By Lealina Evangeline Reyes and Ryanne Czarina Villegas
A timeless tale of love and betrayal told in fouettés and pas de deux enchanted the stage and opened a portal to the world of kingdoms and curses. In celebration of Ballet Manila’s 30th anniversary, Tchaikovsky’s classic “Swan Lake” came to life in our very own Luce Auditorium.
Directed by prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the ballet awakened the magic of the lake in four acts. Witnessing this beauty was a privilege that would remain in the hearts of Sillimanians and ballet enthusiasts for life.
The dancers remarkably embodied their characters and went beyond simply playing them—they became them. It was like poetry in motion where the audience stepped through a portal. One moment we were in our seats, and the next we were standing at the edge of an enchanted lake, where love, fate, and magic intertwined.
Opening the show was the eye-catching jester who hooked the audience almost immediately. His humor and wit brought a great reaction in the form of laughter and applause, setting the night in motion with great expectation. From then on, the show only got better.
Swan Lake’s first act introduced the character of Prince Siegfried, played by principal dancer Mark Sumaylao. His portrayal of Prince Siegfried captured the blissful youth of a young prince filled with dancing, wine, and ladies hoping to catch his eye. The fiasco on stage parted in two as the dancers paved way for another character. As she came to light, the audience was consumed in awe as the queen mother, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, graced the stage with her timeless elegance.
The queen gifted the prince with a gold crossbow and reminded him that with his age came marriage. As the prince realized his responsibilities to come, he set out with his crossbow as a flock of swans caught his eye.
Following the flock came the beginning of act two, set in a lake by the woods. As the prince aimed his crossbow at the swans, the arrow never flew from its cocked state as one of the swans transformed into a beautiful woman whom he instantly fell in love with.
Played by principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro, Odette’s entrance mesmerized the audience with her presence. Oliveiro’s portrayal of the Swan Queen was as striking as it was fragile. She embodied the elegance of a swan and the grace of a lady. Her movement was as gentle as the water in her lake, as light as her feathers, and as majestic as her crown. Her dance reflected the essence of Odette as a character: a beautiful tragedy trapped in a curse. The longing, the fragility, the visible delicateness in her presence—a hauntingly beautiful depiction of the White Swan.
Odette and Prince Sigrfried then danced together for the first time. The movements and acting encapsulated who these two characters are: a prince determined to show a maiden his love and the maiden’s reluctant hope coated with an air of tragedy.
Von Rothbarth, the villain, then took his place on stage. Played by Rodney Catubay, the sorcerer dressed in all black with protruding horns and red eyes was horrifyingly captivating. His exquisite costume and makeup along with his portrayal draped the character with terror that drew the audience to the story even more.
Upon seeing the villain, the distraught prince aimed his crossbow but Odette stopped him, as his death would mean an eternity of the spell. Von Rothbarth escaped, Odette ran away, and Prince Siegfried followed in pursuit.
Witnessing the love unfolding, the swans danced their celebratory waltz, including the famous dance of the four little swans. It was as if the ballerinas themselves were swans flocking the stage, their movements synchronized and precise.
When Odette and Prince Siegfried return on stage, they dance their adagio pas de deux. Sumaylao and Oliveiro drew the audience to an emotional depiction of the depth and vulnerability of their love, closing the second act with the vow of love and loyalty.
Then came the third act that shifted the stage with the presence of Odille, the Black Swan. One of the reasons Swan Lake is considered hard is the portrayal of a dual role. Opposite to Odette’s quiet grace was the daring pressure of Odille’s presence presented by her sharp movements, facial expression, and an air of deception.
Oliveiro’s ability to perfectly capture the contrast between the White Swan’s timid nature and the Black Swan’s boldness was nothing short of magnificent. It was as if she had cast a spell that beckoned the audience to watch her. And this spell grew stronger with every turn she made in the most-awaited 32 fouettés—a difficult spectacle she made to seem so easy.
The deceived prince was also beautifully portrayed by Sumaylao, dancing in sheer glee in the belief that he was with his true love. His confidence in every step allowed the audience to understand how in love he was with Odette and when the deception was revealed, the audience could feel his panic, pain, and guilt.
Transforming back to Odette for the final act reinstated the talent of Oliveiro. After bringing the femme fatale Odille to life, she returns to play the sorrowful White Swan.
In their final dance, the tragedy of Odette and Prince Siegfried was felt throughout the auditorium. No words were spoken but their bodies were able to show the audience the heart break of the two characters and their realization that it is better to die than to live without the other’s love. Odette, now cursed forever, jumped off the cliff and Prince Siegfried, desperate to be with his love, followed her.
The death of Von Rothbarth was also beautifully portrayed. Catubay was able to capture the anger of the villain who felt cheated. In the last few moments of his life, he slowly crawled on the stage, reaching out for an escape that never came.
Just as swans, Prince Siegfried and Odette’s love was eternal—defying the curse of Von Rothbarth and even death itself. As they emerged onto the stage again, now in the form of their spirits, the audience was moved and rose from their seats. Ballet Manila’s Swan Lake was truly a show to behold, worthy of the standing ovation that lasted until the curtains closed and the dancers made their final bow.
This last show was the sixth performance after three straight days of double shows. But despite their non-stop performances, the brilliance of the ballet did not falter.
Every dancer moved with a precision that felt almost effortless—though we all knew how much discipline lies beneath each arabesque and pirouette. The corps de ballet, especially in the scenes by the lakeside, was breathtaking to watch. Their synchronization created a vision of swans gliding in unison, as if they truly shared a single heartbeat. Arms stretched like wings, back arched in a stunning silhouette, and feet kissing the stage so lightly as though they were dancing on water.
Ballet Manila encapsulated a speck of magic from the lake itself and, for a special run atSilliman, let it dance freely on the stage of Luce. Each second of the show truly was magnificent.
