Broadway star Lea Salonga and BYU Chamber Orchestra in concert at the CCP

Apologies for the lengthy break since my last post, but I am back nonetheless brimming with excitement as Broadway star Lea Salonga takes to the Cultural Center of the Philippines stage once again in a concert with the Brigham Young University (BYU) Chamber Orchestra on May 30, 2017, 8:00 PM at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

During the past couple of weeks, the BYU Chamber Orchestra, led by conductor Kory Katseanes, has been performing at various parts of the country and they will wrap their Philippine tour with the CCP concert with Lea Salonga. Expect the orchestra to perform music by American composers like Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, John Williams, Richard Rodgers, Leroy Anderson, and George Gershwin while Lea will very likely perform career defining songs from the screen and the stage.

Lea Salonga is best known for originating the role of Kim in Miss Saigon and for being the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and of Mulan. She has recently starred in the Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group's production of Fun Home and is seen currently on television as one of the judges in the teen edition of The Voice.

The BYU Chamber Orchestra is considered the most select among the five orchestras in the BYU School of Music and serves as the touring orchestra representing BYU in the US and abroad. The orchestra is conducted by Kory Katseanes, the Director of Orchestras within the School of Music and a former Director of the School of Music.

Lea Salonga with the BYU Chamber Orchestra

May 30, 3017, 8:00 PM | Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

Featuring:

Lea Salonga

BYU Chamber Orchestra

Kory Katseanes, conductor

Ticket prices:

P3000 | P2000 | P100 | P500

50% discount for students

20% discount for senior citizens, PWD, government and military personnel

For inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3704

TicketWorld 891-9999

Icons Lea Salonga, Cecile Licad and Lisa Macuja returns for The Legends and the Classics Encore

October 12, 2013, 8:00 PM

October 13, 2013, 5:00 PM

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Lea Salonga

Cecile Licad

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde

Francisco Llorin

ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra

Gerard Salonga, conductor

Ballet Manila

It was just a question of when Lea Salonga, Cecile Licad and Lisa Macuja-Elizalde could be able to match their schedules in order to stage a repeat performance of The Legends and the Classics. This show, the winner of Best Concert Collaboration at last year’s Aliw Award was the talk of the town when it happened back in March 17-18, 2012 and I was very fortunate to watch the show back then. And now comes another opportunity for those who have missed it and those who want to see it again as The Legends and the Classics comes back for a two performance Encore this October 12, 2013, 8:00 PM and on October 13, 2013, 5:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

The show will once again feature individual numbers from the three as well as special collaborations among them that combine song (Lea Salonga), music (Cecile Licad) and dance (Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and the rest of Ballet Manila). Joining the show this time is ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra led by Gerard Salonga. Another change this year will be the inclusion of cellist Francisco Llorin for The Dying Swan number which was also one of the most memorable highlights from last year’s show.

It’s been announced that Cecile Licad will completely change her repertoire for this concert. And I was able to learn from Gerard Salonga himself that she and the orchestra will now perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 34 replacing the Chopin piece they did during the original staging. The title itself may not ring a bell to most people but once they get to listen to the Variation 18 of the Rachmaninoff piece, it will either send shivers down their spine or bring them into tears. And the hardcore piano enthusiasts like me will highly anticipate seeing and hearing the Steinway and Sons grand piano that will be provided by the Steinway Gallery Singapore for this concert. I was also told by Lisa Macuja-Elizalde that they will also have a special surprise number at the end but that was all that I was able to get out from her or from any other member of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra that I was able to talk to.

This show is truly one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year considering that Lea Salonga has recently concluded a very high profile stint as a coach at The Voice of the Philippines. Cecile Licad, on the other hand, will be back at the CCP stage once again less than four months after The Pianist’s Pianist. And Lisa Macuja-Elizalde is almost done with her Swan Song Series with Ballet Manila ending this December when she bids goodbye to full length ballets. The Legends and the Classics Encore is definitely the last chance for people to see these three icons perform on one stage.

The Legends and the Classics is presented by the Manila Broadcasting Company and Ballet Manila, under the stage direction of Roxanne Lapus and musical direction of Gerard Salonga. Major sponsors are BPI Credit Cards, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Bellarocca Island Resort & Spa, Mekeni, Uratex, Solaire Resort and Casino and El Nido Resorts, supported by Island Rose. Steinway Gallery Singapore is the official piano sponsor.

