World-class artists set the stage for Intramuros Evenings: La Voix Humaine this November 12

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Intramuros Administration (IA) team up for another night of artistic bliss for the third installation of Intramuros Evenings, featuring Francis Poulenc’s Aubade Concerto and La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice) on November 12, 2025, 7 p.m. at Centro de Turismo in Intramuros, Manila.

Intramuros Evenings: La Voix Humaine begins with Poulenc’s Aubade. Originally conceived as a ballet, the piece is now performed as a chamber concerto for piano and 18 instruments. This blend of 18th-century neoclassicism and 20th-century French style will be headlined by world-renowned pianist and former CCP President Raul Sunico, with the University of Santo Tomas Symphony Orchestra (USTSO) providing music accompaniment.

Following Aubade is La Voix Humaine, a one-act monodrama revolving around Elle, who exchanges goodbyes with her lover through a series of fragmented phone calls. Under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera, Filipina soprano Armela Fortuna breathes life into the protagonist as she sings with USTSO’s resonating harmonies.

A powerful collaboration for a one-night-only show

Harnessing the power of the arts to surpass cultural barriers, Intramuros Evenings: La Voix Humaine is brought to life with the brilliant collaboration of Gawad CCP Para sa Sining awardees.

2020 Gawad CCP awardee Nonon Padilla directs, while 2024 Gawad CCP awardee Gino Gonzales takes the helm of production design, and Gawad CCP and current CCP Trustee Monino Duque, for lighting design.

Gonzales is known for repurposing local materials in his set designs. Duque, on the other hand, will decorate the historic walls of Intramuros with his expertise.

Works of the late projection and video designer GA Fallarme will also illuminate the special production of Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine.

Meanwhile, world-renowned Filipino fashion designer Josie Natori lends her elegance and sensuality to the costume design of the production. With generosity and creative touch, Natori dresses the soprano performer, transforming the stage into a gallery of elegance where music and fashion intertwine.

Behind the stage of Intramuros Evenings

Behind the scenes, the collaborative work of renowned theater practitioners will mount Intramuros Evenings: La Voix Humaine. The collective efforts of production manager Nikki Garde-Torres, assistant production manager Myka Cheong, and technical director Louie Alcoran maintain the seamless flow and integration of music and visual art. Stage managers Nenen Espina, Pearl Boronilla, Raine, and June Niel Belisario also safeguard the artistic vision of the performance.

Intramuros Evenings: La Voix Humaine comes after Tanghalang Pilipino Inc.’s devised production of Ganito Na Kami Noon, Paano Na Ngayon? and Serenata ng Banda last July and September 2025, respectively.

Transforming the Walled City into a cultural hub, the longstanding partnership between the CCP and the IA reaffirms the goal of both institutions to further immerse the Filipino community in opera and theater.

With La Voix Humaine as the third of four productions planned for the year, Intramuros Evenings remains committed to showcasing the voices, instruments, and designs of formidable Filipino artists, while promoting and pursuing classic and modern arts.

Witness a raw staging of heartbreak in Intramuros Evenings: La Voix Humaine, on November 12, 2025, 7 p.m. at the Centro de Turismo, Intramuros, Manila. The event is free and open to the public, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information on CCP’s events, visit its official website (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/). You may also follow CCP’s official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok for updates on future events, productions, and workshops.

Triumph, thanksgiving and Mark Bebbington's return at PPO's November concert

After joining the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in its successful UK tour back in May, British pianist Mark Bebbington returns once again to the Philippines to grace the PPO's upcoming concert this November 14, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Billed as Triumph and Thanksgiving, the fourth concert of the 41st season sees Bebbington perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 73 which is also known as the Emperor Concerto.

Another highlight of the concert is Sergei Gorchakov's arrangement of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. Hearing the Gorchakov version this time is a welcome change from the wildly popular and most performed arrangement by Maurice Ravel of the Mussorgsky solo piano suite. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni Overture serves as the concert opener.

Mark Bebbington

This upcoming PPO concert marks Bebbington's third time to perform in the country. His first being the opening concert of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak's inaugural season with the PPO back in September 2023 and the second being the send-off concert just in April of this year right before the UK Tour.

