Philippine Ballet Theatre presents ‘The Pirate’

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Ballet Theatre’s 27th anniversary season sets sail on Aug. 28 with Le Corsaire, a swashbuckling ballet masterwork that takes many thrilling twists and turns through exotic places.

“This great work of the classical repertoire will be special in many ways,” says Ron Jaynario, artistic director of the PBT. “Manila has never seen anything like it. Visually this will be a stunning production with awesome sets and fancy costumes and will carry a very relevant message.”

While the ballerinas are usually at center stage, Le Corsaire showcases the power of the men, as a ballet with four male principal roles. Unlike many of the classics, it will give great opportunities to the men in the Company to show off their skills and athleticism through heroic and passionate characters and with the famous pas de deux that made a legend of Nureyev when he first performed in England with Dame Margot Fonteyn.

Jared Tan, a member of the Atlanta Ballet and former PBT principal dancer, takes the role of Ali the slave, while Lemuel Capa will dance as Conrad, Le Corsaire. Mark Pineda fills the role of Birbanto, Conrad’s friend and betrayer, and Joshua Mendoza, who has been a member at the PBT since 2008, will play the slave-trader Lankedem. Regine Magbitang, completing a stellar first year with the company, will dance the role of Medora, and Joni Galeste, who successfully essayed the role of Juliet in 2011, will alternate with Loby Pimental as Gulnara.

The rousing story and dynamic dancing are only part of what makes Le Corsaire (The Pirate) a must-see show at the Main Theater of the CCP on Aug. 28 and 29 at 8 p.m.

For tickets, call 632-8848 or 0912-9455151 or the CCP Box Office at 832-3704.