Pianist: ‘Lieder shows Espiritu’s wonderful art’
Brookside Baby
Showing posts with label Arthur Espiritu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arthur Espiritu. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2016
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Sunday, August 9, 2015
It's the process, not the final product alone
And documenting the process has been my assigned, more likely a self-imposed, task during the making and mounting of Gioachino Rossini's La Cenerentola, the two-act comic opera that goes onstage Aug. 15, Saturday, at 8 p.m. at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City. Of the many things I do for love these I like to kiss the day goodbye with.
Hey, Mister and Mister Good-looking! Maestro Darrell Ang (left) is the most sought-after Asian international conductor today and is La Cenerentola’s music director and conductor. He leads the Manila Symphony Orchestra, the country's oldest at 89 years old, on opera night. He is the Bretagne Orchestre Symphonique du France music director. Tenor Arthur Espiritu, looking fresh despite having just disembarked from his plane from Europe at 1 a.m. on this day of the press conference, is Don Ramiro, the role that put him on the world operatic map. He's a sensation in Europe, and this blogger hopes that in his home country Arthur receives the same recognition factor as the idol of his childhood, Gary Valenciano.
Guy on left is the most hardworking freelance journalist I know in this hemisphere. He also gives nicknames to artists that stick for a long time. Pablo A. Tariman once called Arthur the "Prince of Cantabile." Indeed this prince of high Cs is that and more, a humanitarian, too, who was among the first to respond to the post-supertyphoon Yolanda relief and rehab efforts
Media oldtimers are reliable at press cons with a strong cultural angle. Seen at Gerry's Grill before lunch was about to commence and as they waited for the opera talents to come in are (clockwise): Pablo, Amadis Ma. Guerrero, Alex Dacanay, Bibsy Carballo, Chit Roces Santos and Vergel O. Santos. After meeting the stars of the opera, Chit observed, "It's an impressive, good-looking cast. Gone are the days when opera singers looked like two-door refers." In the next table Barbara Mae Dacanay of Gulf News Asia is shown interviewing Arthur and other music artists.
The Maestro with blogger Adrian Lontoc whose area of concentration is music and the arts
They play full-blooded sisters to one another and nasty step-sisters to Cenerentola (or Cinderella). They are Myramae Tapia Meneses and Tanya Corcuera.
Another looker is baritone Byeong In Park who will play Dandini, Don Ramiro's (played by Arthur) valet. The Saturday event also marks Byeong In's official and first-time appearance on a Philippine stage. Byeong In is married to the Philippines' Rachelle Gerodias, soprano, and has a baby boy with her.
The voice of American mezzo soprano Karin Mushegain we hear for the first time at the Steinway Manila Boutique when she rehearses with the rest of the cast and Maestro Ang. She has Armenian roots, resides in LA and came to Manila for the first time with a list of to-eat places and stuff. To her left is Alvin Seville, the assistant conductor who Maestro Ang brought with him at his expense from Singapore to ensure a perfect production.
Intently studying the music while rehearsing it at the same time are Arthur, Maestrao and Najib Ismail, who served as repetiteur
Maestro and the Manila Symphony Orchestra practice with such focus at Glorietta 5. The MSO being gypsies, except for a small office unit along Roxas Blvd. in Malate, the members use the mall for open rehearsals. Until such time the City of Manila or whatever institution or philanthropist offers the MSO a more permanent space, mall goers never had it so good, listening to the classics performed live instead of hearing the usual piped-in music.
For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or the Cultural Arts Events Organizers at 997-9483, 782-7164 or 0920-9540053 or 0918-347-3027. CAEO can schedule ticket delivery for free.
For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or the Cultural Arts Events Organizers at 997-9483, 782-7164 or 0920-9540053 or 0918-347-3027. CAEO can schedule ticket delivery for free.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Classical music singers who work their butts off and like it
With Typhoon Glenda veering away from the country after exacting another round of damage to life and property and with the storm signal down, the show must go on for Viva Voce's "Complicated the Concert." This is a repeat performance of an earlier acclaimed concert of patriotic hymns and more lamentations in song form, all inspired by the museum's permanent exhibition and current ones of visual and performing artists Leslie de Chavez, Mike Adrao and Ea Torrado.
Led by soprano and voice professor Camille Lopez Molina, who is also the group's accompanist, Viva Voce originated as an intensive summer voice workshop intended to provide young classical singers with a venue where they could master their craft.
Lopez Molina said, "It was designed to help them conquer the challenges of performing as soloists. The first Viva Voce workshop was held in 2010, the last in 2012. From there we have evolved into a performing group of singers. The group is just a temporary haven to help iron out vocal performance problems of each individual. It's a sort of halfway house between being a student and a professional. We teach these kids not just how to sing and perform but also to give them a heads up on the business side of the profession, the ethics, the risks, the requirements."
Viva Voce was also a good reason to go up to Baguio. Their head said, "Gawa tayo ng gimik para maka-stay sa Baguio ng matagal-tagal sa summer!"
The first batch of facilitators in 2010 were tenors John Glenn Gaerlan and Randy Gilongo, Pablo Molina (Camille's husband and also a singer) and she. Their pianists were Peter Porticos and Camille's mother, Dr. Myrna Lopez.
