“Esteban is the complete package. Last year, his performance as Basilio was simply perfect. But Siegfried is a very different character—elegant, noble, restrained. He has been a principal dancer for quite some time now, so his depth of experience, technique, and artistry will work all very well for him as Prince Siegfried.” She adds, “Esteban and Katherine have already danced Swan Lake together, so I think that they will, as a principal couple, be very effective in their roles. It is a very Russian ballet, so the dancing needs to be technically strong and artistically sound. But our dance company practices the unique Vaganova training, so the over-all strength of the legs and backs of the dancers are developed by the technique, allowing the dancers to hold poses well, jump high and turn fast. This is ingrained and practiced with the dancers in daily class and translates into everyone, especially the swan corps de ballet, moving as one onstage. What I am also excited about is Nathaniel’s impending partnership with Abi. She will learn and grow so much in her interpretation of Swan lake when she explores the choreography with a new partner like Nathaniel who, height wise, is perfect for her.” ~Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Ballet Manila’s CEO and Artistic Director
Dancers are shaped into artists by time and experience, and for San Francisco Ballet's First Soloist Katherine Barkman, returning home to Ballet Manila is a celebration of her heritage and her development. She plays the difficult dual roles of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake, returning to the stage where her career started, alongside one of the most renowned figures in ballet, Esteban Hernández, principal dancer of San Francisco Ballet.
Esteban Hernández is a sensation, not just a guest artist. Esteban, a trailblazer from Guadalajara, Mexico, received his training at The Royal Ballet School and became well-known throughout the world for his expressive storytelling and technical mastery. He has enthralled audiences all around the world as a principal dancer for the San Francisco Ballet. His charisma and virtuosity were initially seen by Filipino audiences in Don Quixote 2023 as Basilio. He now makes a triumphant comeback as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake.
For Katherine, this return is deeply personal. Once a principal dancer of Ballet Manila, she trained under Macuja Elizalde for over three years before joining The Washington Ballet and later the San Francisco Ballet. Now taking on Swan Lake’s duality with deeper insight, she reflects:
“With experience comes more fearlessness. I take more risks—I would rather my dancing be exciting to watch than safe and predictable. If there’s one thing I truly believe, it is that technique is to be used to express emotion. Every step should say something.” ~Katherine Barkman, San Francisco Ballet’s First Soloist
With her strong foundation from Ballet Manila, Katherine approaches the demanding dual role with deep awareness, relying on her technique to convey the proper emotions for each character.
For Lisa Macuja Elizalde, having played the role of Odette and Odile during her prima ballerina days gives her full awareness of how intricate it is to mount a full-length Swan Lake.
On Ballet Manila’s Pearl Year, Macuja made sure to pull all the stops to cast two pairs of powerful main leads. Aside from Katherine and Esteban, audiences will see another take on the main characters with Ballet Manila’s principal dancer Abigail Oliveiro portraying Odette and Odile and San Francisco Ballet’s company artist Nathaniel Remez playing Prince Seigfried.
Catch all performances from Katherine Barkman and Esteban Hernandez on May 30, 2025 at 8PM, May 31, 2025 at 5PM, and June 1, 2025 at 5PM, and matinee performances with Abigail Oliveiro and Nathaniel Remez on May 31, 2025 and June 1, 2025 at 1PM.
May 30, 2025 - 8:00 p.m.
May 31, 2025 - 1:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.
June 1, 2025 - 1:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.
Tickets available exclusively through Ticketworld. Direct link to buy : https://bit.ly/BM30SwanLakeBuyTickets
For group or bulk purchases and advance reservation, send an email to : balletmanilamarketing@gmail.com
All performances will be staged at Aliw Theater, Pasay City. For tickets, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph. To learn more about Ballet Manila and its shows, visit www.balletmanila.com.ph.
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