Swan Lake Caps Off Ballet Philippines’ “Wings” on Feb 24 – March 5

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As a fabulous fitting finale of Ballet Philippines’ 47th season entitled “Wings”, come and watch the new staging of “Swan Lake”, the most famous and legendary ballet adored by audiences all over the world for over a hundred years. On March 4, “Swan Lake” will be celebrating the 140th anniversary of its premiere.

“Swan Lake” is set to open on February 24 at the CCP Main Theater (Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo) at 8:00 PM. Other performance schedules are as follows: February 25 at 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM, February 26 at 3:00 PM, March 3 at 8:00 PM, March 4 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and March 5 at 3:00 PM.

This year’s “Swan Lake” boasts three extraordinary pairings for Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried: multi-awarded guest artists Candice Adea and Joseph Phillips, BP principal dancer Denise Parungao and company member Garry Corpuz, and soloists Jemima Reyes and Victor Maguad in their first lead roles in a classical ballet.

Set to Tchaikovsky's beautiful and moving score, The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura are set to perform the music live during the gala nights on February 24, February 25, and March 3.

The February 25, 7:00 PM performance is an International Gala featuring guest stars Candice Adea (formerly of Hong Kong Ballet and BalletMet) and Joseph Phillips of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. Both artists have garnered multiple awards in international ballet competitions, including the Helsinki IBC, and the Jackson IBC.

“’Swan Lake’ is regarded as the summit of achievement in the theater for every major classical ballet company,” says Ballet Philippines artistic director Paul Alexander Morales. “Nowadays so many versions and interpretations of the ballet are available online, so audiences will likely have their own ideas of what ‘Swan Lake’ is and what it should be like. It is our challenge to come up with an entirely new experience of this ballet.”

Based on Germanic folk tales coupled with Russian traditions, “Swan Lake” weaves drama and dance together in an unparalleled spectacle. The ballet tells a timeless story of magic, love, and forgiveness through the ingenious choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. It centers around Odette, a princess under a curse that traps her in swan form during the day, and Prince Siegfried, an idealistic royal under pressure to find a suitable bride.

Ballet Philippines has previously staged the full-length “Swan Lake” in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1991, and 1994. The 2017 production marks the company’s 7th restaging to date. Ballerinas who have brought the dual role of Odette/Odile to life on the BP stage include the likes of Maniya Barredo, Kelly Cass, Toni Lopez Gonzalez, Valentina Kozlova, Yoko Morishita, Guo Peihui, Cecile Sicangco, Ester Rimpos, and Anna Villadolid. Notable Siegfrieds include Medhi Bahiri, Fernando Bujones, Wes Chapman, Nonoy Froilan, Serge Lavoie, Robert Medina, Brando Miranda, and Zhang Weiqiang.

“Swan Lake” is restaged by Nonoy Froilan after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Set designer Ohm David shall combine grand scale and psychological intimacy. His magnificent designs pit Edwardian splendour against the spectral beauty of the white acts. James Reyes’ dramatic costumes shall emphasize the contrast between human and spirit worlds, in shimmering fabrics and designs to create a magical setting.

From the first yearning bars of Tchaikovsky’s score, “Swan Lake” shall beckon you to another world. This timeless and enchanting tale filled with magic, manipulation, and eternal love will surely melt countless hearts, stir the soul, and send tingles down the spine. “Swan Lake” - the ultimate night at the ballet.

Connect to Ballet Philippines online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/balletphilippines
Twitter: @balletph
Instagram: @balletphilippines
YouTube: balletph

To join in the Ballet Philippines conversation, use our official hashtags: #balletph, #swanlakeballetph

For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999.

WWF Ambassadors Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez Teach Kids with Pascual Laboratories

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It’s a chilly January morning but the classrooms of the General Roxas Elementary School in Quezon City are heating up, abuzz with the chitter-chatter of nearly 100 students, discussing ideas and listening to WWF-Philippines National Ambassadors Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez, plus a team of environmental educators from WWF-Philippines and Pascual Laboratories.

“Can you guys name all the vegetables in the song Bahay Kubo?” asks kuya Rovilson, alluding to a popular Filipino children’s song. “Regularly eating vegetables can build up your immune system and shield you from cough, colds and other sicknesses brought on by stronger typhoons,” he explains.

In the next classroom is kuya Marc, explaining how climate change is exacerbated by the burning of fossil-fuels. “Switching to renewable energy sources like wind power and solar parks can stop global warming,” he says as the other teachers hand out climate change brochures.

The duo recently participated in WWF and Pascual Laboratories’ SEED (Sowing to Empower, Educate and Develop) Programme, which aims to enhance local communities’ resilience to climate change by eliminating diseases and switching to healthier lifestyles through a proper diet, exercise, vitamins and good hygiene.

