In the Philippines, Christmas is unlike anything else. The city is buzzing with holiday spirit as the holidays get closer. There’s a brisk resurgence of Christmas traditions in the air, following about three years of claustrophobic epidemic. Philippine Ballet Theatre obliges, bringing back their ageless masterpiece “The Nutcracker.” The dance company presented this work for nine years in a row before the epidemic. The pandemic prevented it from celebrating its tenth anniversary. Nonetheless, the Newport Performing Arts Theater will host this magnificent play, choreographed by Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov, on December 16–17, 2023. A robust resurgence is underway thanks to the kind assistance of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Manila Times, Philippine Airlines, San Miguel Corporation, Sunlife, and NYXSYS Philippines. Artistic Director Ronilo Jaynario has made up for lost time by reenacting this beloved dance, adding spicily to the choreography. The ballet, which features a cast of more than a hundred performers of various ages, promises to be an imaginative experience.
Set against the backdrop of sparkling snowflakes and magical land of the sweets with the enchanting music of Tchaikovsky, Philippine Ballet Theater will bring life to Clara’s magical encounters. The Nutcracker Ballet story originated from the “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” (German: Nussknacker und Mausekönig), a story written in 1816, by the German writer E. T. A. Hoffmann.In this tale, Clara’s favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom of sweets populated by dolls.
Mathew Davo and Jessa Tangalin will take on the leads as Nutcracker Prince and Sugarplum fairy. Making their Nutcracker debut are company artists Sophie Tiangco and Therese Riego who will be alternating as Clara. Interestingly enough the cast will feature soloists and company dancers who were originally cast as Nutcracker kids in previous productions prior the pandemic. This includes Sophia Tiangco who headlines this production. The children who have grown to love the ballet, have also grown with the ballet. This season offering will be a fantastic return to tradition for both the dancers and the audiences. Its return will surely bring on the nostalgia for the many who have made PBT a beloved holiday tradition.
Catch their performances at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on:
December 16, 2023 (Saturday) | 3:00 pm and 8:00pm
December 17, 2023 (Sunday) | 3:00pm and 7:30 pm
Tickets are available at the Ticketworld website. https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/show.aspx…
Ballet students can receive a special 30% discount for the December 17, 2023, 7:30 p.m. performance. Discount is exclusively available for the SVIP, VIP, and GOLD sectors. Please contact our PBT office at 8671-1697/ 0968-870-8887 to take advantage of the discount, or DM us on PBT’s official social media pages.
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