Noli Me Tangere, the Opera: Promise fulfilled for current generation of classical singers

Since it has been just a little over two years since I saw Noli Me Tangere, the opera by National Artists Felipe Padilla de Leon (music) and Guillermo Tolentino (libretto), staged by J&S Productions, the memories of that 2017 mounting at the Cultural Center of the Philippines easily came back once the curtain rose in this latest production.

I've had the privilege of catching both the Preview and Gala Nights that featured a different set of leads. The Preview had tenor Nomher Nival and soprano Nerissa de Juan as Crisostomo Ibarra and Maria Clara respectively. Nomher showcased his booming voice that I have no doubts was still heard even from the farthest seat in the upper balconies. And this voice effectively conveyed the shattered confidence of Ibarra as his noble plans were thwarted by those in power. At times, it felt like he was an emotional dam about to burst in a fit of passion. Nerissa on the other hand continued to impress especially now that I've seen her finally as Maria Clara. Her Aba Maria was extremely convincing and it was a delight to see her in character with all the highs and the lows that Maria Clara goes through. It is quite a departure from her usually reserved and low key demeanor off stage.

Cast of Preview Night take their bows

The pairing of tenor Ivan Nery and soprano Bianca Camille Lopez who performed at the Gala the night after gave a different approach and feel to the lead characters. Ivan was a more polished Ibarra, maintaining the fluidity of his vocals and the poise and manner of an illustrado. But there were moments when I wished that he had put more emotion especially in Ibarra's moments of despair. Bianca, on the other hand, showed mastery of dynamics like in her exquisite delivery of Kay tamis ng buhay flavored with sweet pianissimo passages and powerful fortes complete with a vibrato to die for.

Preview Night cast during the meet and greet

As expected, Sisa's coloratura aria Awit ng gabi ni Sisa and Basilio's Gising na o inang ko stole the show. The two Sisas I saw each gave her own take on the aria with Bernadette Mamauag employing more acting with her voice while Allison Cervantes delivered precise and piercing staccatos. Both ended their arias welcomed by rapturous applause. I felt a bit bad not having the opportunity to see and hear Kelly Peralejo who was the run's third Sisa.

Rare Jireh Columna, Ronaldo Abarquez, Edwin Josue, Jerry Sibal, Nomher Nival, and Nerissa de Juan

As for the Basilios, both Mari Yapjoco and Noel Comia, Jr. entered their teens since they were last seen in the opera. Their voices, already cracked, meant that they had to sing their parts an octave lower. And while they no longer sounded like little boys, their renditions of Basilio's heartbreaking aria still managed to send some audience members sniffing during this tender moment.

Edwin Josue, Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, Robin Padilla, and Jerry Sibal during the Gala Night

Ronaldo Abarquez (Padre Damaso/Kapitan Tiyago), Nil's Flores (Padre Damaso), Joseleo Logdat (Elias), Greg de Leon (Pilosopo Tasyo), Krissan Manikan-Tan (Tiya Isabel), and Tomy Virtucio (Albino/Linares/Utusan) were the standouts among the supporting/featured roles.

Ivan Nery and Bianca Lopez take their bows at the Gala Night

Overall, this latest production turned out to be the fulfillment of the promise that Nomher and Ivan showed years ago when they were still upcoming tenors and the future of the classical singing/opera scene in the country. Bianca, on the other hand, has added another lead opera role to her impressive résumé that also includes an almost a decade stint with the Philippine Madrigal Singers.

Gala Night cast and creative team take their bows

As for Nerissa, she has been the revelation of Noli Me Tangere for me. Virtually unknown back in 2017, she made everyone notice with her thick timbre and ease of singing. Years from now, Noli will always be remembered as to where it all started for her. Producer/director Jerry Sibal said that she was so impressive during her audition for the 2017 production that it prompted him to cast her as Maria Clara despite her lack of experience. She has already gone to places since 2017 and I expect to see her soar more after this run.

And just like the last time, the most remarkable feat that this production has achieved is the huge number of young people in the audience who responded positively towards the production. Opera performances have been jokingly referred to as a gathering of senior citizens but Noli has remained a notable exception.

I hope that this encourages them to read (or reread) the novel with a renewed interest and vigor. I also hope that they find pleasure in perusing the pages of Noli and that it will rekindle in them not just patriotism but also love, pride, and support for local literature, arts and culture. Lastly, I wish that this opera becomes more ingrained in the consciousness of Filipinos. It would be swell to see on television one day someone performing Kay tamis ng buhay with the audience recognizing the music and knowing where it came from.

