Ballet and Ballads Concert: Something special for each /A formidable UST tribute

At the Aliw Theater, Broadway and other songs were belted out by the “West End Mamas”: Gia Macuja-Atchison, Maya Barredo-Duffy and Ces Campos-Bonner. Being the seasoned, sophisticated, long established performers on Broadway and the West End, they greatly beguiled, singing and gesturing in close unison, Roxanne Lapus taking credit for the stage direction.

In most of the numbers, the Manila Ballet ensemble provided spirited, sparkling dancing in the background as the fetching Mamas, in glittering gowns, serenaded the audience.

In “Manila, Manila” choreographed by Gerardo Francisco, the city bristled with life as street children – Project Ballet Futures Scholars – displayed incredible discipline in their games. An ice cream vendor and a jeepney deepened the realism of the hustle and bustle, while the tykes, most of them former scavengers, lent credence to the effectivity of Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s project, prancing around to the exact beat of the music.

Nostalgia was evoked by Jose G. Santos’ song “Ang Dalagang Pilipina”, the smooth, fluid choreography of Tony Fabella interpreted by ballerinas in long, flowing gowns moving with delicacy and refinement as idealized Filipinas.

Tiffany Chiang was delightfully light and winsome as the classic Fairy Doll, her rollicking partners Alvin Santos and Glenn Ragel exhibiting striking technical feats. Le Corsaire, danced by Dawna Mangahas, Harold Salgado and Elpidio Magat, was likewise impressive, Mangahas’ style neat and clean; elan and brio characterizing the danseurs’ exciting multiple pirouettes and leaps.

Avidly awaited of course was the Balcony Scene from “Romeo and Juliet”. Lisa, defying time at 46, gave an enthralling portrayal of the 16-year old Juliet as she expressed the rapture, passion and innocence of youth, her dancing radiantly limpid. Flawless! Rudy de Dios emoted as an ardent, impatient, impetuous Romeo, his leaps and turns lofty and sweeping. Choreographed by Augustus Damian to Prokofiev’s music, the Balcony Scene as enacted by Lisa and Rudy will be indelibly etched in the memory.

Another fascinating highlight was “Rev”. After I first saw it, I commented: Ernest Mandap’s brilliant fusion of modern dance and classic ballet created a tightly-knit, powerful whole. Rudy de Dios and Gerald Francisco magnetized on-lookers with their superb control, virile exuberance and remarkable conversance with both dance idioms.

Initially, they moved as one to stress they are identical twins; then later, as two, each eloquently conveying his own personality. End of quote.

Lisa went through breath-taking lifts, making Roduardo Ma’s choreography “Defying Gravity” to Stephen Schwartz’s music appropriately titled. In typical Ballet Manila fashion, ensemble dancing was distinctively cohesive, precise, animated and, not the least, piquantly graceful.

Some 20 danseurs with open skirts flying, exuded virile panache in Damian’s “Reconfigured” to Van Magnet’s music, the stage throbbing with awesome, percussive, pounding movement.

There must have been close to a hundred dancers for the “Mama Mia!” finale. They pumped up and down, vigorously jerked legs and arms simultaneously, the audience clapping lustily. Here, Lisa turned from radiant ballerina to vivacious chorus girl, with three other chorus girls, the West End Mamas, joining her. Sparklers illumined the stage filled with gyrating bodies, bringing the concert to a spectacular climax.

A diverse program of the widest possible appeal, “Ballet and Ballads” comprised “Grand Entertainment” that overwhelmingly gratified each viewer.

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“Tribute to the Thomasians” at the CCP main theater featured the UST Symphony Orchestra under the highly authoritative conductor Herminigildo Rañera, violist Joy Allan de la Cruz, tenors Lemuel de la Cruz, Eugene de los Santos, Randy Gilongo, Ronan Ferrer and bass Jun Francis Jaranilla.

Of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, the Fifth is the best-known and arguably, the most frequently played. The music is simple, even singable, yet full of rich, fertile ideas: the vigorous rhythms of the first movement, the exquisitely graceful andante, the spritely scherzo leading to the bravura finale. Rañera interpreted the movements expressively, wielding the baton over youthful, energetic instrumentalists.

Romberg’s “Stout-Hearted Men” from the film “New Moon” had a robust, forceful blending of voices from the aforementioned singers, with Gilongo accentuating the song with lively gestures. In “Nessun Norda” from Puccini’s Turandot, the voices soared luminously in glorious song.

Violist Dela Cruz rendered Cecil Forsyth’s Concerto in G smoothly and competently. The concert opened with Verdi’s “Overture to Nabucco”, a vigorous, patriotic message in music. With its surging exuberance, it persuades Italians to fight for freedom and democracy.

Present at the brief but formidable concert were UST regent Fr. Jose Tinoko and UST Conservatory dean and CCP president Raul Sunico.