MANILA, Philippines - No one will be spared!
Margie Moran-Floirendo, advocate, entrepreneur and least you forget, Miss Universe 1973 — the second and so far, the last titlist of the prestigious crown — is at it again. How? Well, if she knows you, you may have already received a phone call, a text message, or an e-mail. If she doesn’t know you personally — though we always seem to feel that we’re familiar with our favorite personalities or celebrities — you must have read about her current project in the newspaper or magazine, watched it on TV, heard it on the radio, discussed it over Twitter, or been handed a leaflet or poster. And if you bump into her, you’ll probably receive a mix of all of the above.
Margie, who is president of Ballet Philippines Foundation, just wants to spread the great news about their latest production, Rama Hari. And can you blame her? The new adaptation of the pop ballet musical, which is based on the Indian epic Ramayana, promises to be a cultural event with its powerhouse team of behind-the-scene masters and on-stage dancers and singers.
Rama Hari has always collaborated with the best Filipino artists, and its 2012 staging, which will run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, continues the tradition.
Alice Reyes, the legendary Ballet Philippines founder, who established the company as a national arts institution and was instrumental in the development of dance in the country, choreographed the ballet. The dancer, choreographer and director founded the group when she was just 26 years old and ran it for 20 years. Much to the delight of Ballet Philippines, she has returned to Manila to review the artistic aspects of the show and of course, polish the movements of the dancers, fleshing out the motivation of every detail in the sequences.
Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, one of the country’s most prolific composers, who has done numerous pop records, film scores, concerts and theater musicals over the years, created the music for Rama Hari. His enchanting piece, Magbalik Ka Na Mahal, performed by original cast member Kuh Ledesma in 1980, has become the ballet’s most famous song.
National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, who is also a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, wrote the libretto or the text used in a musical work.
The late National Artist for Theater and Literature Rolando Tinio provided the English translation — the performance is in Filipino — that will appear as subtitles during the ballet.
And National Artist for Theater Design Salvador Bernal, who passed away in 2011, created the set and costume design.
Principal dancer Carissa Adea, who won the Maris Leipa Award for Artistry at the Boston International Ballet Competition and most recently, the first prize in the Senior Women’s Division at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition, is Sita. Her partner Jean Marc Cordero, who received the Special Jury Award also from the Helsinki dance tilt, plays Rama.
Their alternates are Richardson Yadao and Katherine Trofeo.
Pop sensations Christian Bautista and Karylle lend their mighty vocals in the regal roles of Rama and Sita, respectively, while Robert Seña, who was part of the original cast of Miss Saigon in London, steps in as the demon Ravana.
There will be added pressure, of course, as the new players will be measured against the brilliant performances of original dancers, Nonoy Froilan, Robert Medina, Effie Nanas and Ester Rimpos, and singers Basil Valdes, Kuh and Leo Valdez. But I am certain that this generation of ballet masters and vocalists will rise to the occasion.
On her fourth year as president of the Ballet Philippines Foundation, Margie continues to be involved with its operations, monitoring tickets sales, publicity and marketing, but wisely employs a light hand when it comes to the artistic department, giving them the space and freedom to create. You can find her at the Ballet Philippines headquarters, where she interacts with the team and the dancers, makes calls and sends texts and e-mails almost daily.
And when she is not there, Margie is out and about town, doing her rounds of courtesy calls and meetings, all of which has opened doors and created support for the dance company and these days in particular, for Rama Hari.
In short, she is passionate, driven and hardworking. After her Miss Universe reign, Margie, who is more than just a beauty, proved to be a capable businesswoman, developing travel and tourism family projects, and an even more savvy community advocate.
She has worked for the upliftment of Mindanao through books, TV shows and projects like Save the Davao Gulf Foundation, which conducts marine environmental protection programs, and Mothers for Peace, a campaign under the Mindanao Commission for Women, for which she is the executive vice president. She also employs her undeniable charms and ability to reach movers and doers and organizations to funnel resources for building homes.
Like today, in the days leading up to the opening of Rama Hari, she is focused on her goals — intent on enhancing awareness about the production, making sure that it will be a hit and enticing people to be part of the experience.
When she wants something, she will find a way to get it. This is really no surprise. Now, do you understand why she does not take no for an answer?
(With 10 performances from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9, Rama Hari will be staged at the CCP Main Theater. For details, call Ballet Philippines at 551-1003 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. Visit www.ballet.ph or www.facebook.com/balletphilippines.)