Lisa's magnificent 'debut'

The announcement was unmistakable: Lisa Macuja was making her farewell appearance in Swan Lake — Vikulov’s version to Tchaikovsky’s music. Yet her performance at Aliw Theater seemed more like a debut! In the daunting dual roles of the White Swan Odette and the Black Swan Odile, the ageless Lisa not only demonstrated fantastic balance and extensions — her arabesques ending in nearly perfect straight lines — but also executed Odile’s standard 32 fouettés with flair and elan.

Incredibly lithe (for a 47-year old mother of two), she danced the White Swan with ethereal, lyrical grace and the Black Swan with dazzling, dramatic briskness. Possessing inherent musicality, she underlined each musical phrase, down to the last note, adding depth and meaning to her every movement, thus endlessly arresting attention. With what vivid eloquence she mimed!

The most outstanding danseurs were David Makhateli, principal dancer of the Royal Ballet of Covent Garden, as Prince Siegfried, and Elpidio Magat as the Court Jester. David’s aristocratic looks and bearing, his clean, neat, polished and refined technique as well as his superb partnering of Lisa — e.g., lifting her aloft, turning hr around – made him the ideal choice for his role. Magat’s astonishing feats of wizardry led to a tremendous impact on the audience. Further, the tireless Magat exuded the same vitality and energy in the second scene at the Palace as he did in the opening one.

The lovely swans – turning, floating, gliding – were the raison d’etre of the ballet. Their exquisitely lambent, flowing, tight ensemble dancing gave as much delight as the crisp precision of the four cygnettes – Yanti Marduli, Sofia Sangco-Peralta, Eileen Lopez and a fourth (not named in the program).

In one of the initial dances, the pas de trois, Korean ballerinas Ja Young Kang and Hanah Oh, partnered by Arnulfo Andrade, showed youthful, infectious exuberance.

The Mazurka, Hungarian, Spanish and Neapolitan numbers captured the essence and spirit of each national dance.

Indeed, the soloists and the corps de ballet consistently conveyed strong technique, singular poise, grace and assurance. Among the imminently gifted ballerinas were Mylene Aggabao Salgado, Yanti Marduli, Zara Cosico, Sarah Abigail Cruz, Jennifer Rose Olayvar, and Sofia Sangco Peralta. Among the highly talented danseurs were Rudy de Dios, Gerardo Francisco Jr., Niño Guevarra, Nazer Salgado, Francis Cascaño and Alvin Santos — with the most rigid rehearsals under Lisa, ballet master Osias Barroso, and guest ballet mistress Natalia Raldugina.

How marvelous it was to see the ensembles large or small, of ballerinas and danseurs in utmost “togetherness”, from the tilt of their heads to the angle of their arms and legs!

Francis Cascaño was a menacing Rothbart battling with Prince Siegfried for possession of the White Swan, Janine Marie Tolentino exuded regal dignity as the Queen Mother.

During an interval, a film showed Lisa recounting that among her 300 full ballet performances were 122 of the White Swan and 72 of the Black. In 1990, she danced Swan Lake for the first time, substituting for the “injured” star in the 10th International Ballet Festival in Havana, Cuba. Lisa had accepted the challenge offered in behalf of the legendary Alicia Alicia, though she had only four days to learn the dual roles! Her partner Ernesto Quemedit was also dancing his role for the first time!! After the show, a complete stranger kissed Lisa’s hand, predicting: “You will become a great ballerina.” (Which Lisa is now as “ballerina of the people.”)

To return to the local Swan Lake, no detail was ignored in the determined aim to present a spectacular production. As the curtains opened, sculptured swans glided by to establish proper ambiance. The fabulous sets proclaimed the grandeur of a Palace and the charms of a bucolic scene, while the elegant costumes of royalty (by Michael Angelo Albay) showed artistic harmony of color and design, as did the costumes of Odette and Odile: the understated glitter of the former; the brilliant sparkle of the latter.

Amidst the prolonged, lusty, thunderous applause, Lisa graciously thanked Dr. Antonio Rivera whose surgery made it possible for her to dance again, her parents Cesar and Susan Macuja and, not the least, her husband Fred Elizalde for their unwavering and inspiring support through the years.

One left the theater feeling that one had awakened from a rapturous dream, a magical reverie, a fantastic fairytale created amidst a glorious setting by Ballet Manila’s cast of superior dancers led by the magnificent and, yes, incomparable Lisa.

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Ben-Hur Villanueva’s one-man exhibit “Bridge Across Cultures” will be on view at the Elizalde Hall, Aliw Theater, until October 22.