Ballet Philippines to stage Christmas special with five classic fairy tales, holiday art exhibit
Theater and art fans will be in for a treat with Ballet Philippines' Christmas special showcasing five classic fairy tales as well as a holiday art exhibit in collaboration with Pinto Art Museum.
The country’s premiere classical and contemporary dance institution announced that they will be returning to the Theatre at Solaire this December with Christmas Fairytales—a holiday offering that brings together the most beloved bedtime stories.
Combining storylines of all-time favorites such as Ali Baba and the Thieves, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, the show will take audiences into the shoes of Little Tala as she and her family prepare for their yearly Christmas celebration.
In her dream, she wakes up to a world filled with magic and wonder. She meets the Master of Time, who tells her that her beloved fairy tale characters are in disarray and that she only has until midnight to get everything back to normal.
Among them is Ali Baba whom she hides from the thieves, Cinderella who loses her shoe, Prince Siegfried who is looking for the Black Swan, Sleeping Beauty who is under a magic spell, and the Rat King who continues to plot vicious attacks against the Nutcracker.
If she fails to help them achieve their happily ever after, she will not be able to return home.
According to Ballet Philippines President Kathleen Liechtenstein, Christmas Fairytales aims to be a delightful viewing experience for the family.
“After the pandemic, we wanted to give our viewers productions that were light and heartwarming,” she said. “Christmas Fairytales is just that. It is a happy ballet full of magical elements incorporated into the costumes, sets, stories, and music.”
The ballet is choreographed and written by artistic director Mikhail Martynyuk, who had incorporated various musical suites from famous ballets into the story. This includes selections from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
“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.”
Christmas Fairytales will premiere on Dec. 15 at 8:00 p.m., Dec. 16 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and Dec. 17 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. You can purchase your tickets on their website.
Ballet Philippines has also partnered with Pintô Art Museum for a special exhibition titled BALLET IN PINTÔ in honor of the "everlasting relationship between ballet and dance."
The collaboration, which is touted to be the first of its kind in the Philippines, gathered 35 contemporary Filipino artists to produce paintings and sculptures featuring the company’s dancers.
The exhibit will be on display from Dec. 15 to 17 at The Theatre at Solaire alongside Ballet Philippines' performance of Christmas Fairytales. Proceeds will go to the causes supported by Ballet Philippines and Pinto Art Museum.