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| The Merry Widow's matinee cast |
Two of Philippine Ballet Theatre’s young and award winning ballerinas, Kim Abrogena and Veronica Atienza were the belles of the ball at The Merry Widow, the company’s second production of its 31st season.
Adapted from Franz Lehár’s operetta
Die lustige Witwe, this comic ballet
restaged by PBT’s artistic director Ronilo Jaynario, is a breath of fresh air
from the usual romantic, tragic, classical ballets where the lead female role
ends up dying.
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| The Merry Widow's evening cast |
So Kim and Veronica, making their
principal role debuts in this production, do not die in the end. The two
alternated the role of Hannah Glawari, who happens to be a widow (so it’s her
husband who died off stage even before the start of the ballet). And the poor,
grieving widow was thrust into the schemes of the Pontevedrian Ambassador Baron
Mirko Zeta, his young wife Valencienne and French Attaché Camille, Count de
Rosillon, in an attempt to make sure that her wealth will remain in financially
strapped Pontevedro. And this would be made possible if she ends up marrying Count
Danilo Danilovitsch, First Secretary of the Pontevedrian Embassy. In typical opera
fashion, it is revealed that Count Danilo and Hannah were former lovers and
what should’ve been an easy route to rekindled love has to go through
complications (and an affair by Camille and Valencienne). But since this is a
comedy, everything gets sorted in the end and Count Danilo and Hannah end up in
each other’s arms, Baron Zeta gives Valencienne her freedom to be with Count
Camille and Pontevedro is saved from financial ruin.
I’ve seen Kim dance a handful of times already and her previous roles as the Dew Drop Fairy, Odette and Nikiya paved the way for her to do a more rounded portrayal of Hannah, showing both elegance and vulnerability. Veronica, on the other hand, displayed clean technique and impeccable extension. Still only in her late teens, Veronica’s youth and that aura of innocence just made it hard for me to be fully convinced of her portrayal of Hannah. But she still remains as one of the most exciting ballerinas who burst into the scene last season and I’ve been a huge fan since then.
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| Martin Buczko and Kim Abrogena |
I’ve actually had the same view
about Kim some years ago, that she still felt like a girl, when I first saw her
dance the role of the Dew Drop Fairy at The Nutcracker. With her Hannah, I finally
saw her as a young woman who can confidently pull off principal roles.
Both Kim and Veronica had the
chance to be partnered by guest danseur Martin Buczko, who danced the role of
Count Danilo. The towering Martin made quite an impression with his first
appearance on stage that had him turning and leaping as if he was drunk. He
showed enough looseness to be in character but still in control exhibiting
unconventional technique. And to see a tall, lean danseur on stage who is
secure with his pirouettes and has superb extension with his high kicks was a
sight to behold.
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| Martin Buczko and Veronica Atienza |
PBT veterans Lobreza Pimentel and
Regina Magbitang weren’t left in the dust as both alternated the role of
Valencienne. The role gave both the chance to be spunky, naughty, and flirty
while still showing their signature bravura technique like doing effortless fouettés
while wearing a ball gown. Another veteran, Peter San Juan danced the role of
Camille with reckless abandon as if there’s no more tomorrow but still
maintaining that comic timing which is second nature for him.
This production of The Merry Widow showed the formidable strength
of Philippine Ballet Theatre’s lead ballerinas with the fast rising Kim and Veronica now
joining the ever reliable duo Lobreza and Regina. I have no doubts that all
four could dance lead roles for the company now and it’s just a matter of
rotating them to give each her own share of the spotlight. The male members of
the company do not have the same depth and it’s up for them to step up and be
at par with their female counterparts.
The wait is on for Philippine
Ballet Theatre’s third and final production of the season with the all-time
favorite The Nutcracker happening
this November 18-19, 2017. But right now, I need to acquaint myself to the operetta in which the ballet The Merry Widow was adapted from.