Ticket prices:

P6000 Orchestra Center Premium

P5000 Orchestra Center/Side, Parterre/Lower Box

P3000 Balcony I, Upper Box

P2000 Balcony II Premium

P1000 Balcony II

For inquiries:

TicketWorld 891-9999

Forbidden Broadway

Caisa Borromeo, Lorenz Martinez, OJ Mariano, Liesl Batucan and Joel Trinidad

Upstart Productions’ staging of Forbidden Broadway recently ended its run over at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium located at the RCBC Plaza. This musical that spoofed Broadway’s greatest hits had its cast of Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano and Lorenz Martinez zoom through numerous song numbers accompanied by equally numerous costume changes. What basically is a musical revue originally envisioned for just a dinner theater was transformed into a hilarious trip through Broadway culture and a dose of social satire by the show’s director Joel Trinidad.

Right from the start when Forbidden Broadway had its press launch, I got dismayed when I learned that I wouldn’t be able to attend the press preview. Luckily, the show had a three weekend run which meant that there would be other chances for me to see it. And thanks to music director Onyl Torres, he was able to give me a heads up enabling me to catch what was probably the most sought after performances during its entire run. It turned out that the guest performer on this night was no other than Ms. Lea Salonga herself. The guest stars who were supposed to perform just one number per show served as one of the most awaited moments in the entire musical since it was supposed to be a surprise: the audience was supposed to have no idea who was performing what on a certain night. But some of the guests spilled the news themselves when they invited people to go on the date when they would perform so the element of surprise didn’t happen at all.

Forbidden Broadway is one musical that had no plot at all. All that is required from the audience is to pay attention and listen closely to the songs in order to get the wit and the humor of the lyrics written by Gerard Alessandrini. Some of the songs, especially God, It’s High which is a spoof of Bring Him Home from Les Miserables really had me laughing since I got the essence of the song with OJ Mariano practically begging to make the song lower by changing its key. For someone who doesn’t know basic music theory or the concept of key signatures, this song would be a hard sell. Speaking of music theory, I noticed that the Andrew Lloyd Webber songs that were included in the show had their melodies changed drastically. It was only in the rhythm, the phrasing and the overall structure of the songs (and also the character’s costume) that made them recognizable. I told Joel after the show that I think that Webber allowed Gerard Alessandrini to use his songs with the condition that he had to change the music and not present them in their original form. While the songs about the songs themselves were hits for me, the portions poking fun on Broadway personalities were a miss. And the main reason was I didn’t get the cultural reference at all. Yes, Liesl was brilliant with her Liza and Barbra but I failed to get the joke. I guess that I didn’t know the two personalities enough in order to appreciate those particular numbers.

Lea Salonga being mobbed by fans

Lea Salonga, on the other hand, probably didn’t need to deliver jokes since her presence alone made up for the price of admission. Lea is no stand up comedian and she’s more associated for portraying tragic and flawed characters on stage. So seeing her defiantly wicked (pardon the pun) in singing a spoof of Defying Gravity was a huge treat in itself. She sang the original version during The Legends and the Classics concert but she was generally reserved there unlike here in Forbidden Broadway where she let it all out and became as un-Lea Salonga as she could be. I don’t know if she meant it to be, but for me she actually spoofed herself which made everything priceless.

Joel Trinidad and RAd

Probably the biggest surprise of the show for me was pianist Dingdong Fiel who did something extra which I didn’t expect at all. I’ve known him for some time now and he always seemed so serious and devoted to his craft. Too bad that I can’t divulge what he did and those who were able to catch the show would know what I was talking about. Thanks once again to Onyl Torres and Mr. Toots Tolentino for giving me the opportunity to watch Forbidden Broadway. It was fun and refreshing to see Liesl, Caisa, OJ in a different light and it was also nice to get acquainted with Lorenz as well. I look forward to future projects by Upstart Productions.

The Legends and the Classics

Featuring:

Lea Salonga

Cecile Licad

Lisa Macuja

Wilfredo Pasamba

FILharmoniKA

Gerard Salonga, conductor

Ballet Manila

Up to this moment, despite the concert happening more than two weeks ago, I am still trying to sink in the fact that multi-awarded theater actress Lea Salonga, piano virtuoso Cecile Licad and celebrated ballerina Lisa Macuja managed to be in one show. And this show was aptly called The Legends and the Classics. These three women, icons in their respective disciplines have amassed numerous achievements between themselves and have served as an inspiration to numerous young artists, musicians, dancers and dreamers. When they perform individually, their respective shows have always been hot ticket items so when the three of them joined forces for what was just a one night affair, demand for tickets was at an all time high that a second night had to be put up.

I am extremely fortunate to be among those who were able to experience this concert featuring world class Filipino talents. I’ve been to numerous concerts and shows at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and I was surprised to see only a few of the regulars there during the second night and was amused as well by the newbies who had difficulty in finding their respective sections inside the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). A stellar cast, a unique concept and the festive atmosphere made me believe earlier on that this will be one heck of an experience for me.

