‘Swan Lake’ sells out fast for Ballet Manila’s pearl year BY MARGE C. ENRIQUEZ FEBRUARY 24, 2025 Joshua Enciso, Romeo Peralta, Mark Sumaylo, Gerardo Francisco; standing: Martin Lawrance, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Abigail Oliveiro, Shaira Comeros, Mitch Valdes —PHOTOS BY TEDDY PELAEZ Read Next Ciane Xavier’s ceramic shift Within a week of TicketWorld opening sales for Ballet Manila’s (BM) 30th-anniversary “Pearl Year” shows, “Swan Lake” achieved P1 million in advance sales, despite performances being scheduled for May 31 and June 1. BM’s artistic director and CEO, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, attributes this early success to “Swan Lake’s” enduring popularity as a classic, stating, “It brings people to the theater.” The company’s 30th-anniversary repertoire focuses on its strengths: classic ballets. While some ballet aficionados might perceive the choices as predictable for such a significant milestone, Ballet Manila justifies its selections with practical reasons. Already a subscriber...