The fairy tale connection between Hans Christian Andersen and Jose Rizal

The book Hans Christian Andersen and José Rizal: From Denmark to the Philippines by Anvil Publishing is probably the most unusual literary mash-up published locally that I’ve encountered. Edited by Jan Top Christensen, Ambassador of Denmark to the Philippines, this volume highlights the relations between the Philippines and Denmark through five fairy tales and two of each country’s leading literary figures.

The five Hans Christian Andersen (HCA) fairy tales, namely The Fir Tree, Thumbelina, The Ugly Duckling, The Angel, and The Little Match Girl, along with their respective Tagalog translations by Jose Rizal make up the bulk of the book.

Preceding the tales are four essays about HCA and Rizal by Ejnar Stig Askgaard, Katrina Gutierrez, Johs. Nørregaard Frandsen, and Ambeth R. Ocampo that give historical and literary context to the stories.

Danish Ambassador Jan Top Christensen and historian Ambeth R.Ocampo

One could jump right to the stories, follow them up with the essays, and then give the stories another go, which I did. The second pass at the stories read differently for me once armed with more context about HCA, Rizal and their respective times.

Revisiting these fairy tales as an adult made me realize how gloomy these stories actually are. And these may sound morbid, but knowing that back then when these stories were first written and published, child mortality rates were so high (only around 60% survive childhood) that I felt disturbed picturing these tales being read to children in their deathbeds suffering from diseases that are easily cured nowadays.

Another notable aspect of this book is the translation by Jose Rizal. For 21^st century ears, the Tagalog sounds archaic since the translation was made during the late 19^th century decades before the declaration of Filipino as the country’s national language. Although it was a struggle for me to read, this will be of great interest for linguists and those who are into the evolution of our language.

This book, a pet project by Ambassador Jan Top Christensen, was around three years in the making. This hefty volume is a fine addition to bookshelves everywhere with a multi-faceted approach to children’s literature and Philippine-Denmark relations. Since reopening in 2014, the Embassy of Denmark has embarked on numerous projects like the Carl Nielsen Project concert and the annual Danish Film Festival.

Hans Christian Andersen and José Rizal: From Denmark to the Philippines is available in both hardcover and softcover editions in finer bookstores and online at www.anvilpublishing.com.

Violin prodigy Chino Gutierrez in recital

November 30, 2013, 8:00 PM

Francisco Santiago Hall

South Tower, BDO Corporate Center

Makati

Featuring:

Joaquin Maria "Chino" Gutierrez, violin

Corazon Kabayao, piano 

Programme:
Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 27, No. 2 "Jacques Thibaud"

Cesar Franck Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano

Igor Stravinsky Suite Italienne for Violin and Piano

Antonín Dvořák Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op. 72

Henryk Wieniawski Polonaise Brillante No. 2, in A Major, Op. 21

Jose Rizal-Gilopez Kabayao La Deportacion

Maurice Ravel Tzigane 

Violin prodigy Joaquin Maria Gutierrez aka Chino will be performing at a one night concert entitled Revelry: Live Love Dance this November 30, 2013, 8:00 PM at the Santiago Francisco Hall, South Tower of the BDO Corporate Center. Pianist Corazon Kabayao will be the collaborating artist in this concert that will feature the music of Ysaÿe, Franck, Stravinsky, Dvořák, Wieniawski, Ravel, and Rizal-Kabayao.

Joaquin Gutierrez joins the emerging crop of young Filipino virtuosos who is carving a secure place in the international arena of classical music playing. A two-time winner of the National Competition for Young Artitsts (NAMCYA) in 1999 and 2002, Chino made his orchestral debut at the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the age of 10 in a performance of Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole and his first solo recital at the age of 10 to public and critical acclaim. His first violin teacher, Alfonso "Coke" Bolipata described him as "unusually gifted with a gifted ability and a sense of music-making that is uncanny for someone is age." Rosalinda Orosa of Philippine Star wrote, "Chino's performance was brilliant, manifesting an expressivity and sensitivity well beyond the soloist's tender years." Respected conductor and violinist Oscar Yatco made an assessment of Chino's gifts, thus, "Chino is the Cecile Licad of the violin."

