Ballet Philippines’ Swan Lake caps “Surge of the Swans” ballet season

The Surge of the Swans is how I describe the 2016-2017 ballet season as all three major ballet companies featured Swan Lake in their respective seasons’ line up. First, it was the Philippine Ballet Theatre’s The Great Classics that had its first half (Act II and the Black Swan Pas de deux) devoted to the said ballet. Then, it was Ballet Manila’s turn with their take on the White Swan Pas de deux for The Swan, the Fairy, and the Princess. Finally, the final surge closes the 2016-2017 ballet season with a full length presentation of Swan Lake by Ballet Philippines happening this February 24-March 5, 2017 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

Joseph Phillips and Candice Adea

Headlining this production of Swan Lake are former Ballet Philippines’ principal dancer Candice Adea tackling the dual role of Odette/Odille and Joseph Phillips of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre as Siegfried. Swan Lake sees Joseph performing with BP for the first time after a handful of guest stints with Philippine Ballet Theatre while this marks Candice’s return to BP since her acclaimed run in Sleeping Beauty back in 2011. The two guest dancers will take to the stage at the 7:00 PM shows on February 25, 2017 and March 4, 2017. Principal dancer Denise Parungao and company member Garry Corpuz, and soloists Jemima Reyes and Victor Maguad, will be the two other pairs doing the lead roles on the other performance dates.

Garry Corpuz and Denise Parungao

What appeals to me the most about Swan Lake is without a doubt, the moving music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. His score revolutionized ballet music with such richness, depth, and complexity that has never been heard before. This has resulted in mixed reactions from both dancers and audiences when Swan Lake was first premiered. But 140 years later, the ballet and the music have stood the test of time making it the most performed ballet of them all. One can savor Tchaikovsky’s music to the fullest during the Gala Night performances February 24, February 25 and March 3, 2017 when the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of principal conductor/music director Yoshikazu Fukumura, provide live music accompaniment to the ballet.

Victor Maguad and Jemima Reyes

With 140 years’ worth of history, the Swan Lake has undergone several revisions, reductions, additions and various endings. This upcoming production, the 8^th time for Ballet Philippines and 23 years since the company’s last, will be re-staged by Nonoy Froilan, who has performed Siegfried during his days as the premier danseur of Philippine Ballet. Curiosity got me asking Sir Nonoy as to which ending his restaging will use: the cheesy happy one used by Mariinsky, the bittersweet, tragic one by the American Ballet Theatre, or possibly something else. He did give me an answer but I’m not spilling so one has to go watch the actual thing to find out how the love story of Odette and Siegfried will end.

Seated from L to R: Denise Parungao, Margie Moran-Floirendo, Candice Adea,
and Jemima Reyes
Standing from L to R: Paul Morales, Garry Corpuz, Nonoy Froilan, Joseph Phillips,
Victor Maguad, and Ohm David

Ballet Philippines’ Swan Lake

February 24-March 5, 2017 | Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

Gala Night ticket prices:

P3000 | P1500 | P1200 | P1000 | P600 | P500 |P300

Regular show ticket prices:

P1500 | P1200 | P1000 | P600 | P500 |P300

For inquiries:

Ballet Philippines 551-1003, info@ballet.ph

TicketWorld 891-9999