Lopez Molina had already attended many voice workshops in the US and Canada. Being a natural teacher, she thought she could combine and adapt the formats she learned abroad "to suit our resources and our participants' needs."
In the second batch of facilitators were soprano Rica Nepomuceno, pianist Najib Ismail and actor Nonie Buencamino. The 2012 workshop was a dream come true with such luminaries as tenor Arthur Espiritu, soprano and professor Irma Potenciano and Dr. Jonathan Malicsi as facilitators. The workshop content included singing diction sessions, text analysis, interpretation sessions and career talks.
Their Baguio summers weren't all sight-seeing and sleeping till noon. Activities lined up daily were physical exercises for stretching, breathing and support, and muscular coordination, vocalizations, games, individual lessons, masterclasses and recitals.
Lopez Molina continued, "We were lucky that Glenn found good venues for us to use, particularly the Convent of the Holy Spirit on Pacdal Road. The place is far from the noise of the city center. There is a hilltop on the property where we would have morning exercises in the open. It's a strenuous climb, it was a challenge to drag ourselves up there every morning, but the effort was so worth it."
Excellence is one of Viva Voce's guiding principles, if not THE guiding principle. It is, as the founder put it, "the only way you can make a living from classical singing. Your attitude reflects your artistry, and artistry is what you can sell, not just your talent. There are a lot of really talented people who can't break into this field because of an attitude of mediocrity. Puwede na just doesn't cut it. You have to be the best person for the job. That means working your butt off to master your instrument and learn your craft."
She described excellence as a quality that "challenges you, keeps your artistry fresh and gets you noticed. Anybody can sing classically or operatically, but not anybody can actually be a classical or an opera singer. Excellence means you don't make a distinction between 'Philippine standards' and world-class. And it's more fun when you have others with you learning the same things."
Technically, Viva Voce isn't a chorus or a choir. Lopez Molina explained, "Viva Voce is composed of soloists who sing as an ensemble, which includes chorus work in operas, oratorios and masses. But the thrust is different. The focus of a choir is the sound of the whole group, to sound as one. An ensemble puts more emphasis on individuals performing together and finding a common musical 'groove' or vibe but with each person's sound still clearly defined."
To prepare for "Complicated the Concert," what the Viva Voce members did, upon the invitation of Lopez Museum consultant Ricky Francisco (who joined the 2012 Baguio workshop), was to view the art works. He explained everything to them from the concept of the entire exhibit to each artist's work's significance and intention.
Then the group put their heads together on how they could somehow incorporate or weave the works in the songs. This led to the use the slides and subtitling since they already have a projector and floor-to-ceiling screen installed.
Lopez Molina recalled the process of selecting their program repertoire: "I let the art works guide us. We took each work literally, asking ourselves, 'What do you see?' We chose each number in the repertoire literally like what is the song saying? From there I chose real-life photographs that are relevant to both painting and song. These connected us to the real and present world. This process made me see much more behind the text of the songs and the visual content of the art works. I realized how intertwined our individual identities and our psyche as a nation are to our nation's history."
Asked if the meaning of plaintive love songs could also be expanded to the idea of bayang inaapi, she nodded vigorously, saying, "Definitely!" - Elizabeth Lolarga
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Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Simply Mozart in a night to remember
Following Maestro Oscar Yatco’s recent demise is the death of Lorin Maazel. Together with the New York Philharmonic, conductor Maazel visited the Philippines in 2002, the two-night concerts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines ending always to thunderous applause and ovations.
But the classical music world has a long tradition of maintaining a wide bench of talents, even geniuses. They’re already way beyond and above understudy stage, more than ready to replace what seem like irreplaceable losses. Maestro Darrell Ang, who led the Manila Symphony Orchestr (MSO) in Friday night’s “Mostly Mozart 2014 Festival,” is one such man.
Stellar tandem: Tenor Arthur Espiritu and Maestro Darrell Ang Photos by Anna Leah Sarabia
Cutting an elegant figure in his tux and tails, he possessed graceful arms and hands that also had an authority in them, allowing him to bring out the heroism, even manliness (feminists may quarrel with this), innate in Beethoven’s Eroica (Symphony No. 3 in F-Major, Op. 93). It’s a misunderstood work in the context of the composer’s time—was he really pro- or anti-Bonaparte?
Gina Medina-Perez, first violinist -concertmaster, recalled how the MSO members, within weeks of each other, learned from two guest conductors (Ang and Thanos Adamopulous previously).
She praised the two for their musical expertise and intensity. “Both demanded professionalism and commitment, but they don’t tell that to you. During rehearsals they don’t give sermons or throw tantrums if the music doesn’t work the way they want it. You want to be excellent because they’re excellent. You try your best so you can keep up. It’s interesting how good musicians just focus on music making and being faithful to the score. Thanos and Darrell are the easiest to work with. They know what to do and focus on achieving that.”
She added that like Adamopulous, Ang “knows the music very well and interprets it according to what he thinks the composer wants. Their interpretation of Eroica is very different, but both fulfill the composer’s intention. It’s pure magic to experience this kind of music making.”
