THE SWAN'S LAST SONG

I am not a ballet fan, neither do I know something about it. I only know of LISA MACUJA-ELIZALDE as the Philippine's ultimate prima ballerina - where all I can fathom is that in our country, Lisa is ballet, and ballet is Lisa.

"Not many ballerinas have the privilege to be able to plan your own retirement.", says Lisa in her blog site, who will dance her last full-length Swan Lake in a series of farewell performances with Ballet Manila that started on Oct. 7, at Aliw Theater, CCP Complex. Other show dates this month will be on Oct. 21 and 22.

LISA MACUJA-ELIZALDE is the first Philippine ballerina, and the first foreign soloist who ever joined the Kirov Ballet in 1984. She is also the Artistic Director of Ballet Manila and Vice-Chairman of the Philippine UNESCO National Commission. Lisa is also Directress and faculty member of the Ballet Manila School – a training center for ballet professionals who are steeped in the Russian Vaganova method.

Now at the tender age of 47, Macuja-Elizalde bids adieu to her roles with a production entitled “Swan Song Series,” starting with Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, and also including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Kitri in Don Quixote and Giselle in the ballet of the same title. The entire series will unfold in the next two to three years.

We've known this retail brand for championing the arts through fashion with its National Artist Series, FREEWAY this time gives its support to Lisa Macuja in promoting Swan Song Series: Her Farewell Performances. See the huge billboard of Lisa along EDSA somewhere in Makati. To entice its patrons and fans of Lisa, FREEWAY also gave away tickets for the opening night (Oct.7) to those lucky girls who participated in its online promo thru Facebook and Twitter.

Photography: Doc Marlon Pecjo; Makeup:Margo Sarmiento; Hair: Nina Escano

For more details, please check out www.freeway.net.ph or www.balletmanila.com.ph.