familiar to Filipinos as it is part of the high school curriculum, known as much for its literary form as for the themes it delves into. Representative of the awit, a poem consisting of twelve syllables and four stanzas, it touches on patriotism, honor, injustice and love in a story that unfolds in fictional Albania involving warring kingdoms, religious conflict and romance between the title characters.
The artistic team of Ballet Manila’s Florante at Laura has held a series of meetings to lay the groundwork and thresh out details, with Cayabyab subsequently starting work on the music for the production. The National Artist has been teasing snippets on his progress via Facebook, making observations on putting music to scenes of war, with a recent post announcing the completion of the first of the ballet’s three acts.
National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab’s research included watching the 1949 LVN Film, Florante at Laura, starring Leopoldo Salcedo and Celia Flor.
Cayabyab had earlier shared that in his personal research, he had stumbled upon LVN Film’s 1949 black and white production, Florante at Laura, starring Leopoldo Salcedo and Celia Flor in the title roles, along with Armando Goyena, Delia Razon and Gil de Leon. He has also referred to copies of the widely read textbook.
Author, poet and teacher Michael Coroza meanwhile tipped the team off about a Florante and Laura UP Centennial Edition edited by National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario which Macuja Elizalde acquired copies of. Published as part of the State University’s 1st Komedya Fiesta in 2008, the book has served as a valuable reference material as Almario came up with a modernized rendering of Baltazar’s text using the new spelling in the Filipino language. It also features an English translation by poet Marne Kilates that made the epic poetry more accessible, particularly for British choreographer Martin Lawrance.
Coroza underscores the value of Florante at Laura: “Tulad ng alinman sa mga dinarakilang akdang pampanitikan sa daigdig, ang Florante at Laura ay nagtatanghal ng malalim na pagsusuri ng awtor nito sa sanhi at bunga ng masalimuot na ugnayang panlipunan at pampolitika na madalas na humahantong sa mga salungatang mapaminsala at humahamak sa dangal ng tao. Sa tagisan nina Florante at Adolfo o nina Aladdin at Sultan Ali-adab, na bunga ng inggit at kasakiman, masasalamin ang kinaharap, kinakaharap, at kakaharapin pang suliranin ng sangkatauhan.” (Like any revered literary work in the world, Florante at Laura presents its author’s deep analysis into the cause and effect of complicated social and political relations that often result in harmful conflict and degrades man’s honor. The confrontation between Florante and Adolfo or between Aladdin and Sultan Ali-adab, brought on by envy and greed, reflects the problems that mankind has faced, is facing and will face.)
He points out that while Florante at Laura is based on the Filipino colonial experience in the 19th century, its subject is universal and enduring. “Laging may bisang pilosopiko at moral ang Florante at Laura sa mga mambabasa nito mula kina Rizal, Bonifacio, at Mabini hanggang sa sinumang may kritikal na kamalayan sa kasalukuyan.” (Florante at Laura will always have a philosophical and moral sway among its readers, from Rizal, Bonifacio, and Mabini to anyone who has a critical consciousness at present.)
Coroza says Ballet Manila’s adaptation of Florante at Laura into dance is a must-watch as it offers a new approach to a classic. “Sa madamdaming galaw ng katawan sa saliw ng musikang inspirado ng nagsasalimbayang lunggati, pighati, at luwalhati ng mga ugnayan ng tao, isang bagong dimensiyon ng pagpapahalaga at pag-unawa sa dakilang akda ni Balagtas ang nabibigyang-daan. Higit na makapapaloob ang mga manonood sa kaibuturan ng pagdalisay sa sariling pagkatao, banyaga man o Filipino.” (Through emotional movements set to music inspired by interwoven desire, sorrow, and glory in human relations, another dimension of appreciation and understanding of Balagtas’ work is given way. It will be a chance to involve viewers more in assessing the core of their own humanity, may they be foreign or Filipino."
Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar, a monument to whom can be found in Orion, Bataan, is considered the greatest of poets in Filipino. Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon
While still awaiting the completion of the music, choreographers Gerardo Francisco Jr. and Martin Lawrance are already trying to figure out possible combinations and movements as they have continued to learn more about the characters and the nuances of the story. Francisco is Ballet Manila’s longtime resident choreographer who crafted Ibong Adarna and a variety of pieces for the company. He is also co-artistic associate and a principal dancer. As guest artist, Martin Lawrance has worked with Ballet Manila several times, including choreographing the full-length ballets Rebel and Romeo & Juliet, as well as several contemporary numbers.
Florante at Laura follows Ballet Manila’s successful adaptations of gems of Philippine literature. The company’s Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang and its sequel, Tatlo Pang Kuwento ni Lola Basyang, are based on the timeless stories of Severino Reyes as retold by Christine Bellen-Ang. Francisco transformed the classic Ibong Adarna, about the mythical bird with a healing voice, into a full-length ballet in 2017, later reaping such awards as Outstanding Modern Dance Production, Outstanding Choreography for Modern Dance and Outstanding Ensemble for Modern Dance. Additionally, Ballet Manila adapted into dance author Ed Maranan’s children’s book, Si Sibol at Si Gunaw, a story advocating love for nature and environmental protection.
Though there is still a long road ahead before Ballet Manila’s Florante at Laura goes on stage, Macuja Elizalde says she is already looking forward to watching the final creative output. “This process that will unfold in the next few months will culminate in a performance on opening night in October and for this one special night, I am most excited about having the privilege of sitting in the audience and watching a world premiere that will ultimately become a classic and a Filipino legacy.”
Ballet Manila will present the world premiere of Florante at Laura on October 12 at Aliw Theater, with other shows on October 13 and 19.
