Don Quixote by Ballet Manila

I just watched Don Quixote at the Aliw Theater and it was incredible! It was the culmination of Ballet Manila's year-long celebration of their Pearl Year and what a magnificent exclamation point it was to close out their 30th anniversary.

Don Quixote by Ballet Manila at the Aliw Theater

According to the program, "Don Quixote is one of the most performed ballets of Ballet Manila." It is also "a happy ballet full of technically difficult choreography". The ballet differs from the novel written by Miguel de Cervantes in that in the ballet, the lead characters are Kitri and Basilio and the story revolves around their love story. Marinsky Ballet prima ballerina Renata Shakirova played the role of Kitri while Marinsky principal dancer Kimin Kim portrayed Basilio. They were both fantastic!

Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim with Liza Macuja-Elizalde

This wasn't the first time I got to watch Renata Shakirova perform since she was also played the lead in Ballet Manila's staging of Giselle last year. I was in absolute awe of her then and that hasn't changed. She continues to seem as if she is floating on air as she moves effortlessly, elegantly, and expressively across the stage. She really has such incredible grace, artistry, and presence and is such a joy to watch. Kimin Kim was equally spectacular, showcasing an amazing athletic ability with his amazing leaps and turns that matched his artistic brilliance.

Liza Macuja-Elizalde addressed the audience before the show started and she said that because of the 30th anniversary celebration, the choreographed Don Quixote to include the entire ensemble of Ballet Manila in the cast. That definitely made this staging of Don Quixote even more significant and special. Everyone was amazing. In fact, this might have been the longest curtain call I have ever experienced in a Philippine ballet. The applause was thunderous and exultant and definitely very well-deserved.

Curtain call

When the program said that this was a happy ballet, they weren't kidding. I was not only very impressed with the incredible talent and skill that overflowed on the Aliw Theater stage, but seeing the show made me very happy. If Ballet Manila stages Don Quixote again in the future, I highly recommend that you go see it if you can.