Ballet Philippines brings together the most beloved myths, legends, lore, and fairytales to the stage this December for Christmas Fairytales.
The ballet company is set to return to the Theatre at Solaire this December with a performance of Christmas Fairytales, a holiday offering that brings together the most beloved heroes and villains, bedtime stories and legends, as well as Princes and Evil Queens. From Alibaba and the Thieves to Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty, the delightful ballet performance will usher in a sense of awe, wonder, and magic to your Christmas celebrations.
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“After the pandemic, we wanted to give our viewers productions that were light and heartwarming,” shared Ballet Philippines President Kathleen Liechtenstein. “Christmas Fairytales is just that. It is a happy ballet full of magical elements incorporated into the costumes, sets, stories, and music. It is perfect for the family to experience together.” Choreographed and written by Ballet Philippines Artistic Director Mikhail “Misha” Martynyuk, we invite our patrons and friends on a joyous journey through a colorful world where magic and dance meet.
Little Tala’s Magical Adventure
Christmas Fairytales begins on Christmas Eve, where we meet Little Tala, her parents, brothers and nanny preparing for their yearly celebration. Their parents soon leave, entrusting the nanny to put the children to sleep. Little Tala then awakens to a magic world where imagination knows no bounds. She then meets the Master of Time, who tells her that her beloved fairytale characters are in disarray. Little Tala has until the stroke of midnight to make everything right again. If she should fail to bring back the world’s most celebrated happy endings, she will never return home.
Little Tala is then swept into a remarkable journey, where she meets many iconic characters that have enchanted audiences for generations. Among them is Alibaba whom she hides from the thieves, Cinderella who has lost her shoe, Prince Siegfriedsearch looking for the Black Swan, Sleeping Beauty under a magic spell, and the Rat King who continues to plot vicious attacks against the Nutcracker.
A Trip Around the World
Ballet Philippines Artistic Director Mikhail “Misha” Martynyuk has incorporated various musical suites from famous ballets into his original libretto. Among them is “The Dance of Hours” by Amilcare Ponchielli, “Salako” and “Sabre dance” by Aran Chachaturian, and finally, selections from “Swan Lake”, “Sleeping Beauty”, and “The Nutcracker” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. “The music I used was the real inspiration for the choreography,” he said. “We are always looking forward to experiencing magic in our lives before we end the year and before we start a new year. For Christmas Fairytales, I wanted to see more characters on stage and showcase more of the different styles I have in store for Ballet Philippines.”
Christmas Fairytales also promises to transport viewers around the world. Every character and dance scene within the ballet will showcase something unique to a particular culture. From the mystical world of Alibaba’s Arabian Nights to the German folk story that is Swan Lake, Martynyuk pulls it all together to create a distinctively unique ballet where good triumphs over evil. “The ballet is for the whole family,” he explained. “It has a very clear and simple plot. We have a few scenes which I think our audience can easily relate to. Scenes that will make them remember both good and bad experiences in their life. With strong choreography, beautiful scenery, and wonderful performances, this will be a fabulous ballet and Christmas offering.”
The Power of Dance
Ballet Philippines kickstarted its 54th season with a full-length performance of Coppelia last August. The production also introduced the season’s theme of The Power of Dance. Three different ballets will premiere throughout the season, all of which have been selected to showcase TECHNIQUE, STYLE, and CHARACTERISTIC. Christmas Fairytales will highlight the concept of STYLE, as the company takes its audience across a colorful world where tales, myths, and lore intertwine.
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