Since the program mainly focused on Mozart’s works that are rarely, if never, heard played or sung live, Perez-Medina remarked on the challenge she and the MSO faced: “We only had four rehearsals with Ang. He focused on bringing us to the level nearest to what he wanted. We gave our best. Preparing for that concert required teamwork. It wasn’t a one-man job.”
What the orchestra members did was place their trust on Ang and on one another, including tenor Arthur Espiritu and pianist Cristine Coyiuto, whose niche could now be said to be Mozart concertos.
Ms. Coyiuto sparkling in her Roy Paras gown
Medina-Perez said, “That was the only way we could have a solid performance. During the performance, we let each other shine. Ultimately, the one who should shine is not the MSO, the conductor or the soloists but the music itself. We are mere instruments, conduits of a greater work—music.”
Singaporean Ang helped the cash-strapped Manila Chamber Orchestra (MCO) Foundation in marketing the concert. The auditorium of the Philippine Stock Exchange, renamed Juan Antonio Lanuza Hall after a music critic-patron, was standing room only, with some early ticket buyers held up in the Friday night rain and traffic.
Ang, who donated his fee to the foundation and to Habitat for Humanity’s building of new houses for supertyphoon Yolanda suvivors, posted short notes in his Facebook page alongside photos of himself, with the soloists and with the MSO. Of the MSO he predicted it was “set to regain its footing as the nation’s top orchestra!”
He described Espiritu as “a superb Filipino tenor whose beautiful take on two Mozart arias is definitely worth the price of the ticket alone!” Espiritu is back in the country after his latest triumph in the role of Fernando in the Donizetti opera La Favorita at the St. Gallen Festival in Switzerland. At the technical rehearsal at Ortigas Center venue, he noted how the supra-cold air-conditioning dried up the air to a point where he couldn’t hear his own voice.
Espiritu
Nonetheless, his interpretation of the arias “Misero, O Sogno, o son desto?” in the first part of the changed program and “Se vuoi che te racccolgano,” the last Mozart aria for the evening, showed his capability to transcend physical obstacles and emerge more triumphant than an Everest climber.
After the concert, he said, “I tried to be as positive as I can be. It was a dry hall, filled with carpet, even the stage is carpeted. Knowing that Lanuza Hall can have the potential for a great concert hall, it should be easy to revitalize it. I was happy to perform. Knowing that I am contributing to the foundation is a good enough feeling.”
It’s almost SOP for a Filipino audience to expect an encore, especially from Espiritu. He said, “We discussed the possibility after the last aria, but alas my vocal condition made it hard to sing one more. I had a cold, was having dry coughs at the time. I didn’t want to risk losing my voice.”
He must surely be within the radar of a local recording company or a body like the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He wants to record Filipino composers’, especially kundiman writers’, works.
He said, “I am hoping to collaborate with recording labels and maybe do a recording. I have never been approached so I’m open to it.” Someone heed him quick because European opera houses are already grabbing him and about to spirit him away.
Angel Reyes-Nacino, MCO Foundation executive director, was gladdened by the audience turnout and response. “We hope we still have funds and have a change in the mindset of sponsors for the classical arts. We don’t recover from our concerts.”
Concerning the auditorium’s renovation to make it more concert-worthy, she said, “We haven’t sat down with the Lanuza family to find out their plans. I’m sure we’ll get help from above. Mr. Lanuza is guiding, praying for us from up there.”
Medina-Perez agreed, “It is a good-sized hall. The carpets need to go. That will make a big difference. A proper dressing room would be nice.” - Elizabeth Lolarga
But the classical music world has a long tradition of maintaining a wide bench of talents, even geniuses. They’re already way beyond and above understudy stage, more than ready to replace what seem like irreplaceable losses. Maestro Darrell Ang, who led the Manila Symphony Orchestr (MSO) in Friday night’s “Mostly Mozart 2014 Festival,” is one such man.
Cutting an elegant figure in his tux and tails, he possessed graceful arms and hands that also had an authority in them, allowing him to bring out the heroism, even manliness (feminists may quarrel with this), innate in Beethoven’s Eroica (Symphony No. 3 in F-Major, Op. 93). It’s a misunderstood work in the context of the composer’s time—was he really pro- or anti-Bonaparte?
Gina Medina-Perez, first violinist -concertmaster, recalled how the MSO members, within weeks of each other, learned from two guest conductors (Ang and Thanos Adamopulous previously).
She praised the two for their musical expertise and intensity. “Both demanded professionalism and commitment, but they don’t tell that to you. During rehearsals they don’t give sermons or throw tantrums if the music doesn’t work the way they want it. You want to be excellent because they’re excellent. You try your best so you can keep up. It’s interesting how good musicians just focus on music making and being faithful to the score. Thanos and Darrell are the easiest to work with. They know what to do and focus on achieving that.”
She added that like Adamopulous, Ang “knows the music very well and interprets it according to what he thinks the composer wants. Their interpretation of Eroica is very different, but both fulfill the composer’s intention. It’s pure magic to experience this kind of music making.”
Since the program mainly focused on Mozart’s works that are rarely, if never, heard played or sung live, Perez-Medina remarked on the challenge she and the MSO faced: “We only had four rehearsals with Ang. He focused on bringing us to the level nearest to what he wanted. We gave our best. Preparing for that concert required teamwork. It wasn’t a one-man job.”
