Revisiting high school mandatory reading, Florante at Laura may seem daunting. However, experiencing it as a ballet, accompanied by the original musical composition of National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, adds an exciting twist.

Ballet Manila’s artistic director, Lisa Elizalde-Macuja, envisions the music to channel a “Filipino Tchaikovsky,” capturing the epic tale’s blend of romance, tragedy, betrayal, and patriotism. Cayabyab eagerly accepted the opportunity.

Discussing his creative process at the presscon, Cayabyab shared insights into balancing the story’s intensity and romance through music. He emphasized his extensive background, stating, “You must understand that I went to school. I took my bachelor’s degree, taught for 20 years, and learned everything. I heard everything.”

Cayabyab also revealed that he stopped listening to music around the age of 50 to clear his influences. “I stopped listening to music because I said that is the only way I can clear all of my influences. But deep-seated influences can’t be removed. Now, for example, after writing, when I’m writing it, I don’t really notice it. But when I hear it, parang may katunog nito? I can’t escape it.” He noted that while his compositions may not sound exactly like his influences, they share a common emotional thread.

“All of your influences—you’ve seen them in Star Wars, Spartacus, Ben Hur, and The Ten Commandments. All these years of studying medieval Greek music, classical, romantic, 20th-century, avant-garde, impressionistic, and expressionistic music — all of them are mixed together. And then there’s pop. You can imagine where the influences came from. But I’m happy because there are so many influences. I don’t mind,” he explained.

For context, Francisco Balagtas penned his metrical romance, or “awit,” in the 19th century during a time when the Philippines faced significant social, political, and economic challenges due to Spanish colonization.

The story follows Florante, a duke from Albania, who finds himself in a tight spot—captured and tied to a tree in a forest. As he hangs there, he reflects on his life, particularly his whirlwind romance with Laura and the shady political moves that led him to this predicament.

Enter Aladin, a Moor with his own heartbreak, who rescues the duke. Together, they share their woes and plot their escape. Through a mix of teamwork and a sprinkle of luck, they eventually reunite with their loves —Florante with Laura and Aladin with Flerida — once justice prevails in their kingdom.