Reprinted below is the press release for the concert.

Triumph, Thanksgiving, and timeless classics in PPO Concert IV this November

After a series of performances showcasing technical mastery and global artistry, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) continues its 41st season with CONCERT IV: TRIUMPH AND THANKSGIVING on November 14, 2025, 7:30 p.m., at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.

With the passionate Maestro Grzegorz Nowak at the helm, PPO’s Concert IV promises an evening of sweeping emotions and classical brilliance, highlighting the timeless works of master composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Modest Mussorgsky.

A timeless repertoire for the world-class orchestra

The November concert opens with the drama of Mozart’s Don Giovanni Overture, one of the composer’s most celebrated operas. The opera follows the legendary character Don Juan as he seduces women while roaming around Spain with his trusted servant Leporello. Their daring escapades are set to Mozart’s enthralling music.

As it balances sharp wit with the impending consequences of Don Juan’s actions, Don Giovanni Overture displays Mozart’s ingenious ability to weave contrasting elements into one captivating piece.

The program continues with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 73. Titled Emperor, this monumental piece embodies the German composer’s interpretation of heroism, as seen through his student and patron Archduke Rudolf. Composed in 1809 when Vienna was under siege by the French, the “Emperor” ultimately shows the triumph of the human soul.

PPO’s Concert IV: Triumph and Thanksgiving concludes the night with Sergej Gorchakov’s orchestral arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The composition vividly takes its listeners on a walk through a gallery, inviting them to reflect on the works of Viktor Hartmann. The Russian painter and architect who had died young was a dear friend to Mussorgsky.

Originally written as a piano suite, Gorchakov’s lush orchestration beautifully transforms Pictures at an Exhibition into a gallery of sound.

Bringing classical elegance to life on the piano

Coming back to the country to bring to life the classic masterpieces, internationally recognized pianist Mark Bebbington will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, Op. 73.

A certified champion of British music, Bebbington has emerged as one of Britain’s innovative pianists. He had also toured with the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, and Royal Philharmonic orchestras. His prowess in performances and recordings promises to illuminate Mozart and Beethoven’s majestic passages.

Carrying musical sensitivity, Bebbington previously joined the PPO in its nine-concert tour across the United Kingdom. He was declared a “hidden gem” by the orchestra’s concertmaster and artist-in-residence violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr.

Offering gratitude with melodies

In revisiting a classical repertoire, the PPO underscores its own evolution as a dynamic and world-class ensemble in its 41st concert season. The fourth installment bears the theme “Triumph and Thanksgiving,” reflecting the celebration of artistic excellence and appreciation.

Through Concert IV, the PPO also offers heartfelt gratitude to its audiences who continue to support the orchestra’s mission of bringing classical music closer to every Filipino. Slated on November 14, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, expect an evening of enchanting melodies with the nation’s premier orchestra.

Tickets for PPO concerts are priced at Php3,000, Php2,500, Php2,000, and Php1,500, available at TicketWorld. For an exclusive 20 percent discount, be a PPO subscriber. Email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph or call the CCP Box Office at +63931-033-0880 to purchase a PPO’s 41st concert season subscription.

For more updates on the PPO and its upcoming performances, visit the CCP’s website (https://culturalcenter.gov.ph/). You may also follow the CCP’s official pages on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for more information.

The Plight of South East Asian Domestic Workers Through the Magic of Dance and Witchcraft

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and the Goethe-Institut Philippinen, proudly presents Magic Maids, a cultural ritual and dance performance interlacing the fear and oppression of women from centuries ago to today, at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater) from November 7 to 9, 2025.

Conceptualized and choreographed by Eisa Jocson and Venuri Perera, Magic Maids is a dance performance that interweaves the complexities and similarities of maids to the trials and tribulations of witches. Through the lens of feminist resistance, the 80-minute performance is told through the perspective of both the witch and the maid, using the broom, not only as a metaphor for the shared experiences of prejudice and sacrifice, but also as a physical device that connects both archetypal figures.

The dance performance is a ritual, a collective retelling of the hushed stories of domestic workers in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, providing a broader perspective on the exploitation of labor in the Global South likened to the European witch hunts.