10 Netflix Picks to Binge-Watch on Your Spare Time, Long Weekend, or Romantic Date

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Netflix has become associated with streaming well-loved films and shows. Increasingly, they are bringing stories from the world’s best storytellers through its growing library of quality content that is gaining recognition including 54 Emmy nominations in 2016.

What makes Netflix unique from other content providers is that members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials. On top of that, Netflix releases the originals’ episodes at the same time, which means members can binge-watch their favorite shows. It’s the perfect way to enjoy your spare time, the long weekend, or that romantic date with your special someone!

At Globe Broadband, you can enjoy six months of Netflix if you subscribe to Plan 1299 and up. You can watch award-winning Netflix originals, high-definition quality TV shows and movies, and your favorite flicks on your TV, computer, or mobile phone within the comforts of your own home.

Here are our favorite Netflix shows that might suit your personality and mood:


1. The Crown

If you’re the type of person who enjoys political drama and royal intrigue, The Crown is for you. The Crown tells the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world -- Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street - and the intrigues, love lives and machinations behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. Critics have praised the acting, storytelling, and the production design, making it the perfect period drama to binge on.

2. A Series of Unfortunate Events

Based on the international best-selling children’s novels by Daniel Handler, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events recounts the tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans -- Violet, Klaus, and Sunny – whose evil guardian Count Olaf will stop at nothing to get his hands on their inheritance. The siblings must outsmart Olaf at every turn, foiling his many devious plans and disguises, in order to discover clues to their parents’ mysterious death. Leading the cast is award-winning actor, singer and television host Neil Patrick Harris and has just premiered on Netflix last January 13. 

3. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

Gilmore Girls was a feel-good favorite in the 2000’s, and tells the story of Lorelai and Rory, a mother and daughter team who navigates family, friendship, and romance in the fictional town of Stars Hollow. It was praised for its witty comedy and clever dialogue, and has been called a new TV classic. The Netflix revival is set 8 years after the series finale. And if you never caught the original, all 6 seasons are available to binge on Netflix too!

4. Designated Survivor

Designated Survivor is a political thriller that follows the concept of a designated survivor, or a person assigned to become or act as the President of the United States upon the death, incapacity, resignation, or removal of the present leader. In the series, the designated survivor is U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman, who is sworn in after an attack, and is thrust into the throes of political drama.

5. Stranger Things

Stranger Things pays homage to ‘80s sci-fi movies by Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, and George Lucas, and faithfully recreates the era through music, fashion, and even hairstyles. A love letter to the ’80s classics that captivated a generation, Stranger Things is set in 1983 Indiana, where a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl.

6. Black Mirror

Black Mirror is a sci-fi anthology where each episode is based on a different reality, with a different cast and story. The themes are dark and satirical, and it intelligently studies the dangers of technology and what can happen if we let it go unchecked. This is the perfect series to watch if you’re addicted to technology and social media.

7. Marvel’s Luke Cage

Marvel’s Luke Cage is recommended for those who enjoy comic books and their film adaptations. After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city – forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury. Luke Cage is part of the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, and will lead to the crossover series The Defenders, which will bring together Cage, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, (both of which are now streaming) and Iron Fist which premieres on Netflix in March 2017.

8. Narcos

Narcos is a raw, gritty series which chronicles the gripping real-life stories of the drug kingpins of the late 1980s and the corroborative efforts of law enforcement to meet them head on in brutal, bloody conflict. Seasons 1 and 2, which are now streaming, are based on the life of Pablo Escobar, a Colombian who achieved notoriety (and billionaire status) for producing and distributing cocaine. The series shows his dealings with the law and his enemies, but it always portrays Escobar in a sympathetic light. It’s fun, it’s tense, and maybe just a little bit addictive.

9. Orange is the New Black

Orange is the New Black is based on the book with the same name by Piper Kerman, which details her life in prison after helping her international drug smuggler girlfriend. The show has become Netflix’s most watched original series for its story and positive depiction of race, sexuality, gender and body types. Since its release in 2013, it has received 16 Emmy nominations. Seasons 1-4 are streaming now.

10. Sense8

Sense8 is the interconnected stories of eight “sensates,” or people who are emotionally and mentally linked despite being in different countries. As they try to figure out how it works and why it happened, they must protect themselves from Whispers, a sensate from an organization that hunts them down. It is created and directed by the Wachowski siblings who also created The Matrix Trilogy.

These are just some of many Netflix shows that exist, and that can create wonderful moments for you and your loved ones in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy #GlobeNetflix with awesome HD TV’s that can be yours through the new Globe Broadband plans!

Learn more about how to catch all these by visiting http://broadband.globe.com.ph/watch.html.