What the orchestra members did was place their trust on Ang and on one another, including tenor Arthur Espiritu and pianist Cristine Coyiuto, whose niche could now be said to be Mozart concertos.
Medina-Perez said, “That was the only way we could have a solid performance. During the performance, we let each other shine. Ultimately, the one who should shine is not the MSO, the conductor or the soloists but the music itself. We are mere instruments, conduits of a greater work—music.”
Singaporean Ang helped the cash-strapped Manila Chamber Orchestra (MCO) Foundation in marketing the concert. The auditorium of the Philippine Stock Exchange, renamed Juan Antonio Lanuza Hall after a music critic-patron, was standing room only, with some early ticket buyers held up in the Friday night rain and traffic.
Ang, who donated his fee to the foundation and to Habitat for Humanity’s building of new houses for supertyphoon Yolanda suvivors, posted short notes in his Facebook page alongside photos of himself, with the soloists and with the MSO. Of the MSO he predicted it was “set to regain its footing as the nation’s top orchestra!”
He described Espiritu as “a superb Filipino tenor whose beautiful take on two Mozart arias is definitely worth the price of the ticket alone!” Espiritu is back in the country after his latest triumph in the role of Fernando in the Donizetti opera La Favorita at the St. Gallen Festival in Switzerland. At the technical rehearsal at Ortigas Center venue, he noted how the supra-cold air-conditioning dried up the air to a point where he couldn’t hear his own voice.
Nonetheless, his interpretation of the arias “Misero, O Sogno, o son desto?” in the first part of the changed program and “Se vuoi che te racccolgano,” the last Mozart aria for the evening, showed his capability to transcend physical obstacles and emerge more triumphant than an Everest climber.
After the concert, he said, “I tried to be as positive as I can be. It was a dry hall, filled with carpet, even the stage is carpeted. Knowing that Lanuza Hall can have the potential for a great concert hall, it should be easy to revitalize it. I was happy to perform. Knowing that I am contributing to the foundation is a good enough feeling.”
It’s almost SOP for a Filipino audience to expect an encore, especially from Espiritu. He said, “We discussed the possibility after the last aria, but alas my vocal condition made it hard to sing one more. I had a cold, was having dry coughs at the time. I didn’t want to risk losing my voice.”
He must surely be within the radar of a local recording company or a body like the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He wants to record Filipino composers’, especially kundiman writers’, works.
He said, “I am hoping to collaborate with recording labels and maybe do a recording. I have never been approached so I’m open to it.” Someone heed him quick because European opera houses are already grabbing him and about to spirit him away.
Angel Reyes-Nacino, MCO Foundation executive director, was gladdened by the audience turnout and response. “We hope we still have funds and have a change in the mindset of sponsors for the classical arts. We don’t recover from our concerts.”
Concerning the auditorium’s renovation to make it more concert-worthy, she said, “We haven’t sat down with the Lanuza family to find out their plans. I’m sure we’ll get help from above. Mr. Lanuza is guiding, praying for us from up there.”
Medina-Perez agreed, “It is a good-sized hall. The carpets need to go. That will make a big difference. A proper dressing room would be nice.” - Elizabeth Lolarga
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
#PeopleWhoMadeMyYearGood
My coffee mate said yesterday only newspapers do year-enders; in other words, what right have I to issue an e-mail with the subject head "year-end report"?
This is my personal thank you in words and photos for those who made the year 2013 good to me. A la Rod McKuen, I'm singin that song while I post the pics:
I call this my Baguio coffee mate Rolly Fernandez's Albert Einstein look. Here he is enjoying his mug of Benguet beans brewed to his liking--no sugar, no cream, just a dash of cinnamon to decrease his blood sugar level.
Mamay Kimi and Nanay B on Christmas Day
The butones herself, Kai, with her Booboo
My girls, Kimi, Ida and Kai, before Ida left for her new job in Sg.
Headed by The Matriarch "Mommy" Lolarga, the Lolargas of Pasig, Antipolo, Quezon City and Calgary, CA, in their look-up pose
I call this photo "Third Movement, Humoresque Concerto for Eight Hands." The players are: Chit Roces, Pablo Tariman, Vergel Santos and the girl with the brown lenses.
A lot of girls, gays and similar hipsters go to Gilda Cordero Fernando for life, light, love lessons. She never fails to deliver. Take it from Anna Leah Sarabia, Lorna Kalaw Tirol and Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, she's the best guru who doesn't like to be called one.
Perla Macapinlac, ICM, is Gilda's St. Theresa's College contemporary. She continues to run the ICM House of Prayer in Baguio where she conducts retreats. Her instruction is simple: dive deep, emerge whole, and don't be afraid of the monsters you see.
This is the first batch of participants at "Journey to Self: A Creative Journal Workshop," a project of the Baguio Writers Group, that pushed through despite super-typhoon Yolanda's visit to the South the weekend before. For facilitators Baboo Mondoñedo, Merci Javier Dulawan and myself, junior facilitator Jenny Cariño and secretariat head Sacha Weygan, the workshop was a fulfilling experience. We all came away enriched through the many encounters and shared experiences. Mabuhay!
