A temple dancer’s devotion. A warrior’s divided heart. A priest’s consuming desire. Their story moves between passion and betrayal, life and afterlife. This August, Ballet Manila brings its PRIMA Season to a grand conclusion with the rare full-length staging of Marius Petipa’s timeless classic, La Bayadère, at the Aliw Theater on August 14 at 8 :00 p.m., and August 15 and 16 at 5:00 p.m.
Set against the backdrop of ancient India, La Bayadère tells the story of Nikiya, a temple dancer bound by love, and Solor, the warrior torn between passion and duty. Their fates intertwine with Gamzatti, the rajah’s daughter, and the High Brahmin, whose desires ignite betrayal and tragedy. The ballet unfolds across opulent courts and sacred temples before dissolving into the ethereal Kingdom of the Shades.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the return of Ballet Manila founder and artistic director, Lisa Macuja Elizalde to the Philippines from Russia where her most notable achievement was being the first foreign soloist of the then Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky Ballet). Staging this full-length masterpiece as the crowning jewel of PRIMA carries immense personal significance. She calls La Bayadère one of the great “white ballets,” alongside Giselle and Swan Lake.
These classics are known for their ethereal scenes where ballerinas, dressed in white, move in perfect unison with every line exposed and every detail revealed. Among them, Lisa believes La Bayadère is the ultimate test of skill. Its Kingdom of the Shades sequence in Act III is celebrated worldwide as a pinnacle of discipline and artistry. Yet she is confident Ballet Manila’s corps de ballet is ready. “Ballet Manila is the only company in the Philippines with this kind of superior ensemble,” she says. “That is why it deserves its place in our 31st performance season.”
Leading the production are two of the Mariinsky Ballet’s brightest stars—Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim—whose acclaimed partnership captivated Manila in Don Quixote (2025). They return in the roles they know by heart: Nikiya and Solor.
Mariinsky prima ballerina Renata Shakirova brings vulnerable humanity to Nikiya, embracing the character’s emotional journey. “The first act is full of openness and love, but everything changes in Act 2 where it becomes tragic,” she says. “Every part I feel deep inside me. All the emotions of Nikiya, I feel I live through.”
Alongside her, Kimin Kim—renowned for his gravity-defying leaps—sees Solor as a role defined by emotional truth rather than technical feats. “Technique is supposed to be there already from the very beginning,” he explains. “I try to make it all look easy, so the technique doesn’t look like work. More important is that I can show emotion and the depth of the character.”
Their partnership, built on complete trust, transforms choreography into conversation. “Onstage, we believe in each other completely,” Renata shares. “That trust allows us to dance not only with technique, but with emotion.”
For Lisa, collaborations like these continue to elevate Ballet Manila. She recalls audience members from Korea and Germany traveling to Manila for Don Quixote, then praising Ballet Manila alongside the world’s finest companies. “That made me proud—not just of Renata and Kimin, but of our dancers, our school, and our thirty-one years of building a company that can hold its own on the global stage.”
Renata says she gladly returns for Ballet Manila’s family atmosphere and the warmth of Filipino audiences. “I love seeing their eyes burning with excitement and watching them discover us in new roles.”
Kimin echoes the same sentiment. “From my very first rehearsal, I felt as though we had already been dancing together for years. That family atmosphere makes performing here unforgettable. I hope Renata and I can return to Ballet Manila and the Philippines again and again.”
As PRIMA draws to a close, La Bayadère stands as both a showcase of world-class ballet and a testament to what happens when extraordinary artistry meets genuine collaboration. Ballet Manila invites audiences to experience a rare masterpiece brought to life by internationally celebrated artists alongside a company proudly standing on the global stage.
Keep up-to-date with Ballet Manila’s schedule of performances and celebration events by visiting Ballet Manila’s website www.balletmanila.com.ph or Ticketworld page www.ticketworld.com.ph