January 2026 concerts at a glance

Ushering a new year means making lots of lists and a list of concerts to watch is no exception. January is packed with concerts and performances that are piano centric with four concertos lined up. But the month ends up with a banger with no other than global piano superstar Lang Lang making his long awaited return to the country after more than two decades. He last performed in Manila way back in 2002 with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of the great Lorin Maazel.

Here are the upcoming concerts to look out for this January 2026 that will most likely make a quick work of all the bonuses and cash presents received during the recent holiday season.

January 8, 2026

Kundiman After Dark: Nicanor Abelardo for Him

Ervin Lumauag, tenor

Shiho Takashima, violin

Augusto Espino, piano

January 8, 2026, 7:00 PM

Sine Pop, Cubao

January 11, 2026

One Piece Music Symphony

Filharmonika Orchestra

January 11, 2026, 5:00 PM

Theater at Solaire

January 14-15, 2026

Film Music Legends: The Scores of John Williams & Hans Zimmer

Bituin Escalante, vocals

Gerard Salonga, conductor

Filharmonika Orchestra

January 14-15, 2026, 8:00 PM

Theater at Solaire

January 16, 2026

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Concert V: Preludi

Andión Fernandez, soprano

Szymon Nehring, piano

Grzegorz Nowak, conductor

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

January 16, 2026, 7:30 PM

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

January 21, 2026

Tones Through Time: A Musical Odyssey

Raffi Kasparian, piano

January 21, 2026, 4:30 PM

FEU Auditorium, Far Eastern University

January 22, 2026

Harmony of Friendship: A Jazz Prelude to 70 Years of Japan–Philippines Ties

Tokyo-Manila Jazz & Arts Festival Group

    Charito, vocals

    Arimasa Yuki, piano

    Kusui Satsuki, bass

    Kitazawa Hiroki, drums

January 22, 2026, 7:00 PM

Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza

Manila Symphony Orchestra 100th Anniversary Concert

Muyu Liu, piano

Philippine Madrigal Singers

Darrell Ang, conductor

Mark Anthony Carpio, conductor

Manila Symphony Orchestra

January 22, 2026, 7:30 PM

Samsung Performing Arts Theater

January 23, 2026

Liederkreis

Iona Ventocilla-Borja, soprano

Carlo Falcis, baritone

Myramae Menses, soprano

Oliver Salonga, piano

January 23, 2026, 7:00 PM

Manila Pianos Showroom, Makati

January 25, 2026

Baroque Roots, Modern Spirit

Alejandro D. Consolacion II, organ

Crystal Milarose Rodis-Concepcion, flute

Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club

Phoebe Bitoon-Fajardo, choir director

Union Church Festival Orchestra

Giuseppe Andre Diestro, conductor

January 25, 2026, 4:00 PM

UCM Main Sanctuary, Union Church of Manila

Double Pentagon Concerts/Manila Pianos Inc. Chamber Music Series 2026

Grupo Abecedario

Grupo Abecedario

    Dr. Ivar-Nicholas Fojas, guitar

    Beatrice Rose Cena, guitar

    Agung Dayaw A. Sicam, guitar

    Charles Alexandré Magno, guitar

    Dakila Likha de Leon, guitar

January 25, 2026, 4:00 PM

Manila Pianos Showroom, Makati

Legacy

Carmencita Sipin-Aspiras, piano

Inna Montesclaros, piano

Darrell Ang, conductor

Manila Symphony Orchestra

January 25, 2026, 7:30 PM

Proscenium Theater

January 30, 2026

Lang Lang Live in Manila

Lang Lang, piano

January 30, 2026, 7:00 PM

Proscenium Theater

January 31, 2026

Duo Zaher Benefit Concert

Duo Zaher

    Sara Zaher, guitar

    Sanaz Zaher, guitar

January 31, 2026, 6:00 PM

David M. Consunji Theater, Institute of Civil Engineering

UP Dilman

Ballet Manila, Aliw Theater to stage grand comeback with Rise!

Ballet Manila is set to stage a grand comeback with Rise! a double bill presentation incorporating ballet, opera, pop music and orchestral music happening on October 7, 2022, 8:00 PM and October 9, 2022, 5:00 PM at the newly renovated Aliw Theater.

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde 

Rise! is significantly important for Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Ballet Manila's CEO and Artistic Director. For years, she has celebrated her birthday in October with a special performance by her company at the Aliw Theater, which in itself was a gift from her husband, Fred J. Elizalde. But the October 2019 fire that gutted Star City, coupled with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, have put this birthday tradition to a stop.

Romeo Peralta

Now, three years later, Ballet Manila's dancers are ready to go on stage in front of a live audience. Joining the dancers for Rise! are multi-awarded recording artist Bituin Escalante, classical singers Jade Riccio, Ivan Nery, and Chris Arceo, a 12 member opera ensemble, and a 60 piece orchestra to be conducted by Gerard Salonga.

