BY PABLO A. TARIMAN
Photos by VICTOR URSABIA
BALLET Philippines’ 44th season perked up Manila’s ballet scene anew with the re-staging of Giselle which opened Friday last week with both curiosity and excitement for the new ballet heroines.
The opening night Giselle was Carissa Adea with the Albrecht of Richardson Yadao and it closed with Katherine Trofeo and Jean Marc Cordero who received a well-deserved standing ovation.
The pair of Denise Parungao and Earl John Arisola did a couple of matinee performances which means the ballet company is grooming new faces for the role.
With set and costume design by the late National Artist Salvador Bernal, the opening night performance was initially tense but with conductor Olivier Ochanine leading the orchestra, the music easily spelled magic among the dancers and the first act ended as it should – with a sense of high drama over the death of Giselle.
The young Adea in the title role captured the character’s innocence with an emphatic Albrecht just suited to her part. Her variations glowed and found highly competent partnering in Yadao. The dancing matched her acting but it was also obvious she has a lot to imbibe in this part.
To be sure, she has sensitive moments when she discovered Loy’s deceit and more so when she discovered her loved one was already engaged. Her mad scene hovered between despair and hopelessness.
Moreover, Adea in Act 2 had more defined moments and indeed more surprises especially in the first entrance when her veil mysteriously disappeared and she went on with her own brand of brisk dancing showing clean, impeccable legwork. Towards the end after trying hard to save her Albrecht, Adea had poignant moments, even magical ones. There is no doubt that she can still grow into this part conveying more sense of loss and longing.
But on the whole, Adea delivered; Yadao is not yet the definitive Albrecht but his dancing conveyed his inner affinity for dance. He was a reliable partner and a fairly good actor as well.
Rita Angela Winder was a remarkable Myrtha and an even more impressive Countess Bathilde. Timothy Paul Cabrera was a solid Hilarion.
Two actors figured in the ballet with the Duke Courtland of Bembol Roco and the Berthe of Shamaine Centenera Buencamino.
It was easy to figure out that Buencamino knew her part inside and out and her acting towered through the entire Act 1 ensemble.
Ballet conducting is a different ballgame from conducting symphonic warhorses. Conductor Olivier Ochanine showed he could live up to the challenge with remarkable results.
It was obvious Nonoy Froilan gave his all in re-staging the ballet and nostalgia for past productions was inevitable. This is Froilan’s fourth re-staging of the piece and the memories of past productions still clearly echoed in his mind.
Among others, he has re-staged it for Maniya Barredo’s farewell performance at the CCP in the mid-90s and also for danseur Julio Bocca who had Cecile Sicangco as Giselle. “For the most part, I always try to achieve a different look from past production,” says Froilan. “And always I have to consider inputs from the dancers themselves. For instance, Maniya (Barredo) didn’t want the corp de ballet behind her and Bocca wanted more dancing space. I try to give in without sacrificing the spirit of the ballet.”
The retired premier danseur remains emphatic that dancing with Japanese prima ballerina Yoko Morishita in 1982 was the turning point of his dancing life. “After my Albrecht with her, my dancing career just went up and it gave me more confidence of who I was in the dance world. I really felt the great rapport and total trust she had on me. When I was doing Act II, I could feel the dancers cheering me as though I was in competition with my superstar Giselle.”
His ideal Albrecht remains Mikhail Baryshnikov because of his acting prowess, technique and aplomb. As for her past Giselles, memories varied. Maniya Barredo’s Giselle made him cry, Morishita could be his definitive Giselle but he also loved the ballet heroine of Alina Cojocaru for her beautiful interpretation and technique.
For all the many thing he had to impart to his dancers, Froilan is emphatic about one thing
