A temple
dancer’s devotion. A warrior’s divided heart. A priest’s consuming desire.
Their story moves between passion and betrayal, life and afterlife. This
August, Ballet Manila brings its PRIMA Season to a grand conclusion with the
rare full-length staging of Marius Petipa’s timeless classic, La Bayadère, at the Aliw
Theater on August 14 at 8 :00 p.m., and August 15 and 16 at 5:00 p.m.
Set against the backdrop of ancient
India, La Bayadère
tells the story of Nikiya, a temple dancer bound by love, and Solor, the
warrior torn between passion and duty. Their fates intertwine with Gamzatti,
the rajah’s daughter, and the High Brahmin, whose desires ignite betrayal and
tragedy. The ballet unfolds across opulent courts and sacred temples before
dissolving into the ethereal Kingdom of the Shades.
This year marks the 40th anniversary
of the return of Ballet Manila founder and artistic director, Lisa Macuja
Elizalde to the Philippines from Russia where her most notable achievement was
being the first foreign soloist of the then Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky
Ballet). Staging this full-length masterpiece as the crowning jewel of PRIMA
carries immense personal significance.
She calls La Bayadère
one of the great "white ballets," alongside Giselle and Swan Lake.
These classics are known for their
ethereal scenes where ballerinas, dressed in white, move in perfect unison with
every line exposed and every detail revealed. Among them, Lisa believes La Bayadère is the
ultimate test of skill. Its Kingdom of the Shades sequence in Act III is
celebrated worldwide as a pinnacle of discipline and artistry. Yet she is
confident Ballet Manila's corps de ballet is ready. "Ballet Manila is the
only company in the Philippines with this kind of superior ensemble," she
says. "That is why it deserves its place in our 31st performance
season."
Leading the production are two of the
Mariinsky Ballet's brightest stars—Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim—whose
acclaimed partnership captivated Manila in Don
Quixote (2025). They return in the roles they know by heart: Nikiya
and Solor.
Mariinsky prima ballerina Renata
Shakirova brings vulnerable humanity to Nikiya, embracing the character's
emotional journey. "The first act is full of openness and love, but
everything changes in Act 2 where it becomes tragic," she says.
"Every part I feel deep inside me. All the emotions of Nikiya, I feel I
live through."
Alongside her, Kimin Kim—renowned for
his gravity-defying leaps—sees Solor as a role defined by emotional truth
rather than technical feats. "Technique is supposed to be there already
from the very beginning," he explains. "I try to make it all look
easy, so the technique doesn't look like work. More important is that I can
show emotion and the depth of the character."
Their partnership, built on complete trust,
transforms choreography into conversation. "Onstage, we believe in each
other completely," Renata shares. "That trust allows us to dance not
only with technique, but with emotion."
For Lisa, collaborations like these
continue to elevate Ballet Manila. She recalls audience members from Korea and
Germany traveling to Manila for Don
Quixote, then praising Ballet Manila alongside the world's finest
companies. "That made me proud—not just of Renata and Kimin, but of our
dancers, our school, and our thirty-one years of building a company that can
hold its own on the global stage."
Renata says she gladly returns for
Ballet Manila's family atmosphere and the warmth of Filipino audiences. "I
love seeing their eyes burning with excitement and watching them discover us in
new roles."
Kimin echoes the same sentiment.
"From my very first rehearsal, I felt as though we had already been
dancing together for years. That family atmosphere makes performing here
unforgettable. I hope Renata and I can return to Ballet Manila and the
Philippines again and again."
As PRIMA draws to a close, La Bayadère stands as both
a showcase of world-class ballet and a testament to what happens when
extraordinary artistry meets genuine collaboration. Ballet Manila invites
audiences to experience a rare masterpiece brought to life by internationally
celebrated artists alongside a company proudly standing on the global stage.
Keep up-to-date with Ballet Manila’s schedule of performances and
celebration events by visiting Ballet Manila’s website www.balletmanila.com.ph or Ticketworld page www.ticketworld.com.ph
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