At 12, Chino left for Germany to study with the renowned pedagogue Jens Ellermann, who instantly recognized him as "a major talent of the violin". He was admitted into the prestigious Hochschule for Musik und Theater Munchen (State Academy of Music and Theater in Munich) where he studied violin while simultaneously attending a regular German high school. He has been the recipient of German grants from the Dorian Stiftung in Stuttgart, and the Theodor-Rogler Stiftung in Munich. Multi-talented and gifted, Chino made splendid progress with the violin even as he reaped success in math, science and languages. At 14, he emerged Landdessieger (champion) in the state math competitions in Bavaria. In addition, because of his linguistic abilities, he was handpicked to co-author a book on etymology in five languages.

Chino has participated in master classes in the Philippines, Germany, Italy and USA, and has received personal coaching from noted violinists like Gilopez Kabayao, Oscar Yatco, Gina Medina, Joseph Esmilla, Alexander Tomescu, Gottfried Schneider and Weigang Li. He has performed as a soloist with the major orchestras in the Philippines under the baton of Ryan Cayabyab, Francisco Feliciano, Chino Toledo and Oscar Yatco. Currently, Chino is pursuing Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at the Hochschule fur Music und Theater Munchen under the tutelage of respected pedagogues Olga Voitova-Bloch and Christoph Poppen.

Ticket prices:

P2000

P1000

P850

-40% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

218-1864, (0915) 404-1290

J.P., ang Gig ni Rizal

I felt a very different kind of atmosphere when I arrived at the Main Lobby of the Cultural Center of the Philippines when I went there to see the by invitation only J.P., ang Gig ni Rizal. First of all, there were so many students in their school uniform. And their behavior (both excited and a bit apprehensive) suggested that it was very likely that they’ve never been to the CCP before. Add to that several young people dressed in native formal wear gamely posing for photos, especially beneath the banners featuring themselves that were displayed at the lobby. Seeing, hearing and feeling all of these made me realize that the the musical gala and awards ceremony which is in line with the numerous events happening in celebration of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal’s 150^th birth anniversary, would be very much unlike the usual shows that I’ve seen inside the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo or the CCP Main Theater.

While waiting for the event to start, the people gathered at the lobby were treated to music provided by the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Foundation Rondalla. And right before the show started, the Philippine Hiphop Dance Community showed their moves at the lobby as well. It was interesting for me to see both the traditional and the new and it did set the tone for the rest of the event. The show turned out to be a spectacle hosted by Riki Benedicto with live orchestral music provided by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Olivier Ochanine. At first, the attempts to make Rizal hip, cool and current through the host’s spiels felt a bit forced in my opinion. I guess that this just showed my age since I am more fascinated whenever I view Rizal from a distance and knowing that his lifetime was more than a century ago. I guess that you could credit that on how I respect and view music composers from centuries ago as well.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra led by Olivier Ochanine

But just like these composers of music, Dr. Jose Rizal also had works of his own like the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and the poem Mi Ultimo Adios. And after Rizal’s death, future generations of artists have interpreted and re-worked these works into songs, plays and dances. And samples of these were featured during the show with soprano Myra Mae Meneses singing the Rizal penned poem Canto Patrotico de Maria Clara set into music by Juan Hernandez. An excerpt from the ballet Crisostomo Ibarra (the lead character from Noli Me Tangere) was also performed by Candice Adea and JM Codero accompanied by a piano trio led by Jed Balsamo. I guess that for most of the students in the audience, it was their first time ever to see a soprano and a contemporary ballet performance.

Awit ni Maria Clara (Maria Clara’s Song), an excerpt from Noli Me Tangere, the Musical (libretto by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and music by Ryan Cayabyab) was performed by mainstream stars Rachelle Ann Go and Erik Santos along with members of the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company. The inclusion of mainstream stars along with the very accessible music of Ryan Cayabyab resulted in a well applauded number.

John Arcilla with the 300 Voice Choir performing Mi Ultimo Adios

Then immediately right after, John Arcilla delivered a monologue which led directly to Mi Ultimo Adios, with orchestrations by Ryan Cayabyab, performed by the 300 voice choir composed of DLS-CSB Coro San Benildo, DBM Chorale, DILG Chorale, DOJ Chorale, DSWD Chorale, East Avenue Medical Center Chorale, Landbank Musical Ensemble, NBI Chorale, Pag-Ibig Fund Chorale, Senate Choir, Supreme Court Choir, Tarlac State University Choir, TINING – Ang Koro ng Letran Calamba Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba, UP Concert Chorus. These choirs were led by choir conductor Jai Sabas Aracama. This number gave me goose bumps and I hope that this piece would be performed more often.