Lalu Melen Araos with grand-daughter Amarra Araos Encabo host breakfast for their first-time visitor to their home and garden in Antipolo.
The spirit of artist Jerry Araos continues to live in his children like his son Jemil, here seen with daughter Widsy and Tita B. Jemil has an ongoing solo exhibit of sculpture and furniture at the University of the Philippines Los Baños Alumni Center at the UPLB campus in Laguna.
Jazz singer Annie Brazil can still croon, carry a tune at 80. Now and then she'd pause to sip water (or is it brandy?) or spray something into her mouth (asthma?), but the audience doesn't mind because she is truly funny, her spiels unscripted. As for Boots Anson Roa, I must thank her as a subject of an interview for Planet Philippines--I worked there briefly in the early 2000s. I re-posted the interview onto my blog. That entry has received one of the highest hits in this blog's history. Her second-time-around love story touches old hearts and farts like me.
Another funny girl is Jacqui Magno. Inevitable that Anna Leah and me clown around beside her. I never tire of telling Jacqui, "Thank you for the music."
When Anna went up to Renee Olstead to congratulate her on her performance in a tribute to Annie Brazil, she said, "You're an orchestra in one person." Renee's voice can sometimes sound like an oboe, a clarinet. She doesn't need to shout or make birit, I'm tellin' ya.
Bert Robledo, host of DZFE's Bravo Filipino, was once a choir member, too, during the time when soprano Evelyn Mandac was in her prime. Myramae Meneses, who cultural organizer Joseph Uy describes as "small but terrible," is, yes, princess of high C's. And she's just getting warm.
Prof. Rayben Maigue is the cool cat of the UP Jazz Ensemble.
Someone's supra-happy to be addressed "Tita Babeth" by tenor Arthur Espiritu in his normal speaking voice.
Yah, as Kai would put it, I saved this photo for last. The great Cecile Licad leafs through Marne Kilates' award-winning book of poems while a fan girl carries her grandchild. Kai sometimes forgets her manners; she failed to thank Ms. Licad for the vanilla ice cream treat.
This old fart with lotsa heart thanks everyone, even The One who sent a killer quake and typhoon, for enabling us to remember 2013 as one of the most memorable in anyone's life. For those who us who survived the year, the girls of Lincoln Park have this advice worth heeding anytime and everywhere.
Image from www.thegirlsoflincolnpark.com
This is my personal thank you in words and photos for those who made the year 2013 good to me. A la Rod McKuen, I'm singin that song while I post the pics:
This old fart with lotsa heart thanks everyone, even The One who sent a killer quake and typhoon, for enabling us to remember 2013 as one of the most memorable in anyone's life. For those who us who survived the year, the girls of Lincoln Park have this advice worth heeding anytime and everywhere.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Music against a post-Yolanda setting
WHILE others were rebuilding their lives, running relief kitchens and centers or continuing to appeal for help in behalf of the Bohol quake and super typhoon Yolanda survivors, musicians united, put music and its universal appeal in the service of a great cause.
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Prof. Rayben Maigue leads the UP Jazz Ensemble
The UP Jazz Ensemble under Prof. Rayben Maigue opened, with swing-time hits, Ayala Museum's Season's Symphonies Concert Series, a fund-raiser for the Ayala Foundation’s disaster response and preparedness program.
In a commendable format, Lara Maigue narrated the story of jazz, instrument by instrument from a lonely cornet to the thicker texture of trumpets, clarinets and trombones combined. She sang staples like "Alright, Okay, You Win" and "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." The older Maigue did the demo part, leading the ensemble through a varied repertoire that included Latin-Am rhumba, mambo and samba
Vocalist Lara Maigue
Despite a mic, Maigue's voice was thin for the upbeat "Orange Colored Sky," a tune Jacqui Magno could pull off with seeming lack of effort. She strove mightily but was overpowered by the over-enthusiastic percussionists, wind and brass sections. The band members capped the evening by punctuating "The Christmas Waltz" with a hearty chorus of "Ho! Ho! Ho!"
Nevertheless, the vocalist and the band looked like they were enjoying what they were doing as they showed how jazz, adaptable through each era since it began in southern US, is here to stay.
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Roxy Modesto on the sax baritone
A beloved University of the Philippines tradition is the singing of Handel's glorious Messiah. But this year's was especially moving. The entire program, featuring the UP choirs and the UP Orchestra from different campuses,was dedicated to the students, teachers and staff of UP Tacloban and their families. The few who made it that evening were given a prolonged applause in the standing-room-only University Theater.
The audience was encouraged to go to the table of the UP Foundation Inc. during the intermission. The staff accepted cash and check donations, issuing receipts in the spirit of transparency and in behalf of the Typhoon Yolanda Relief Fund.
Premiered at this benefit concert was the dirge "Kilos, Iskolar" (music by Verne de la Pena and lyrics by Reuel M. Aguila) written for a chorus and soloist. Mary Jeane Eglosa, a Madrigal soprano who hails from Tacloban, led the UP choirs in a chant-like repetition of lyrics that speak of tears that wouldn't dry up in a time of disaster. In true UP fashion (raised clenched fists), the piece ended with this challenge: "Panahon ng pagbangon/ Panahon ng pagtindig/ Kilos, iskolar/ Dumaraing ang bayan."
