Ballet Manila has long been known as one of the premier ballet troupes in the country and its performance seasons have always been lauded for its eclectic collection of classic and modern works. For its 26th season, Ballet Manila revisits “Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang.”
The ballet trilogy, which debuted in 2008, takes three of Lola Basyang’s stories: first, Ang Prinsipe ng Mga Ibon, that tells the love story between a young princess and a Bird Prince; second, Ang Kapatid ng Tatlong Marya, which follows Pedro on a hero’s journey to retrieve his three bewitched sisters; and finally, Ang Mahiwagang Biyulin, a comedic story about the hardworking Rodrigo, an enchanted violin, and the miserly trader Ahab who refuses to pay him his due.
The performance will be held at Ballet Manila’s home, Aliw Theater in Pasay, Metro Manila on May 11, 12, and 18, with tickets being sold at Ticketnet and at the Ballet Manila website.
Ballet Manila artistic director and CEO Lisa Macuja-Elizalde said that the dance adaptation of “Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang” happened when she first saw Anvil Publishing Incorporation’s relaunched series of children’s books based on the tales written by Severino Reyes and retold by Christine Bellen.The ballet adaptation instantly became a hit, with one reviewer describing the performance as the Filipino version of The Nutcracker, and they had to restage it for over a hundred shows.
However, the fire that engulfed the Aliw Theater in 2019 also left some of the original set designs and costumes in flames. Despite the setback, Macuja-Elizalde and the entire Ballet Manila troupe pushed on with the revival of “TatlongKuwentoni Lola Basyang,” opting to use the new lighting and stage technologies now available in the renovated theater to create a more impactful visual spectacle despite the limitations.
“We lost sets and the original costumes and props of the performance. For this new staging, we will be using LED screens as backdrops for our effects and sets. We will not be using flying machines as well so we had to rechoreograph some of the sequences. The script was also updated to be more in line with the tastes of modern audiences. We also have a new Lola Basyang and new child actors. However, despite all of the changes, we will remain faithful to the book,” Macuja-Elizalde said.
For this year’s staging, veteran Singer-actress and comedienne Mitch Valdes will play the role of “Lola Basyang” — an iconic fictional character that resembles the role of Filipino grandparents to shape and guide the minds of the young through great lessons.
Unlike previous characterizations where Lola Basyang sits on the rocking chair most of the time, Valdez will now move around with the dancers. “When we had our first meeting, I said, Please, I don’t want to sit still in a rocking chair,” she said.
She wanted to be with the rest of the cast, a feat that would be easy as she had always been fascinated by dancers. “At age nine, I even wanted to be Rita Moreno in West Side Story,” Valdez recalls. “That was my favourite.” The actress will also dabble in singing–a job thrust towards her mere weeks before the show and a challenge she gladly accepts.
If there is a “revenge travel” phenomenon today where people are taking trips that were not possible before due to the pandemic, Macuja-Elizalde aspires that the ballet shows of Lola Basyang can inspire Filipinos to support ballet, theater, and live musical shows once again.
“I am hoping that there is a resurgence in interest in theater. Just like there was revenge travel after the pandemic, I think there is also revenge theater. People are excited to go out and experience plays and performances in the flesh again and ‘TatlongKuwentoni Lola Basyang’ is perfect for the whole families… I’m looking forward to seeing the kids who watched Lola Basyang 16 years ago bringing their kids with them this time,” Macuja-Elizalde shared.
