Rodriguez, Marion Patricia L.

3LM3

Some of us might heard of Don Quixote as part of our readings during high school and
also in college particularly in our Literature class. This literary work from Miguel de Cervantes
Saavedra is one of the most influential Spanish novels. Don Quixote is the closing act for Ballet
Manilas 21st season, Revenge of the Classics. It is one of the most popular ballet show, and it is
where its director, Liza Macuja-Elizalde became a popular ballerina under the Kirov Ballet
Company in Russia.
Don Quixote is a new flavor for me since Im not fond of watching ballet shows because
it is difficult for me to understand what the show is all about, since ballet shows dont have
dialogues or spoken lines. Everything has to be delivered through movements, facial
expressions, and music. The story of Don Quixote for this show has a twist in it because it was
more focused on Kitri and Basilio, a pair that Don Quixote met during one of his adventures. You
can see how their relationship progress throughout the show. Although there were parts that
showed Don Quixotes quest for love still, the entire show somehow revolved around the story
of Kitri and Basilio. Kitris character showed a lot of speed and energy. Her character is a playful
one, which I think is the hardest character to portray. Yes, it is easy to be yourself and be as
playful as you can be, but it is hard if you mix being yourself with the complicated steps of ballet.
During the show, my attention was divided into three things: the performance, music,
and set design. These three played a huge role in the entire production because it is the mood
setter and attention getter of the show. I believed that be it minimal or grand, it has the power to
make or break the show. Fortunately, Don Quixote did not disappoint. It was dubbed as one of
the most challenging ballet performance with its complex choreography. The performance of the
dancers was very flawless that it created a light atmosphere because when you watched them
perform, it looks easy, but in reality, they spent days to polish a perfect turn or pirouette and
have to injure the pain that comes with it. The Ballet Manila did an excellent job in their 21 st
season closing act. The performers showcased an intense amount of talent worthy of the cheers
and applause. The stage design looked like it was taken out from the pages of the book. It was
not just a simple cloth or cartons or styros that were painted to look like real. Instead, the stage
design was really well crafted, and it was also accessible for the performers that they used it to
come in and out of the stage. The lights varied in every scene. There are parts when the whole
stage was illuminated, and there are parts when they used a single spot light to give emphasis
to a performer or to create a dramatic effect in a particular scene. Since its a ballet show, the
music used didnt come with lyrics. Up beat music was used for most part of the show, which
brought hype and intensity to the whole production. The slow to fast pace transition of the music
in some parts contributed in building up the climax of the the story. Upon observing, the dancers
became the lyrics of the music because through their performance, what the show is all about or
the mood in a particular scene was interpreted. For the costumes, since the story was set in
Spain, the ladies wore colorful and flowy costumes that really highlighted the Spanish culture. I
also noticed that some of the ladies were not wearing the typical ballet shoes instead, they wore
closed-toe heels that complemented the entire outfit. For the gentlemen, their costumes were in
variations. Some were wearing a mix of ballet tights and a Spanish inspired upper clothing, and
some were wearing a full Spanish inspired costume.
The Don Quixote ballet show was really a one for the books experience because it is like
a feast of genres; it has a love story, comedic element, adventure, and also a mime element. It
is very Filipino because it showcased our culture which is happy, full of artistry and warmth. It
also showcased the traditional side of our culture in the sense that, Kitris father was very
ambitious and wanted a good marriage for his daughter. He preferred the rich rather than the
poor barber. And of course, Don Quixotes search for his ideal woman signifies the hopeless
romantic side of us Filipinos.