It is sad whenever an artist decides to retire from his art. What’s more if she is an artist of remarkable talent who shared her rare gift to the world and gave great honor to her country. Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the Philippines’ foremost icon of dance, the ballerina of the masses, has finally danced her last full-length Don Quixote.
Her last performance of Kitri, the role which started her illustrious career with the Kirov Ballet, was still electrifying, entertaining and uplifting. I was complete dazzled by her performance last Sunday, just as she completely enchanted me twenty years ago when I first saw her Juliet. Her steps are still sprightly, her spins and turns still full of energy, and her leaps almost ethereal. She was playful and flamboyant, childish and loving, witty and romantic. She has completely embodied Kitri with her dance and her gestures that I can almost imagine what the Russians saw in her when they gave her a 25-minute standing ovation after her first performance of the role with the Kirov Ballet.
Just as she was extremely talented in her dancing, Lisa also exuded this charm that connected her with the audience – this blogger, definitely included. The way she shook her tambourine the second time she was lifted on her side by her partner, as if to acknowledge the applause; the gestures she made to express her distaste for her wealthy suitor (I thought it was very Filipino and were the sort of gestures a maarteng kolehiyala would make – not that I’ve seen one do this to myself…hehe).
During the curtain call, I believe that Lisa was truly touched. She was unabashedly crying and mouthed her ‘thank yous’ several times. For a true artist of the masses bidding farewell to her most loved and most memorable role, the several minutes of standing ovation and thundering applause was all that a grateful nation could give her.
I am quite grateful that Lisa decided to dance the role one more time because I got the chance to see her. I am already sorry I missed her Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and to have missed her in her signature role would have been doubly disappointing. As she said in her video shown just before the final act, Lisa had already decided to dance her final Don Quixote last 2009 but went back on her word as she decided to perform the role of Kitri again as part of her Swan Song Series.
This year, the second of Lisa’s three years of saying farewell to her beloved roles, she will also dance Giselle and Carmen. Both of these roles complete opposites of the playful Kitri. I can’t wait to see Lisa perform Giselle; I’m sure I would see a different Lisa when she performs this dramatic role. I just hope my sister D stays true to her promise that she will buy me a ticket for this show as well.
I have to add that the live music performed by the Manila Symphonic Orchestra also added to the magic. Lisa made the right decision to dance to a live orchestra for her final Don Quixote, and a very good orchestra at that. Kudos also to the very talented Mikhail Martynyuk (he made a good Basilio opposite Lisa and quite supportive of his partner – and I don’t just mean that literally) and the talents of Ballet Manila.
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