With Jocson and Perera born and raised from the Global South, it adds an extra layer of cultural and personal touch in the show’s storytelling through its ritual in denouncing the oppression of women that continues to haunt the globe and uplifting feminist resistance.

On November 9 at 11:00 AM, Jocson and Perera will lead a workshop titled Broomology 101 at the TIG Lobby. In this session, the broom serves as a central axis linking the archetypes of the witch and the housemaid, becoming a tool for playful transformation and somatic exploration. Participants will explore what it means to extend themselves through the broom—merging, becoming wild, and engaging with the power of intention through movement and collective experience—while examining the spectrum between beauty and monstrosity.

Eisa Jocson
Photo by Rockbund Art Museum

Jocson is an interdisciplinary artist based in La Union. With a background in ballet, she drifted towards the contemporary dance genre and pole dancing, which continues to amplify her work and exploration of body politics and exploitation of migrant work in her own country, the Philippines.

Venuri Perera

Perera is an independent creator from Colombo. She has curated and produced projects of the Colombo Dance Platform and is currently a member of the Dance Panel of the Arts Council in Sri Lanka. Her works focus on the patriarchy, colonialism and class struggle, a reflection of her own experiences and the collective experience of women in her nation.

Performances for ‘Magic Maids’ will be held on November 7 and 8, at 5pm, and November 9, at 8pm.

Regular ticket price is Php600 and student discount ticket is priced at Php300 upon presentation of valid ID.

Interested workshop participants can register until November 4, 2025 through the registration link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3GUt_9AlzYuTEt31AiA-fhPT4A_FuctYhl1-Y4viMabAFjg/viewform. Selected participants will receive a confirmation from the Goethe-Institut.

To get the latest updates on CCP’s events, follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) for more news.

OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert returns with KPop Demon Hunters, more K-Drama hits

The magic of Korean drama is set to return to the concert stage as the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC), and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) proudly present OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert, on October 25, 2025 at the Samsung Hall, SM Aura in Taguig City - with two shows at 2:00 PM and 6:30 PM.

OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert is in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization - Manila Office (KTO), the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), SM Supermalls, VIU Philippines, and GMA.

Following the overwhelming success of its debut last year, OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert will once again bring drama, nostalgia, and well-loved soundtracks to life—this time, with even grander performances from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO).

At the heart of this concert is the PPO led by Maestro Herminigildo Ranera. Fresh from their successful UK tour, PPO will perform powerful and heart-stirring renditions of beloved K-Drama soundtracks. From the adrenaline-filled beats of Maggie Kang’s KPop Demon Hunters to the tender melodies of Crash Landing on You and the tear-jerking When Life Gives You Tangerines, the night hosts a journey through the emotions that made every K-Drama unforgettable.

OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert also features an exciting lineup of guest performers, including Korean singer-songwriter Hong Isaac and rising artist YEGNY, alongside Filipino artists Kyline Alcantara and Angel Guardian. These stars will add flair to the concert, bridging cultures through songs that celebrate both Korean and Filipino artistry.

Before the concert, KCC will also hold a K-OST and K-Show Production Workshop in partnership with GMA, gathering some of Korea’s leading music and show producers for a one-day creative exchange with Filipino professionals. The initiative aims to bring both industries closer and spark new opportunities for collaboration in storytelling and production.

This year’s concert also shines a spotlight on Gyeongju, the host city of the upcoming 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Korea. Known for its rich cultural heritage, Gyeongju is bringing a piece of its charm to Manila through a promotional booth at the concert lobby, where guests can learn more about the city’s history and attractions. The space is complemented by a K-Drama merchandise display, offering fans an added layer of appreciation and a closer look at the cultural stories that inspire their favorite shows.

With a full house of K-drama fans, music lovers, and cultural enthusiasts, OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert will once again showcase that great stories know no borders—and that the universal language of music continues to unite hearts, one heartfelt soundtrack at a time.

OST Symphony II: K-Drama in Concert is free and open to the public. Tickets will be available soon through smtickets.com. For more information, follow the official accounts of the CCP, KCC, and NCCA on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok. Explore the latest in the Philippine arts and culture scene by visiting the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph).