In celebration of the 150th celebration of the birth of the national hero Jose Rizal, the Silliman University Cultural Affairs Committee brings to Dumaguete two showcases in dance and exhibition.
On July 22 and 23, the CAC brings to the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium the ballet Crisostomo Ibarra presented by Ballet Philippines. The dance showcase, based on Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, has a libretto by the company director Paul Alexander Morales, who also does the choreography. It also features music by Jed Balsamo, sound design by Jethro Joaquin, and production design by Jet Melencio. This is co-sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The ballet features Rizal’s hero who springs to life in this new production about a young man’s struggles to stand tall in his ideals despite the cruel buffets of fate. The dance narration takes the audience inside the psychological world of Ibarra and strips bare this epic story that underscores the continuing relevance of Rizal’s timeless character. Crisostomo Ibarra, the dance, highlights the life of an idealist reformer, a man striving to make a change in a society living under corruption and oppression. It takes an introspective look at the life of a hero sacrificing his personal happiness for love for country. The dance resonates with hope and reflects the Filipinos’ need for heroes in a society buffeted by many challenges and divergent beliefs.
An exhibition of Rizal memorabilia, titled Jose Rizal, will also be presented by the National Historical Commission at the exhibition hall of Sidlakang Negros. The exhibit, which is open for free to the public, will open on July 19 at 5:30 p.m., and will run until July 22. This is co-sponsored by the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental and the Provincial Tourism Council, with help from the NCCA.
All tickets and season passes are available at the College of Performing and Visual Arts Office in Silliman University, and at the theater lobby before the show. For inquires and reservations, please call (035) 422-4365 or 0917-323-5953. (PR)
