Three of a Kind: Tony Fabella's classical choreographies for Ballet Manila
They say that good things come in threes and the Ballet Manila Archives wholeheartedly agrees! In this series, we feature three photos or videos with the same theme that celebrate the history of ballet, the company, and its dancers.
Choreographer Tony Fabella has always been a special friend of Ballet Manila. Even when the company was still in its infancy, Tito Tony – as the original dancers fondly called him – never hesitated to lend his talent and trusted BM to bring his creations to life.
While he choreographed a wide range of pieces throughout his lifetime, BM received some of his most complex works – ballets steeped in classical traditions and demanding the mastery of complicated techniques. We look back on three such gems – choreographies that are as iconic to Tito Tony as they are to Ballet Manila.
Dancing to Verdi
In September 1997, Tony Fabella gifted Ballet Manila with Dancing To Verdi. Set to the music of the legendary Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, this piece was especially choreographed for BM “in appreciation of the technical and artistic proficiencies of its dancers.”
Almost 30 years since it was first performed, it remains a staple in the company’s repertoire, challenging the next generation of dancers to hone their technique and develop their artistry.
Suite Imperial
This fast-paced piece set to the music of Paul Hindemith was as regal as the title promised. But Suite Imperial was particularly memorable to then principal dancer Lisa Macuja for a different reason. She sprained her ankle in the last few minutes of the performance.
Partner Osias Barroso Jr. carried her artfully offstage with her arms still in position and legs fully extended despite the pain. The corps finished the rest of the choreography without the two leads who ended up taking a bow from the wings during curtain call before retiring to the backstage to tend to the injury.
Dancing to Czerny
Ten years after Dancing To Verdi, Tito Tony decided to follow it up with another show-stopping classical piece. Dancing To Czerny continued his tradition of featuring what Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja Elizalde described as a “…cast of hundreds, not wanting to leave any dancer out of the stage and using the company’s individual and collective strengths in full force.”
“Tony Fabella is no stranger to Ballet Manila’s classical-based style and technique and giving the audience what they came for in the first place: good solid dancing,” wrote Lisa in her Director’s Notes when the piece premiered in Halo-Halo 2. “…He will not disappoint his fans (I’m definitely one of them!) in this concert’s finale.”
As promised, Dancing To Czerny delivered and the audience exploded in applause when the show came to a close.
