Love, betrayal and sacrifice take center stage as Ballet Manila brings its PRIMA Season to a dramatic close with Marius Petipa’s La Bayadère, a rare full-length staging of the classical ballet at the Aliw Theater on August 14 at 8 p.m., and August 15 and 16 at 5 p.m.

Set in ancient India, the story follows Nikiya, a temple dancer devoted to the warrior Solor, whose love is tested when he is promised to Gamzatti, the rajah’s daughter. Their complicated triangle is further fueled by the High Brahmin’s desire for Nikiya, setting the characters on a path toward betrayal and tragedy before the story ultimately enters the otherworldly Kingdom of the Shades.

For Ballet Manila founder and artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, the production carries particular weight. This year marks 40 years since her return to the Philippines from Russia, where she became the first foreign soloist of the then Kirov Ballet, now the Mariinsky Ballet. She considers La Bayadère one of the great “white ballets,” alongside Giselle and Swan Lake, with its famed Kingdom of the Shades sequence regarded as one of ballet’s ultimate tests of ensemble precision.

That challenge is also at the heart of Macuja-Elizalde’s confidence in Ballet Manila’s corps de ballet. She describes the company as having an ensemble capable of meeting the demands of the work, making the production a fitting centerpiece of its 31st performance season.

Adding international star power to the staging are Mariinsky Ballet principal dancers Renata Shakirova and Kimin Kim, who return to Manila following their acclaimed partnership in Don Quixote in 2025. They reprise the roles of Nikiya and Solor, bringing a combination of technical mastery and emotional depth to the central pair.

Shakirova approaches Nikiya through the character’s emotional transformation, while Kim sees Solor as a role that goes beyond spectacular leaps and demanding choreography. For both dancers, trust remains central to their partnership, allowing their connection onstage to extend beyond technique.

Their return also reflects the warm relationship they have developed with Ballet Manila and Filipino audiences. Shakirova has cited the company’s family atmosphere and the enthusiasm of local audiences as reasons for returning, while Kim hopes the partnership can continue in future performances in the Philippines.

The production has already found an unexpected moment in the spotlight online. A video of Macuja-Elizalde narrating a scene from La Bayadère has been making the rounds. During the gala, however, she jokingly clarified that she would not be narrating the ballet, despite the audience’s persistent demands.

With its demanding ensemble work, internationally acclaimed guest artists and a story that moves from earthly passion to an ethereal afterlife, La Bayadère offers Ballet Manila a fitting finale to its PRIMA Season.

For performance schedules and celebration events, visit Ballet Manila’s website or its TicketWorld page.