Ballet Manila is letting Ibong Adarna take flight again as they stage its return this October 9 and October 10 at the Hyundai Hall, Areté, at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. The magical story that generations of Filipinos love and know by heart will once again come to life\.
Gerardo Francisco’s Ibong Adarna will be showcased in a spectacle of music, movement, and dance by Ballet Manila. The beloved tale of an enchanted bird, royal brothers, forbidden love, and a quest for healing is something that fans shouldn’t miss.
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Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the CEO and Artistic Director of Ballet Manila shared how Ibong Adarna was requested by many fans –– even after several shows this year. Ballet Manila now brings it to Areté this October.
“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,” she said.
The classic story is about the mythical bird whose magical song has the power to heal those who are sick. The three sons of King Fernando set out to find the mythical bird as the latter falls ill with an incurable disease. Only the prince who brings back the bird will inherit the throne to the Kingdom of Berbanya.
Performing in the upcoming shows are Shaira Comeros as Ibong Adarna, Mark Sumaylo as Don Pedro, Rafael Perez as Don Juan, and Romeo Peralta as Don Diego. The alternate cast is led by Jessica Pearl Dames as Ibong Adarna, with Juan Angelo De Leon as Don Juan, Ralp John Balagot as Don Pedro, and Sean Pelegrin as Don Diego.
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While Ibong Adarna has been staged by Ballet Manila numerous times already, Lisa expressed that there is still something different every time they put on the show.
“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,” she expressed.
Tickets for Ibong Adarna by Ballet Manila are available through Ticketworld’s website, www.premier.ticketworld.com.ph. More details can be found on the official social media accounts of Ballet Manila.