Fitri Cerado opens Yolanda fund-raising concert, "Jammin' for Help, Thanking the World," with her interpretation of "One Voice."
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Martin Nievera in a duet with Lea Salonga
The talk of the musical grapevine remains "Jamming for Help, Thanking the World," a Fullhouse Asia production to benefit #helpPH at Rockwell Tent, Makati. This was an example of classical music triumphing gloriously over pop music exemplars like Lea Salonga and Martin Nievera.
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Cecile Licad rocks Rachmaninoff's Concert No. 2.
Cecile Licad, who had wanted to do something immediately for the Visayas when she heard news of the devastation, made known her fierce passion for this country and her music in her solo parts in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, even in the liquid sounds she produced as her fingers glided through the encore piece "Embraceable You."
Intense connection between Licad and Salonga who led the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra
The ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under Gerard Salonga played in a way unheard of in the past. It has leveled up remarkably, becoming more than a pop orchestra that provides background music to showbiz stars.
In baseball parlance, the orchestra has, as one, stepped up to the plate and, with Licad, hit a triple homer. Music and sports may seem irreconcilable. But the vigor with which Salonga showed in leading an inspired orchestra that was in sync with Licad--this is the team-up one can never tire off every time the People's Pianist comes home.
Licad used a Steinway that was up for silent auction, proceeds also going to the Yolanda cause.
Wearing t-shirts and jeans, Licad and the others belied the mentality that one must be glamorously outfitted at a concert. They set the tone of sobriety and austerity in a post-calamity context. In their deportment they shamed some audience members who came dressed to kill and wearing their bling blings.
Arthur Espiritu also stepped up to the plate. He drove for hours a truck filled to the brim with relief goods. He and his wife, whose roots are in Samar, delivered these to the typhoon survivors in Llorente, a solidarity gesture that signified, "Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!"
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Christmas caroling quartet made up of tenors Nival and Espiritu, sopranos Meneses and Balajadia
In "Arthur Espiritu and Friends," again at Ayala Museum, he was the audience's darling. The friends included tenor Nomher Nival, sopranos Myramae Meneses and Kay Balajadia, and collaborating pianist Najib Ismail.
Whether singing a difficult, heart-breaker of a Neapolitan song like Cardillo's "Core 'ngrato" or popular fare like the Irish anthem "Danny Boy" or even Brodzsky's "Be My Love," he sounded, in a word, impeccable.
Espiritu
His soaring voice and generosity will be missed as he fulfills singing engagements abroad for six months.--Elizabeth Lolarga
Photos by Anna Leah Sarabia and Elizabeth Lolarga
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The UP Jazz Ensemble under Prof. Rayben Maigue opened, with swing-time hits, Ayala Museum's Season's Symphonies Concert Series, a fund-raiser for the Ayala Foundation’s disaster response and preparedness program.
In a commendable format, Lara Maigue narrated the story of jazz, instrument by instrument from a lonely cornet to the thicker texture of trumpets, clarinets and trombones combined. She sang staples like "Alright, Okay, You Win" and "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square." The older Maigue did the demo part, leading the ensemble through a varied repertoire that included Latin-Am rhumba, mambo and samba
Despite a mic, Maigue's voice was thin for the upbeat "Orange Colored Sky," a tune Jacqui Magno could pull off with seeming lack of effort. She strove mightily but was overpowered by the over-enthusiastic percussionists, wind and brass sections. The band members capped the evening by punctuating "The Christmas Waltz" with a hearty chorus of "Ho! Ho! Ho!"
Nevertheless, the vocalist and the band looked like they were enjoying what they were doing as they showed how jazz, adaptable through each era since it began in southern US, is here to stay.
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A beloved University of the Philippines tradition is the singing of Handel's glorious Messiah. But this year's was especially moving. The entire program, featuring the UP choirs and the UP Orchestra from different campuses,was dedicated to the students, teachers and staff of UP Tacloban and their families. The few who made it that evening were given a prolonged applause in the standing-room-only University Theater.
The audience was encouraged to go to the table of the UP Foundation Inc. during the intermission. The staff accepted cash and check donations, issuing receipts in the spirit of transparency and in behalf of the Typhoon Yolanda Relief Fund.
Premiered at this benefit concert was the dirge "Kilos, Iskolar" (music by Verne de la Pena and lyrics by Reuel M. Aguila) written for a chorus and soloist. Mary Jeane Eglosa, a Madrigal soprano who hails from Tacloban, led the UP choirs in a chant-like repetition of lyrics that speak of tears that wouldn't dry up in a time of disaster. In true UP fashion (raised clenched fists), the piece ended with this challenge: "Panahon ng pagbangon/ Panahon ng pagtindig/ Kilos, iskolar/ Dumaraing ang bayan."
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The talk of the musical grapevine remains "Jamming for Help, Thanking the World," a Fullhouse Asia production to benefit #helpPH at Rockwell Tent, Makati. This was an example of classical music triumphing gloriously over pop music exemplars like Lea Salonga and Martin Nievera.
