13 August 2015 - Ballet Philippines, the Philippines’ flagship company in ballet and contemporary dance, performed MasterPieces at the Katara Drama Theater on 12 August 2015. 

This performance is part of a five-city performance tour in the Gulf Cooperation Countries where Ballet Philippines showcased the MasterPieces repertoire, a collection of Ballet Philippines' most celebrated works in its 45-year history, highlighting both classical and contemporary dance and offering a rich cultural experience to the foreign audience.

The MasterPieces repertoire included notable Filipino works like Halik and Lakambini by Paul Alexander Morales, Bungkos Suite by National Artist for Dance and Ballet Philippines founder, Alice Reyes, Duha and Lahat ng Araw by Alden Lugnasin, and the Tambol and Padyak by Tony Fabella, as well as famous classical works such as Bach Concerto, Esmeralda Pas d Deux, and Nocturne.

The Doha leg of the tour was organized by the Philippine Embassy in Doha in cooperation with the Cultural Village Foundation, Qatar's center for art and cultural exchange.

Prior to the performance, the Philippine Embassy in Doha also hosted a cocktail reception in honor of the country's premier ballet company.

"Dance is another form of universal language," said Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Wilfredo C. Santos as he addressed the audience in the 430-seat theater which was filled to capacity on the eve of the Ballet Philippines performance. He was joined by the Qatar local community, government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the Filipino community in Doha and representatives from the business sector.  "The practice of diplomacy is all about building friendships, and culture and the arts are effective tools of fostering such friendly relations," he added. END