Lisa Macuja fetes 50th birthday with ‘Gold: A Truly Classical Concert’

Upon graduating top of her class at Leningrad Choreographic Institute (now the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet) in 1984, Lisa Macuja was the first foreigner to be invited to join as soloist at the famous Kirov Ballet—one of the most exalted dance institutions in the world, which has produced several of Russia’s deified ballerinas and danseurs in the last 300 years.

           
During her stint with Kirov Ballet, she debuted as principal ballerina in the company’s full-length productions of “The Nutcracker,” “Don Quixote,” with Faroukh Ruzimatov as “Basilio,” and “Giselle” at the Mariinsky Theater.

           
On Friday, Macuja will turn 50 and her ballet career 30. Taking stock, her career spans over 300 full-length ballets as the lead dancer, across 90 cities scattered over five continents.

         
On Oct. 4, Macuja and her ballet company, the Ballet Manila, together with guest artists, and the Philippine Madrigal Singers under the musical direction of Maestro Gerard Salonga and the direction of Roxanne Lapus, will celebrate her birthday with “Gold: Lisa Macuja - A Truly Classical Concert” at 7:30 p.m., at Aliw Theater, Pasay City.

           

Blessings         

In an interview, Macuja said “transitioning in life can be a period of mixed emotions. But all things considered, I feel very blessed.”

           
“I am very thankful that I am still dancing at 50, that I am still able to dance at 50. And as I slowly withdraw from center stage, I have a ballet company, a school and scholarship program that I can continue to direct, support, teach in, and mentor in,” Macuja said.

           
“Every morning when I wake up, like this morning, a little part of the body did not want to get out of bed, aching from rehearsals the day before. But I feel that I can still dance. If I feel that I can still dance, then that is what I should do,” Macuja added.

           
“My body is aging. I’d like to age gracefully. I do not want the audience to watch me, pitying me, and say she can no longer perform the roles as she used to do,” she said. “I’d like them to see me dance my best, doing my best for them. There are principal dancers retiring a lot younger than me, many years younger than me.”

           
Among her countless blessings, Macuja enumerated the following: her healthy parents who can still watch her shows, her husband business and media magnate Fred J. Elizalde and their two teenagers, Missy and Manuel, and the “great team of people around me committed to the same goals.”

Return to the classics

         
For the Saturday show, the prima ballerina will return to her classical ballet roots as Princess Aurora in Marius Petipa's “Sleeping Beauty Divertissement.” Kremlin Ballet principal danseur Mikhail Martynyuk partners with Macuja as Prince Desire.

           
Another number to look forward to will be her rendition of Sergey Vikulov's “Fantasy Overture” from “Romeo and Juliet.” Ballet Manila principal dancer Rudy De Dios is Macuja’s Romeo in this performance.

           
The “Sleeping Beauty Divertissement” and “Fantasy Overture” are set to the music of 19th century composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, famous for the music of ballets "Swan Lake," "The Sleeping Beauty," and "The Nutcracker."

           
Adding extra glamor and glitz to the evening of music and dance is the live orchestral music, a not-so-usual occurrence in Manila’s ballet scene, and the collective voice of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, which also turned 50 last year.

           
During the interview, Macuja said her Oct. 4 performance will “not [be] goodbye to dancing.”

           
“It would be unfair to say goodbye. ‘Gold’ is a 50th birthday concert and celebration 30 years of my classical ballerina career. Now if there is a 31st year, if there is a 32nd year, I really cannot say,” she added.

           
“I cannot ask for more, but maybe an additional few more years of being able to dance. Dancing is and will always be my first love,” Macuja said.

           
“Every year during my birthday, I always make it a point to be dancing because I always feel that it is the best birthday present I can give myself,” she said.

Set to try stageplays?

           
As she yields the center stage to younger dancers, Macuja is setting new goals.

           
“I’d like to try stage plays, maybe? I’d like to try straight plays if there are possibilities out there. I’d like to expand my career as a performer not just as a performing artist-dancer but as a performing artist in other genres such as theater,” Macuja said.

           
One thing is definite: she will continue dancing, but not on pointe (on the tips of the toes).

           
Macuja admitted that her ankles and knees are “deteriorating” due to the wear-and-tear of the punishing demands of ballet movements. She said, “If I cannot do classical ballet anymore, maybe I can do other forms of dance, the ones kinder to the ankles and knees. I am open to experimenting and expanding.”

           
Macuja mentioned that she would like to explore theater materials similar to Natalia Makarova’s March 1983 revival of the 1936 Rodgers and Hart musical “On Your Toes.” The production is best remembered for its unprecedented use of classical dance and the blending of jazz music into its overall musical score. Makarova was already 42 when she essayed the role of a tempestuous ballerina in the show.

           
For straight plays, Macuja said she would like to initially explore roles that will suit her. “If one does big roles right away, she is opening herself to criticism. There is that danger and risk. If there is a role that I’d like to do in a straight play, I’d like to do it well. I will have really study the options available in doing straight plays.” — VC, GMA News

           

For inquiries, call Ballet Manila at 525-5967 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.