I’ve had some clues as to how things would go since stage director Roxanne Lapus gave a brief outline of the flow of the show during the press conference. And it seemed that her vision came to fruition without a hitch starting from the opening number that featured Lea Salonga singing Nais Ko and Cecile Licad and Lisa Macuja with the rest of Ballet Manila eventually joining her on stage. The concert featured a seamless collaboration between the three, with each of them given a moment to shine and then combining to create a pretty darn good picture. Well, it wasn’t just a pretty picture since it was also easy on the ears as well with the live music by FILharmoniKA conducted by the show’s music director Gerard Salonga.

Going to the individual performances, Lea Salonga was her usual self, performing with pristine vocals and technical perfection. She managed to squeeze in some humor when handed a glass of water in between songs by a Ballet Manila danseur stating that this was in her contract. She sang a medley of Broadway songs from roles that she has portrayed (Memory from CATS, On My Own and I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables) before singing a couple of songs from Wicked (For Good and Defying Gravity) which is a more recent hit. She then reminded the audience that she wasn’t just a theater actress but also a Disney Princess as well as she went on to sing a medley of Disney songs (Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas, Reflection from Mulan and A Whole New World from Aladdin). I’m not a huge fan of medleys but somehow they made the solo songs As If We’ve Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard, Hahanapin Ko and I’d Give My Life for You from Miss Saigon a lot more special. And she made people note the significance of the last song not just on her career but how it tied up with the venue as well. Her Miss Saigon journey started at the CCP where the auditions were held. She said that she sang it in a concert before she left for London to star in the musical and to sing it again after more than two decades on the very same stage was just amazing. So once I heard the all too familiar opening bars of this song, I felt goose bumps all over my body fully realizing the significance of what was happening right before my very eyes. I wasn’t the only who felt this since right after the song was finished, the audience stood up to give Lea a standing ovation.

Lisa Macuja actually did a number first before Lea performing the world premiere of Augustus Admian III’s choreography of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet with music by Sergei Prokofiev. Ballet Manila’s principal danseur Rudy de Dios joined Lisa in this number as her Romeo. And right after Lea’s set was the Grande Divertissement from Paquita with music by Ludwig Minkus, with Lisa joined by the rest of the Ballet Manila. It’s remarkable knowing that Lisa is close to retiring and yet she can still keep up with the much younger dancers. Her chaine and piqué turns remain fast, sharp, tight and very secure. I couldn’t contain my gasp when she did what I think were eight well centered turns in an assisted pirouette during the Pas de deux in Paquita. Equally amazing was the move during Romeo and Juliet where Rudy de Dios tossed her in the air. And she quickly had to do two quick revolutions in mid-air before being caught by her partner and they immediately did the next move without skipping a beat. And the 32 fouettés en tournant at the coda of Paquita was such a sight to behold. Lisa started the turns sans the music thus setting the pace for the orchestra. It was amazing to see how focused she was during the turns despite the audience roaring in applause with Lisa still having a long way to go. As expected, a standing ovation from the audience right after this section.

I’ve always wondered if there would be an element of surprise in this show since classical concerts normally have the programme/repertoire announced in advance. And the staples of classical ballet have remained the same and it was usually up to the principal dancers, the company and the rest of the production team to come up with a show that would match up to the world standards. I initially thought that Lea would be bringing in the surprise since she did refuse to divulge anything when I asked her about her planned song selection when I met her during the Kanta Pilipinas music video shoot. Unexpectedly, it was actually Cecile Licad who gave the most unexpected performance of the evening for me. I’ve never seen her play as explosive, playful and irreverent when she did her opening number of Frédéric Chopin’s Andante spianato et grande polonaise brilliante in E flat major, Op. 22. I’ve read a facebook status of Gerard Salonga stating that Cecile wanted a bading (gay) and lasing (drunk) Chopin. I wondered what that meant at the time and only realized what it was all about when I saw the actual performance. And Gerard’s description was spot on. It felt to me like Cecile realized that this was not the usual classical concert with a more discerning audience and decided to take risks, be flamboyant, be crazy (lukaret was the word of the day during the press conference), and ultimately have fun which was how she played Pasquinade, Caprice Op. 59 and Souvenirs d'Andalousie, Caprice de concert sur la caña, Op. 22 by Louis Moreau Gottschalk that followed the Chopin. I think that if she started with the Gottschalk pieces, then I would’ve been more prepared for her unconventional and very surprising Chopin. What wasn’t surprising was yet another standing ovation once she finished her set.

