Ballet Manila’s ‘Ibong Adarna’ to Be Staged at Areté This October
Ballet Manila is bringing Gerardo Francisco Jr.’s Ibong Adarna to Areté for the first time this October, with two performances at Hyundai Hall, Ateneo de Manila University.
The ballet, based on the Filipino tale of the enchanted bird, will be staged on October 9 at 7:30 PM and October 10 at 5 PM.
“Ibong Adarna is one of Ballet Manila’s most requested offsite performances. This year, it already had two shows at Jose Rizal Coliseum in Laguna, and now the production is bound to return to Areté in Ateneo before continuing its way to Iloilo,” shared Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Ballet Manila’s CEO and Artistic Director.
Ibong Adarna tells the story of a mythical bird whose magical song has the power to heal the sick. When King Fernando of the Kingdom of Berbanya falls ill with an incurable disease, his three sons, Don Pedro, Don Diego, and Don Juan, set out on a quest to find the legendary Adarna and bring it back to save their father. The prince who succeeds in capturing the bird will inherit the throne.
The Areté run will feature Ballet Manila principal dancers Shaira Comeros and Jessica Pearl Dames alternating in the title role. Comeros will perform as Ibong Adarna on October 9 at 7:30 PM, alongside Mark Sumaylo as Don Pedro, Rafael Perez as Don Juan, and Romeo Peralta as Don Diego. Dames will take on the role on October 10 at 5 PM, joined by Ralp John Balagot as Don Pedro, Juan Angelo De Leon as Don Juan, and Sean Pelegrin as Don Diego.
View this post on Instagram
Ballet Manila has staged Ibong Adarna numerous times in different venues, with each restaging shaped in part by its changing cast of dancers.
“Every time we bring Ibong Adarna to a new audience, we discover something new about the story and the characters. That is what makes it special. It remains familiar to many Filipinos, but ballet allows us to experience the story in a different way,” Macuja Elizalde said.
The Areté performances form part of Ballet Manila’s efforts to bring its productions to audiences outside its home venue. Following its two performances at Areté, Ibong Adarna is set to travel to Iloilo.
Ibong Adarna runs on October 9 at 7:30 PM and October 10 at 5 PM at Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University. Tickets are priced at ₱1,236 for Orchestra and ₱824 for Balcony, available through TicketWorld.
Comments