Manila Symphony Orchestra is joining forces with Ballet Manila with three performances that will serve the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s Centennial Season and Ballet Manila’s 40th Performance Season. This makes it a shared milestone for two of the country’s leading performing arts institutions.
Both organizations open their seasons with Ballet Manila’s “Sleeping Beauty”, music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, choreography by Ms. Lisa Macuja Elizalde. This concert is presented with live orchestral music by the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Russian conductor, Maestro Alexander Vikulov.
As two of the few institutions in the country with a sustained history of presenting full-length classical ballets, the MSO and Ballet Manila continue to uphold the essence of music and movement as a universal language, capable of transcending emotion, narrative, and meaning even without words.
REPERTOIRE
Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty Op. 66 (version of Ballet Manila) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, returns with the version of Ballet Manila choreographed by Ms. Lisa Macuja Elizalde, the third installment of the company’s Princess Trilogy following Cinderella and Snow White.
This staging offers a flashback to Princess Aurora’s story, suggesting that her heart had already awakened to love even before the fateful sleep. The ballet opens with the Dance of Aurora, a portrait of her youthful grace and innocence, setting the emotional tone of the work.
The music balances symphonic richness with graceful dance rhythms. From the ceremonial opening and courtly marches to the waltzes and fairy variations, the score flows naturally from one scene to the next. Each character is given a distinct musical color through varied melodies, rhythms, and orchestration.
One of the highlights is the Pas de Deux (No. 28), which features a special solo violin passage to be performed by MSO’s concertmaster, Alessio Benvenuti. The music not only supports the dancers, but also shapes the emotional journey of the ballet, moving through moments of charm, tension, romance, and celebration.
BALLET MANILA
Ballet Manila is the country’s most prolific and formidable ballet company that trains in the Russian Vaganova method. It has remained consistent in fulfilling its mission of bringing ballet to the people and more people to the ballet under the artistic directorship of the Philippines prima ballerina Lisa Macuja Elizalde.
ALEXANDER VIKULOV, guest conductor
Alexander Vikulov is a Russian conductor of international distinction whose career spans opera, symphonic, and ballet repertoire. He made his professional debut at the Mariinsky Theatre in 2002 with Le nozze di Figaro, launching an international career with leading institutions including the Vienna State Opera, Teatro Regio di Torino, and Seoul Arts Center. Vikulov is the permanent guest conductor of the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra “Klassika” and has served as musical director and conductor of Ballet Manila for many years. Renowned for bridging Russian and Western traditions, he remains deeply committed to audience engagement through concerts, workshops, and education.
MANILA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Founded in 1926, the Manila Symphony Orchestra is one of Asia’s oldest and most enduring orchestras, recognized for bringing an international standard of excellence to the Philippine cultural landscape. Throughout its history, the MSO has collaborated with world-class conductors, artists, and guest soloists, continuously elevating the country’s symphonic performance tradition. Driven by its mission to be the Philippines’ premier orchestra, the MSO remains committed to presenting exceptional performances, nurturing Filipino musical talent, and enriching the nation’s artistic heritage.
Now at 100 years, the MSO remains one of the country’s most active artistic institutions, presenting excellence while nurturing young Filipino musicians through its various educational and training programs. Guided by its mission to be the Philippines’ premier orchestra, the MSO continues to uphold international standards of symphonic performance and enrich the nation’s cultural life. The orchestra’s artistic leadership is currently headed by Music Director Marlon Chen and Executive Director Jeffrey Solares.
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