Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Our love is forever young
Written and photographed
by Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista
Don Quixote is one of the most loved and recognized novels the world over for its emphasis on the values of chivalry, fantasy and imagination. Ballet Philippines’ version however, also highlights its youthful and romantic angle. DON QUIXOTE starring two international guests artists in Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri) will run from February 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.
Jojo Mamangun (Don Quixote) ; Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Joseph Gatti is a gold medalist in the first World Ballet Competition in his native Orlando Florida, 2007. He also earned bronze in the International Ballet Competition and Silver in Seoul International Ballet Competition both in 2006.
Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Former BP dancer and now resident guest artist Candice Adea has herself won big prizes abroad. She garnered First Prize at the 7th Helsinki International Ballet Competition and a silver medal at the 2010 USA Ballet Competition. She was also recognized with the Maris Liepa Award for Outstanding Artistry at the Boston International Ballet Competition.
Gatti and Adea will be in the lead romantic roles in the opening and succeeding night. BP stars Victor Maguad, Monica Gana and Ian Ocampo will be taking over on other play dates.
BP Publicity Head Rhea Bautista and BP Associate Artistic Dir and Ballet Master Adam Sage. Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Millennials will find this version of DON QUIXOTE as relatable. Anyone who has had a ‘bad date’ or a relationship their parents disapprove of will see themselves in Kitri according to Regisseur / restager Adam Sage. “Don Q is good because the storyline is simple to follow. There’s comedy, there’s love, there’s fiesta time. For those of you who have husbands or partners that have not been to the ballet this is a good one because its not long and drawn out. You don’t have to concentrate that hard to figure out what’s happening,” said Sage.
Sage summarizes the plot, “It starts out with Don Quixote, a knight who is out find his lady the love of his life, Dulcinea. He heads out into the village with his squire Sancho Panza, a short little dumpy fellow who takes care of him. In the town in Barcelona there’s an innkeeper whose daughter Kitri is feisty kid of the village. She’s in love with Basilio who is a poor guy, doesn’t make much money. The father as typical in most places in the world is not very happy about the fact his daughter is in love with someone who has no money and no future.”
BP’s History with Don Q
DON QUIXOTE has a long history with the company having some of the most prestigious guest dancers from around the world. BP Pres. Marge Moreno explains, “We started staging the grand pas de dieux in 1973 and mounted our first full-length version of it in 1981. With (Choreographer) Luminita Dumitrescu, staging the ballet. Many international stars have performed the Don Q with Ballet Philippines: Muñeca Aponte, ABT (American Ballet Theater’s) Martine Van Hammel, Patrick Bissel and Wes Chapman. San Francisco Ballet’s Joan Boada and Houston Ballet’s Connor Walsh.”
BP Pres. Margie Moran; Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Some of the most recognizable names have performed in DON QUIXOTE for BP, “Filipino ballerinas Lisa Macuja, Anna Villadolid, Cecille Sicangco, Toni Lopez Gonzalez, Esther Rimpos, Melissa Cuachon, Wendy Panganiban, Carissa Adea, Katherin Trofeo, Brandon Miranda, Nonoy Froilan and JM Cordero. And of course one of the greatest ballerinas of all time Natalia Makarova performed Don Quixote Grand Pas De Diuex with Patrick Bissel for Ballet Philippines in 1979.”
Denise Parungao (Mercedes); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
BP’s new generation of talented dancers have now taken on the iconic roles, “This year 2018 is a special show we have today’s brightest stars in Philippine dance: Candice Adea, Jemima Reyes, Monica Gana, Victor Maguad, Ian Ocampo, as well as amazing Joseph Gatti coming from the USA. Don Quixote is truly a big happy fiesta celebrating life, love and dance.”
Center row: BP Pres. Margie Moran and BP Associate Artistic Dir and Ballet Master Adam Sage together with the exceptional dancers of Ballet Philippines, one of the most celebrated and prestigious dance company in the country. Photo by Jude Bautista
From Spain to the World
Although originating from Spain, Don Quixote has taken on universality. Spanish First Secretary Guillermo Escribano said, “We at the Spanish embassy are really delighted supporting the CCP, supporting Ballet Philippines. This is a collaboration that existed a few years ago. We would like to stress that we are celebrating a fiesta of arts, culture. Its not just only Spanish or Filipino its international, universal. Cervantes wrote Don Quixote more than 400 years ago. We celebrated in 2016 the 400th anniversary and inauguration of the novel. We are talking of a key figure in literature and arts. Every time Don Quixote has been reinterpreted in dance and ballet, there are new things that appear.”