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Cecile Licad, who had wanted to do something immediately for the Visayas when she heard news of the devastation, made known her fierce passion for this country and her music in her solo parts in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, even in the liquid sounds she produced as her fingers glided through the encore piece "Embraceable You."
The ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under Gerard Salonga played in a way unheard of in the past. It has leveled up remarkably, becoming more than a pop orchestra that provides background music to showbiz stars.
In baseball parlance, the orchestra has, as one, stepped up to the plate and, with Licad, hit a triple homer. Music and sports may seem irreconcilable. But the vigor with which Salonga showed in leading an inspired orchestra that was in sync with Licad--this is the team-up one can never tire off every time the People's Pianist comes home.
Wearing t-shirts and jeans, Licad and the others belied the mentality that one must be glamorously outfitted at a concert. They set the tone of sobriety and austerity in a post-calamity context. In their deportment they shamed some audience members who came dressed to kill and wearing their bling blings.
Arthur Espiritu also stepped up to the plate. He drove for hours a truck filled to the brim with relief goods. He and his wife, whose roots are in Samar, delivered these to the typhoon survivors in Llorente, a solidarity gesture that signified, "Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!"
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In "Arthur Espiritu and Friends," again at Ayala Museum, he was the audience's darling. The friends included tenor Nomher Nival, sopranos Myramae Meneses and Kay Balajadia, and collaborating pianist Najib Ismail.
Whether singing a difficult, heart-breaker of a Neapolitan song like Cardillo's "Core 'ngrato" or popular fare like the Irish anthem "Danny Boy" or even Brodzsky's "Be My Love," he sounded, in a word, impeccable.
His soaring voice and generosity will be missed as he fulfills singing engagements abroad for six months.--Elizabeth Lolarga
Photos by Anna Leah Sarabia and Elizabeth Lolarga
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Saturday, November 30, 2013
A Mass that is anything but petite
It is anything but petite. But that is how Petite Messe Solennelle by Gioachino Rossini, pillar of the bel canto opera era and composer of the opera The Barber of Seville, is officially described.
The mass, the Christmas offering on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Ayala Museum on Makati Ave., Makati City, has a stellar line-up: tenor Arthur Espiritu, sopranos Camille Lopez Molina and Margarita Giannelli, baritone Noel Azcona and 16 Viva Voce singers, including Myramae Meneses.
Espiritu and Ismail
Margarita Giannelli
Najib Ismail, who will be the accompanist with Farley Asuncion on a second piano, said, "This late work by Rossini was called petite not because of its length but because of its scale. It was conceived for four soloists, a double vocal quartet, two pianos and a harmonium compared to his Stabat Mater which is for vocal soloists, a big choir and orchestra."
He continued, "It's petite because ideally it can be performed in a small venue, making it more intimate in a way without sacrificing the grandeur of the work. In terms of an orchestral feel, this is provided by two pianos with the harmonium providing the wind section of an actual orchestra. This work was later transcribed by the composer for soloists, choir and orchestra, which I personally feel loses the petite, intimate feel of the work."
Asked why he and the soloists chose this work, he answered, "It's beautiful. Many months ago, Arthur, Camille, Margarita and I were looking for a beautiful work that we can do that will involve our young singers as well. Also, it is a great opportunity for us to work together as musicians."
Baritone Noel Azcona
Azcona said their plans for the Rossini mass "came out as an impromptu thing. We messaged each other. Najib came up with the idea of the Petite Messe Solennelle. We were all excited. It is perfect because of its transitional melodies and deeper romantic theme."
Camille Lopez Molina
Lopez Molina added, "We talked about what piece we wanted to sing with each other because we had so much fun in MusicArtes's production of 'Best of Opera' in June. Early December sounded good because I'm due to give birth on the 14th, Margarita's coming home with her family for the holidays, Noel's leaving for his studies in the US and Arthur's leaving for his engagements later in the month. Arthur proposed it to MCO Foundation's Joseph Uy."
Azcona explained the appeal of the Mass: "It calls for a small, intimate group. Of course, singing with the country's finest singers will be exciting experience. I'm sure the audience will find the work spiritually appropriate in these times. What an excellent way to convey our sentiments in these hard times."
Lopez Molina hopes for "an emotional response.”
“Given the gravity of the Yolanda devastation and the solemnity of Rossini's music, there should be a chord struck deep down inside us somewhere," she said.
As one of two artistic directors of the production (the other is Gideon Bendicion), she said, "This piece is more
difficult than anything Viva Voce has tackled before. The music is so rich, the harmonies and progressions complex and unusual. It's taking all we've got to learn and perform it. Our conductor, Gideon, and I have our hands full drilling the group. It has been more or less two weeks of intensive rehearsals."
Azcona performed the work 10 years ago at the International Las Piñas Bamboo Organ Festival, recalling, "It was my first professional singing gig. I was quite nervous because of the compositional complexities. Studying it was tedious but rewarding. It's not your usual Rossini music. It's fantastic!"
Espiritu with Meneses and his wife Christine
Espiritu, who started out as "a huge pop guy," following Gary Valenciano's moves and singing style, said learning to love the classics is easy. "All you need is one passionate person. All it takes is a moment of exposure. I feel passionately about outreach programs."