Bituin Escalante

The first half of Rise! will be the latest iteration of Ballet & Ballads with Bituin Escalante as the featured vocalist performing songs of hope in keeping with the overall theme of this part of the program.

Abigail Oliveiro and Mark Sumaylo

The show's second half will be the return of La Traviata. This opera by Giuseppe Verdi was turned into a ballet by Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and was staged to cap Ballet Manila's 24th season shortly before the pandemic forced everything into lockdown. Back then, with the company still reeling from the fire, the production held at the Samsung Hall at SM Aura was downscaled with the dancers performing to recorded music. With Rise!, the production will be closer to her original vision of having live singing and a live orchestral accompaniment.

Jade Riccio

Soprano Jade Riccio will sing the role of Violetta with tenor Ivan Nery as Alfredo, and baritone Chris Arceo as Giorgio Germont. Veteran opera singer Andrew Fernando, who suddenly passed away in mid-August, was originally tapped to sing the role of Giorgio Germont.

Bituin Escalante, Jade Riccio, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Luna Inocian, Abigail Oliveiro,
Mark Sumaylo, and Gerardo Francisco, Jr. 

The creative team for Rise! is led by Lisa Macuja-Elizalde as overall Artistic Director, theater artist Michael Williams as the Stage Director, playwright Luna Inocian as the Scriptwriter, Gerard Salonga as Music Director, and Gerardo Francisco Jr. and Martin Lawrance as Choreographers.

Tribute online concert to Manila born Spanish musician Luis Eduardo Aute set on November 18

The Instituto Cervantes de Manila and the Embassy of the Spain in the Philippines pays tribute to Manila-born Spanish musician Luis Eduardo Aute through Con tu latido: Filipinas canta a Aute, an online concert streaming on November 18, 2021, 7:00 PM at the Instituto Cervantes YouTube channel.

The concert will feature Filipino singers who will perform songs by Aute, one of Spain's reputed artists and popular musicians in the latter part of the 20th century.

Born in Manila in 1943, Aute spent his childhood studying at the De La Salle school before settling in Spain with his family in 1954. There, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a composer of film soundtracks for movies directed by Jaime Chávarri, Luis García Berlanga, Fernando Fernán-Gómez, Angelino Fons, Fernando Méndez, etc. This period also saw him top the charts as a singer with Las cuatro y diez, or Al alba. He followed it up with hits that include Pasaba por aquí, Sin tu latido, La belleza, and Slowly. Aute passed away in September 2020.

The Filipino singers, performing the songs of Aute in Spanish is led by popular singer-stage actress Bituin Escalante. Joining her are Philippine Madrigal Singers Mark Anthony Carpio, Toma Cayabyab, Julius Sinoy, James Barbecho, Sheila Ferrer, and Ella Castro. Spanish singer Rosa León completes the lineup of performers.

Con tu latido: Filipinas canta a Aute is presented by the Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines and Intramuros Administration.

Manila Symphony Orchestra partners with Solaire

March 28, 2015, 8:00 PM

The Theatre in Solaire

Solaire Resort & Casino

Featuring:

Ingrid Santamaria, piano

Bituin Escalante, vocal

Christian Yu, vocal

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

The Manila Symphony Orchestra had set to have Music Everywhere for its upcoming 2015-2016 concert season. And now, the country’s first orchestra is set to reach the sun and stars as they enter a partnership with Solaire Resort & Casino. This partnership will be highlighted through a free show, entitled Showcase, happening on March 28, 2015, 8:00 PM at The Theatre in Solaire.

Joining the orchestra in this production are vocalists Bituin Escalante and Christian Yu and legendary concert pianist Ingrid Santamaria. Conducting the MSO will be the orchestra’s principal conductor and music director Arturo Molina.

The free show will not only preview the upcoming events at The Theatre in Solaire, but it will be the first time for me to experience a concert focused mainly on the orchestra and ultimately hear the full range of the Constellation Acoustic System in a classical concert setting.

When the theater was launched, the orchestra at the show, the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, played on a raised platform that was further back the stage. For me to fully gauge the acoustics of the theater, the orchestra needs to be on stage level during symphony performances or at the pit when accompanying a ballet or an opera production.

An attempt to squeeze out more information regarding the concert lineup from MSO Executive Director Jefrey Solares proved to be futile. He said that it would be a surprise and that the show will also be the season launch of the orchestra.

All I know so far is that the concert will include an overture, song numbers by Bituin Escalante and Christian Yu, a four-string concerto by the beneficiaries of the Basilio Manalo Scholarship and a piano concerto with Ingrid Santamaria as the soloist. It remains a mystery as to which concerto will be performed and whether it will be a full one or just a movement.

I guess that I just have to go see Showcase to find out for myself what the Manila Symphony Orchestra and The Theatre in Solaire have in store as they enter into a new partnership. And the show is for free, so there’s no excuse for me (and everyone else for that matter) to miss this.

Ticket price:

Free admission

For inquiries:

Manila Symphony Orchestra 523-5712, info@manilasymphony.com