The Philippine Allstars

In order to connect with the younger audiences, the Philippine Allstars performed a hiphop number but it was early in the programme and I think that the students at the audience still had yet to get settled so the response wasn’t as warm as I thought it would be. But they performed with the precise and sharp moves they’re known for and I did like the seamless and effortless formation changes throughout their routine. The kids responded well with the video by Mae Paner aka Juana Change. She also had a monologue as Josephine Bracken which made me nervous since she almost crossed the adult territory with her language and topic and there were students and even sisters in the audience. But I guess that this was the main reason why the kids responded well with the monologue.

The entire cast with the awardees 

The PPO performed an Itchy Worms medley which I think fell flat with the audience but the next number which was Hallelujah by Bamboo featuring four choirs drew out spontaneous applause during the introduction, the first verse and the chorus which really made me glad. And the very patriotic Bayan Ko translated as My Country which featured John Arcilla and Jai Sabas Aracama along with the 300 voice choir ending with the whole cast and awardees on stage was the hair raising finale of the musical gala.

The 35 Bagong Rizal

The main highlight of this event was the awarding of 35 children and youths as Mga Bagong Rizal (Modern Day Rizal). These 35, from ages 11 up to 21 and coming from all over the country who are willing to commit their lives to the ideals of Jose Rizal were chosen by Philippine Center for Gifted Education, in cooperation with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Tanghalang Pilipino from hundreds of nominees. They were presented on stage and were given trophies. 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida administered their oath and delivered a speech telling the awardees that being a hero isn’t easy and that there’ll be challenges along the way.

The 35 Bagong Rizal awardees taking their oaths

After the show, a banquet was held in honor of the awardees along with their families and friends. It was during this time when they started loosening up and acted like the young people which they were. After the banquet, some took turns in singing for the people in the dining area amidst the friendly teasing of their fellow awardees. They were called once again and were given more tokens including a laptop for each. I found out that prior to this event, they had a leadership seminar and that they would have a courtesy call at the Malacañan Palace the following day. So this experience has been truly memorable for the 35 awardees and yet, Dr. Leticia Peñano-Ho reminded them that being a modern day Rizal doesn’t end with the awarding ceremony. I join her and the rest of the nation in wishing these 35 well in all their endeavors as they continue their journey towards excellence and may they inspire the youth to live the ideals and principles of our Dr. Jose Rizal.

The 35 Bagong Rizal Awardees:

1. John Gabriel Pelias, University of the Philippines, Diliman

2. Joseph Kennedy Tabor Jr., Batasan Hills National High School

3. Kim Robert de Leon, University of the Philippines, Diliman

4. Melchora Elena Mabilog, St. Scholastica’s College-West Grove, Cavite

5. Ma. Francisca Iñez Mejia, Miriam College, Quezon City

6. John Carlo Baltazar, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Manila

7. Aleo Denoyo, PAREF Southridge School, Muntinlupa

8. Justin Daniel Junio, Jose Rizal University

9. Jeannett Gonzales, University of Baguio

10. Ivan Jim Layugan, University of Baguio

11. Angelica Licudan, University of Baguio

12. Jhonard Galicia, Tabuk National High School, Kalinga

13. Mico Martin Mallillin, Cagayan National High School

14. Daniel Ortega, Isabela State University

15. John Kit Masigan, St. Paul University

16. Pamela Camille Pene, Cesar E. Vergara Memorial High School

17. Avian Faye Vital, San Fernando Elementary School

18. Bianca Sophia Regala, College of the Immaculate Conception GS

19. Marc Wendolf Duque, Pampanga High School

20. Anne Mimille Guzman, Philippine High School for the Arts

21. Henrielle Pagkaliwangan, Philippine High School for the Arts

22. Raoul Danniel Manuel, UP Visayas - UP High School in Iloilo

23. Serge Lorenz Villasica, Mandaue City Science High School

24. Miko Cabatingan, Abellana National School

25. Ezekiel Majan, Cebu City National Science High School

26. Ridwan Landasan, Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan

27. Ellen Joy Cajes, Maryknoll High School of Panabo

28. Carla Beatriz Lazara, Philippine Science High School - Davao

29. Percival Adonis Casiño, St. Mary’s College of Tagum

30. John Elmer Loretizo, GSC SPED International School

31. Romeo Dequito Jr., GSC SPED International School

32. Isam Benedict Blen Dimacutac, GSC SPED International School

33. Rexbelle Mae Caliguid, Agusan National High School

34. Hyacinth Faune, Agusan National High School

35. Ernn Andre Torregoza, Bonifacio Elementary School