Spanish Emb. First Secretary of Cultural Affairs Guillermo Escribano. Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (10)
Adam Sage: Full Circle
For Adam Sage, Don Q has a strong personal significance. He was a member of Ballet Philippines from 1981-1983. He was a young tall 19 year old, the first foreigner member of Ballet Philippines. He returned to BP last year as Associate Artistic Director and Ballet Master.
from left: Ronelson Yadao (Espada) and Ian Ocampo (Basilio); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Sage said, “This was not only coming home but full circle. This was my first professional job here it was in 1981. It was the first full-length ballet I did for Ballet Philippines was Don Quixote. I was nervous of Don Quixote in that version with Martine Van Hammel and Patrick Bissel of (ABT). That was our first full length so it was very educational.”
Jemima Reyes (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Since his BP stint Sage has become a sought after teacher and coach. He has guided dancers that have competed in the first Beijing International Ballet Competition and the prestigious Lausanne International Ballet Competition in Switzerland. He also served as juror for the American Ballet Competition in Miami Florida for 2007 and 2008.
Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Pinoy’s Natural Instinct for Dance
Because of his long experience internationally and in the Philippines he has gained some insight on how and why Filipinos can excel in ballet and dance, “The thing I found interesting then and now is that there’s an innate quality in every child I’ve seen in terms of musicality and movement. It’s part of the culture here. You can grab almost any child and say sing this song and they can sing it. They learn the words they listen to the radio. Dance is a very big part of your culture. From the time they’re young there are certain dances that you learn. There are certain national songs that you know. And we don’t have this in the States. It’s not the same. So that creates a different kind of dancer one that has a more natural instinct to movement and musicality.”
Denise Parungao (Mercedes) and Ronelson Yadao (Espada); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Casts Individuality
When asked how this version would be different from the previous ones Sage clarified that the dancers themselves create that personality for each performance. “The biggest thing would be the dancer, the individual, each person who does Kitri or Basilio or Giselle or Odette brings something of themselves. They have their own flavor their own mark to it. The dancers that are performing in the leads are all very different for their own character space.”
Monica Gana (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Sage describes the variations in the performances of the cast members, “Monica (Gana) as you can tell is a happy sunny person. So she brings a lighter sense to it. Jemima (Reyes) is a little more of a kitten. She’s got a little more bite to her. Candice plays both sides of that very well. She can give you the sunny side and she can give you the kitten side. Candice has done this role before. So I’m sure this is a different experience. Each person in each role brings something different to it as well. For Basilio, they’re all very different. Ian (Ocampo) is boyish, a boy next door kind of look and type of character. Victor is also boyish but in a different way, a little bit more impish. Makulit is a good word. (after hearing it from BP Publicity Head Rhea Bautista) There’s no English word for that.”
Jemima Reyes (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Center row: BP Pres. Margie Moran and BP Associate Artistic Dir and Ballet Master Adam Sage together with the exceptional dancers of Ballet Philippines, one of the most celebrated and prestigious dance company in the country. Photo by Jude Bautista (17)
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Denise Parungao (Mercedes); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Denise Parungao (Mercedes) and Ronelson Yadao (Espada); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (19)
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from left: Cherry Bong Edralin, Mars Callo and Amadis Ma. Guerrero. Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Victor Maguad (Basilio); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (21)
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Joseph Gatti (Basilio); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
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Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Victor Maguad (Basilio); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (25)
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Ronelson Yadao (Espada); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (27)
Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (28)
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Joseph Gatti (Basilio); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Monica Gana (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista (31)
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Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
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Monica Gana (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
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Joseph Gatti (Basilio) and Candice Adea (Kitri); Catch BP’s Don Quixote running from Feb 9-18, 2018 at the CCP Main Theater, Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. Photo by Jude Bautista
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Text and Photos by Jude Bautista