Lisa Macuja dazzles as Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker

CEBU, Philippines - Shoppers of SM City Cebu had the exciting opportunity to watch up close and personal another rare ballet performance of prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde at The Northwing Atrium.

Lisa Macuja essayed the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, accompanied by the members of the Ballet Manila, the country’s finest classical ballet company which Macuja-Elizalde founded in 1996. The Nutcracker should be special to Macuja-Elizalde as it is one of the first ballet productions that premiered her in the principal ballerina role.

This was how the story of the Nutcracker went. It was Christmas Eve. Masha’s parents were giving a big party in their house and all the guests were very excited.

Uncle Drosselmeyer presented Fritz, Masha’s brother, with a toy horse. All the girls received dolls while the boys got rifles. The children were entranced by a performance of giant puppets. Drosselmeyer then entertained the guests with some magic tricks and presented a dancing Harlequin, Doll and Moor.

The children clamored for more, so Drosselmeyer brought out a Nutcracker doll. Everyone ignored the Nutcracker except for Masha, who immediately fell in love with the toy. In a scuffle, Fritz accidentally destroyed the Nutcracker but Drosselmeyer quickly repaired it. Then it was time to go home.

Masha got ready for bed but decided to sneak downstairs to continue playing the Nutcracker doll.  She fell asleep underneath the Christmas tree. The whole house became quiet when suddenly the Christmas tree grew before Masha’s eyes and giant rats, led by their King, invaded the living room. Toy soldiers defended Masha and the Nutcracker, but the battle soon turned in favor of the Rats.

As the Nutcracker and the King Rat fought, Masha threw her shoe at the King Rat, distracting him and enabling the Nutcracker to strike with his sword. The Nutcracker and Masha then transformed into a handsome Prince and Princess and they frolicked in the snow on their way to his magical kingdom.

After the breathtaking performance, the audience also had the chance to have their photos taken with the prima ballerina.

The Nutcracker was the second time Macuja-Elizalde performed at the SM Northwing this year. She was in Cebu last September as part of her nationwide tour that celebrated her 25 years of incomparable dance artistry.

The Nutcracker was also supported by the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel and The Old Spaghetti House.