Nobuo Fujino: The prince, charming!

MANILA, Philippines - For the second time this year, Ballet Philippines is treating audiences to a full-length classical ballet featuring an international male danseur. In its Christmas presentation, the well-loved ballet “The Sleeping Beauty,” audiences will be delighted to see Japanese danseur Nobuo Fujino grace the stage as Prince Desire, opposite Ballet Philippines’ Candice Adea on Dec. 2 and Carissa Adea on Dec. 3.

Nobuo was a former principal dancer of the Hong Kong Ballet, dancing the lead in major full-length ballets such as Cinderella, The Nutcracker, La Bayadere, Giselle, Spartacus, and Don Quixote. For him, The Sleeping Beauty is special because it was the role he performed before being promoted to principal dancer of the Hong Kong Ballet.

“Technically, it is always challenging to work through all partnering and solos in pure classical style,” he reveals. He enjoys doing roles that are dramatic and youthful such as Romeo, or a prince “with too much self-confidence, like Albrecht, who actually falls deeply in love with Giselle.”

He says, “This character, ‘the prince’ is well known as ‘prince charming,’ who was chosen to give a kiss to awake the sleeping princess. So the most difficult thing for me to interpret the character is a prince that has no background. He is a simple ‘prince charming’ and I always try to imagine what a ‘perfect man (prince)’ would be.”

STAR photos by Mike Amoroso

It’s been almost a decade since he performed in the ballet, and he jumped at the chance to dance it again. “I wanted to see how I would attack the role now that I’m a more mature artist,” he shares.

At 6 feet tall, Nobuo’s presence is commanding and larger than life. “I can partner the two (Candice and Carissa) at the same time,” he quips, eliciting laughter from his two diminutive partners. But despite his imposing size, Nobuo is warm and generous to his co-dancers. In his weeklong rehearsal with the company, he took the time to share tips with the dancers. “There’s just this hunger for knowledge and dance, and I really appreciate that. After this, I definitely want to come back.”

The Sleeping Beauty will have 17 performances from Dec. 2-11, 2011 at the CCP Main Theater. For details visit www.balletphilippines.org. Buy tickets online and get exclusive promos and free tickets to BP’s next production, Pusong Wagas. Call Ticketworld at 891-9999; Ballet Philippines at 551-1003, 624-5701; CCP Box Office at 832-3704.