Last time I had a blog entry was three weeks ago. I was gushing over Pinoys winning international beauty contests. Then I had to stop again because I was too busy attending to the costumes of bothe Rama Hari and the CCPDS December evaluation program of The Nutcracker.
Both are challenging in terms of logistics but Rama Hari has the extra edge as it is a collaborative effort original works of National Artists Bien Lumbera (Literature), and Badong Bernal (Theater Design), libretto translation by Rolando Tinio, music by Ryan Cayabyab, and choreography by Alice Reyes (Artistic Director Emeritus of Ballet Philippines.
I was part of the production during the 1983 staging of said ballet when I was still dancing many moons ago. This year, I am costume consultant for costumes making sure the designs of Badong remain pure and intact. It was a most daunting effort as some of the costumes date back three decades and so badly in need of repair. In some instances we had to pattern a new set of costumes following Badong's design aesthetics.
Tita Alice would require some changes from time to time as she would recall how some of the scenes and costumes were required to look. When you put them all together with the lighting and music onstage Rama Hari is a tour de force performance. Opening night was so exciting as the artists of Ballet Philippines danced to a sell-out performance with the National artist Bien Lumbera and Maestro Ryan Cayabyab in attendance along with the original cast of Rama Hari.
Needless to say, Paul Morales' task of putting the ballet of Rama Hari with singer Christian Bautista and Karylle in the lead as well as OJ Mariano and Kahlila Aguiluz as alternates was brilliant. Opening night audience was enthusiastic as evidenced by the huge meet-and-greet attendance after the show.
Now I can concentrate on the costumes for the recital...