He said classical musicians work hard on their materials. "We find out about character, we read the classics in literature. When I did Nixon in China (he played Mao Zedong ), I read up. Let's give people this chance to hear this music we love."
The other Viva Voce members, the most promising opera singers today, are: Kristine Balingcos, Lovelle Inoferio, Millicent Lao, Aissa Guilatco, Iona Ventocilla, Roxy Aldiosa, Tanya Corcuera, Antonio Ferrer, Carlo Falcis, Ivan Niccolo Nery, Paolo Gallon, Jairus Gonzalez, Raymond Yadao, Yen Dilig and Zip de Guzman. --Elizabeth Lolarga
For tickets, call the Cultural Arts Events Organizer, tel. no. 782-7164 or cell phone 0918-3473027, MCO Foundation at 750-0768 or 0920-954-0053, or TicketWorld at 891-9999.
Espiritu sings again at Ayala Museum in a benefit concert for super typhoon Yolanda survivors Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. For tickets for "Arthur Espiritu and Friends," call Paula Fernandez, 759-8288 local 31.
Originally published by Vera Files, Nov. 28, 2013.
The mass, the Christmas offering on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Ayala Museum on Makati Ave., Makati City, has a stellar line-up: tenor Arthur Espiritu, sopranos Camille Lopez Molina and Margarita Giannelli, baritone Noel Azcona and 16 Viva Voce singers, including Myramae Meneses.
Najib Ismail, who will be the accompanist with Farley Asuncion on a second piano, said, "This late work by Rossini was called petite not because of its length but because of its scale. It was conceived for four soloists, a double vocal quartet, two pianos and a harmonium compared to his Stabat Mater which is for vocal soloists, a big choir and orchestra."
He continued, "It's petite because ideally it can be performed in a small venue, making it more intimate in a way without sacrificing the grandeur of the work. In terms of an orchestral feel, this is provided by two pianos with the harmonium providing the wind section of an actual orchestra. This work was later transcribed by the composer for soloists, choir and orchestra, which I personally feel loses the petite, intimate feel of the work."
Asked why he and the soloists chose this work, he answered, "It's beautiful. Many months ago, Arthur, Camille, Margarita and I were looking for a beautiful work that we can do that will involve our young singers as well. Also, it is a great opportunity for us to work together as musicians."
Azcona said their plans for the Rossini mass "came out as an impromptu thing. We messaged each other. Najib came up with the idea of the Petite Messe Solennelle. We were all excited. It is perfect because of its transitional melodies and deeper romantic theme."
Lopez Molina added, "We talked about what piece we wanted to sing with each other because we had so much fun in MusicArtes's production of 'Best of Opera' in June. Early December sounded good because I'm due to give birth on the 14th, Margarita's coming home with her family for the holidays, Noel's leaving for his studies in the US and Arthur's leaving for his engagements later in the month. Arthur proposed it to MCO Foundation's Joseph Uy."
Azcona explained the appeal of the Mass: "It calls for a small, intimate group. Of course, singing with the country's finest singers will be exciting experience. I'm sure the audience will find the work spiritually appropriate in these times. What an excellent way to convey our sentiments in these hard times."
Lopez Molina hopes for "an emotional response.”
“Given the gravity of the Yolanda devastation and the solemnity of Rossini's music, there should be a chord struck deep down inside us somewhere," she said.
As one of two artistic directors of the production (the other is Gideon Bendicion), she said, "This piece is more
difficult than anything Viva Voce has tackled before. The music is so rich, the harmonies and progressions complex and unusual. It's taking all we've got to learn and perform it. Our conductor, Gideon, and I have our hands full drilling the group. It has been more or less two weeks of intensive rehearsals."
Azcona performed the work 10 years ago at the International Las Piñas Bamboo Organ Festival, recalling, "It was my first professional singing gig. I was quite nervous because of the compositional complexities. Studying it was tedious but rewarding. It's not your usual Rossini music. It's fantastic!"
Espiritu, who started out as "a huge pop guy," following Gary Valenciano's moves and singing style, said learning to love the classics is easy. "All you need is one passionate person. All it takes is a moment of exposure. I feel passionately about outreach programs."
He said classical musicians work hard on their materials. "We find out about character, we read the classics in literature. When I did Nixon in China (he played Mao Zedong ), I read up. Let's give people this chance to hear this music we love."
The other Viva Voce members, the most promising opera singers today, are: Kristine Balingcos, Lovelle Inoferio, Millicent Lao, Aissa Guilatco, Iona Ventocilla, Roxy Aldiosa, Tanya Corcuera, Antonio Ferrer, Carlo Falcis, Ivan Niccolo Nery, Paolo Gallon, Jairus Gonzalez, Raymond Yadao, Yen Dilig and Zip de Guzman. --Elizabeth Lolarga
For tickets, call the Cultural Arts Events Organizer, tel. no. 782-7164 or cell phone 0918-3473027, MCO Foundation at 750-0768 or 0920-954-0053, or TicketWorld at 891-9999.
Espiritu sings again at Ayala Museum in a benefit concert for super typhoon Yolanda survivors Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. For tickets for "Arthur Espiritu and Friends," call Paula Fernandez, 759-8288 local 31.
Originally published by Vera Files, Nov. 28, 2013.
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