This Month in BM History: September 2006
Halo-Halo: Lisa@20 featured three different programs over two weekends. Poster from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
To mark her 20th anniversary as a professional ballerina, Lisa Macuja Elizalde went back in time to choose the roles for her celebratory production with Ballet Manila. The show was aptly presented under one of the company’s signature banners, Halo-Halo, which signified the merry mix making up the changing repertoire.
The signature role of Kitri from Don Quixote was a natural choice to be included in Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s 20th anniversary celebration. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Lisa indeed mined two decades’ worth of performances to fill three different programs as Halo-Halo: Lisa@20 unfolded over two weekends. “Mainly, I selected by graduation pieces, the roles that made me into a ballerina in Russia, the roles that I’ve danced in many different versions with various companies around the world, the roles that won me medals in international competitions – and of course, the roles closest to my heart.”
A story in the Manila Standard about the anniversary show highlights a photo of Lisa Macuja Elizalde as Giselle. Clipping from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
Thus, the final range included treasured roles in The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Romeo & Juliet, La Bayadere, Le Corsaire, Giselle and Swan Lake. The retrospective-cum-anniversary celebration prompted Lisa’s longtime friend and dance partner Osias Barroso Jr. to comment then, “It’s like watching a whole season in one night!”
As if that were not enough, the Halo-Halo extravaganza even included the world premieres of two contemporary works – Vladimir Angelov’s Figuera and Ernest Mandap’s El Sol.
The opening night, September 29, was made more special as it also served as the launch of Lisa’s memoirs, Ballerina of the People. The coffee table book chronicled in intimate anecdotes, personal photographs and other colorful mementoes the beginnings, challenges and triumphs of the prima ballerina’s remarkable career – her fledgling days as a young ballet student, the grueling years at the Vaganova Choreographic Institute in St. Petersburg, her dramatic climb to fame with the Kirov Ballet, the choice to come home and become a Philippine-based ballerina and many other milestones.
Lisa shares a light-hearted moment with Gerardo Francisco Jr. in Harlequinade pas de deux. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
While Lisa did not think she would reach 20 years in her chosen profession, she had to stress in 2006 that she was far from done. Writing in her director’s notes, she said in a mischievous tone: “Halo-Halo: Lisa@20 is not my farewell concert. I repeat, I am not retiring after these two weekends. Taking a vacation perhaps, but not retiring.”
As the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker adagio. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
