Philippine Ballet Theater presents Filipino ballet ‘Ibalon’

The following is a press release from the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.

The Philippine Ballet Theater (PBT) has a mission to relay age-old tales of the Filipino people reflecting our country’s culture. They aspire to create and perform stories deeply rooted in our heritage. PBT will open their 37th season with a brand-new full length Filipino ballet entitled Ibalon.

Lifting from the well-known Bicolano epic Ibalon, Artistic Director and Choreographer Ronilo Jaynario focuses on the love story of Handyong (The Warrior) and Oryol (The Cursed Creature). Jaynario emphasizes that his choreography is a reimagination of a love story against a backdrop of Philippine mythology. Indulging in creative liberties he created nuances and plot twists to make the story a powerful display of love in movement. He hopes to leave his audience captivated with colorful dances inspired from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

This story will be luxuriously told with original music by Paulo Zarate. Zarate explains that in creating the music, his approach was an exaggeration of what the music would have sounded like in ancient times. Filipino instruments in that period were more percussive and rhythmic. He took this into consideration but added bold and moving melodies, incorporating details of Filipino elements that he researched on, to make the music more epic. Zarate wanted to create music that would have a theatrical or cinematic effect on the audience, pushing them at the edge of their seat in excitement or sweeping them into the love story of Handyong and Oryol.

Matthew Davo as the warrior Handyong and Jessa Tangalin as the cursed princess Oryol will take you on a voyage into the heart of our culture and history. With PBT’s rising stars, the storytelling of our ancestral stories will come alive with music and dance.

Together, Jaynario and Zarate wanted to leave a lasting imprint in Philippine Dance history. Nobody talks about old Filipino stories anymore, but creativity can change that. Something new and something old can create beautiful captures of our culture. PBT’s Ibalon runs from July 28, 2023, to July 29, 2023, at the beautiful Samsung Theater. All proceeds from July 29 will benefit the fundraising campaign for the 65th Anniversary of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards.

For ticket inquiries and reservations, you may contact the following numbers:

• Landline: 86711697
• Mobile: 09688708887
• Via Ticketworld: 8891-9999 or ticketworld.com.ph
• Social media platforms on Instagram and Facebook

Ticket prices:

• P2500 – Orchestra Center
• P2,000 – Orchestra Sides
• P1,500 – Loge
• P500 – Balcony I
• P350 – Balcony II

— Rappler.com