This week in concerts and Shostakovich studies

For those experiencing the post-holiday blues, the classical music performances lined up this week may be the perfect way to perk up the gloomy mood. And if vocal music is right up your alley, then get ready for a vocal performance overload over the next few days.

Marcelo Álvarez as Canio and Turiddu

The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD starts the ball rolling with the screening of a twin bill, Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci , happening on January 10, 2017, 6:30 PM at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas. In this new production from Sir David McVicar, tenor Marcelo Álvarez plays the dual roles of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Canio in Pagliacci.

This Saturday, there is the tough choice on whether to catch La Voix Humaine or Tatlo. 3 Nations. 1 Voice. The BGC Arts Center Festival and MusicArtes, Inc. presentation of Francis Poulenc and Jean Cocteau’s La Voix Humaine features soprano Kay Balajadia-Liggayu with pianist Rudolf Golez on January 14, 2017, 6:00 PM at the Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall, Maybank Performing Arts Center. This one act opera, an Opera Intima offering by MusicArtes, Inc. will be under the direction of Anton Juan.

Our very own Ateneo Chamber Singers led by conductor Jonathan M. Velasco, the Gaia Philharmonic Choir from Japan, and the SYC Ensemble Singers from Singapore headline the Tatlo. 3 Nations. 1 Voice. on January 14, 2017, 7:00 PM at the Theater at Solaire. Gerard Salonga and the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra will have a special participation in this concert.

Capping the week will be the Opera Gala featuring tenor Arthur Espiritu happening this January 15, 2017, 6:00 PM at the Globe Theater, Maybank Performing Arts Center. Also a presention by BGC Arts Center Festival and MusicArtes, Inc., the concert will see Arthur joined by some of the country’s most promising classical vocalists like Stephanie Aguilar, Noel Azcona, Tanya Corcuera, Kay Balajadia-Liggayu, Ervin Lumauag, Lara Maigue, Krissan Manikan, Anna Migallos, Christian Nagaño, Nomher Nival, Stefanie Quintin, and Marielle Tuason. Collaborating artist in this concert will be pianist Dingdong Fiel. Stage direction will be by Leo Rialp.

The release this week of pianist Boris Giltburg’s upcoming album of Dmitri Shostakovich music has really gotten me excited. Recorded with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Vasily Petrenko, this album includes Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor, Op. 35 with trumpet player Rhys Owens, and one of my all-time favorites, Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, Op. 102. This album is truly a great and logical follow up to Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic’s acclaimed recording of the Shostakovich’s 15 Symphonies under Naxos. An added treat in the album is the world premiere recording of Giltburg’s solo piano arrangement of the composer's highly personal String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110, and the third movement Waltz: Allegro from String Quartet No. 2 in A major, Op. 68, all done with the permission of Shostakovich’s family.

This album will be released on January 13, 2017 and it will take quite an effort for me to get a physical copy since Naxos albums (and almost all classical music releases by other labels) are not available in record stores locally.

Nevertheless, this album just reinvigorates my desire to dig more about Dmitri Shostakovich’s life and his works. And I think that it’s about time that I devote future blog entries about my journey into the world of classical music aside from the concerts that I watch hoping that readers will also get the spark to take the plunge, go and watch concerts, and do some learning of their own too.