RAd and Lea Salonga

Clearly, the highlights of the show were the collaborations between two of the artists. One such collaboration was Lisa Macuja dancing The Dying Swan with music by Camille Saint-Saëns while being accompanied by Cecile Licad and cellist Wilfredo Pasamba. While Paquita was a display of technical prowess and more designed to impress, this number was more subtle and was meant to move the emotions instead. Then Lea went on stage once again for a medley of Michel Legrand songs (What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life, Windmills of Your Mind and Piece of Sky) with Ballet Manila and Lisa Macuja joining her. And during the climax of this medley, when Lea sang “watch me fly”, Lisa once again showed her unmatched turning abilities with those amazing chaine turns. The finale featured all three again Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas which was how people felt at that time: that the show wouldn’t end and still go on. The show ran for two and a half hours without an intermission and yet it didn’t felt that long at all. After this number, what seemed to go on without an end was the standing ovation by the audience.

RAd and Cecile Licad

Right after the concert, I, along with a pianist friend who watched the concert with me, dashed towards the orchestra pit to congratulate Gerard and tell him how surprised I was by Cecile’s performance. After that, we waited at the lobby to see if there would be the usual meet and greet but I guessed that that wouldn’t be possible since the three would’ve been mobbed. So I decided to drag my friend near the backstage area and wait for the three there. Fortunately, our patience paid off since we were able to have photos and autographs taken with Lea Salonga, Cecile Licad, Lisa Macuja and Wilfredo Pasamba as well. This has been an exhilarating experience and very different from the usual concerts that I see at the CCP. Thank you very much to producer Lisa Macuja and Angela Blardony Ureta for this memorable experience.

RAd and Lisa Macuja

Icons Lea Salonga, Cecile Licad and Lisa Macuja join together in a legendary concert bound to be a classic

March 17, 2012, 8:00 PM

March 18, 2012, 6:00 PM

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Lea Salonga

Cecile Licad

Lisa Macuja

Wilfredo Pasamba

FILharmoniKA

Gerard Salonga, conductor

Ballet Manila

Lea Salonga, Cecile Licad and Lisa Macuja are living legends in their own respective fields whose achievements here and abroad have become the measure of success for countless artists here in the country. Having just one of them in a concert or a show is already a major event in itself so when first got word that these three are actually going to join together in one show, my jaw immediately dropped and I was rendered speechless and motionless. I’ve been very fortunate to have seen these three women perform individually before numerous times and their shows are not only time and money well spent but also a life enriching experience as well. Having the three in one concert, aptly titled The Legends and the Classics is something that one can’t miss. Originally planned to happen for just one night this March 17, 2012, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater), a second night was put up as well on March 18, 2012, 6:00 PM due to popular demand which didn’t surprise me at all.

Lea Salonga is mostly known as the musical theater actress (although she has recorded albums, starred in television and in the movies and did the voice of a few characters in Disney animated films as well). Cecile Licad is probably one, if not the most celebrated pianist from the Philippines right now. Lisa is practically synonymous with ballet in the Philippines. It’s hard to imagine that these women have never collaborated before despite having more than two decades in the business mainly because of the difference in their fields although they are all connected through music. Speaking of music, Gerard Salonga will be the music director for this concert that also includes FILharmoniKA. Roxanne Lapus handles stage direction duties in this concert that also features Ballet Manila and cellist Wilfredo Pasamba.

Cecile Licad, Lisa Macuja and Lea Salonga

As the concert dates draw near, I can’t help but recall the last time I saw these three ladies. I remember watching Cecile Licad way back in 2010 during the Chopin Manille Bicentenarie 2010 in which she performed  in a solo piano recital and then played a concerto with the Manila Symphony Orchestra a couple of days later. I failed to see her when she performed with FILharmoniKA some months after that and I think that this was time she performed in the country. It has been almost two years since I last saw her perform and I’m glad that I will be able to see her perform again. I’ve already gotten news as to one of the pieces that she’s going to play and if I got it right, then it’s reliving those Chopin concerts once again. And when I saw her during the press conference for this concert that was held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, I was surprised to see her with shorter hair style which I think suits her a lot better.

Lisa Macuja’s ballet performances have been very sought after of late since she is scheduled to retire in 2014. While she might hang up her ballet shoes in the future, her support for the arts is poised to remain the same since I regularly see her at various concerts and other cultural events as a member of the audience. She was very instrumental in bringing over Russian conductor Alexander Vikulov who performed with the Manila Symphony Orchestra some months ago. I also saw her being given the Natatanging Gawad Buhay! award by PHILSTAGE for her contribution to the art of ballet and dance in the country. It has already been announced that Lisa will dance The Dying Swan set to music of Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Swan with Wilfredo Pasamba playing the cello. This number may be about dying but the music and the dance are now considered classics and will always be a part of the music/dance literature. And now, Lisa feels that it’s the right time in her career for her to dance this exquisite number.

As for Lea Salonga, I’ve had the opportunity to see her shoot the music video for Kanta Pilipinas, which is a reality talent search over at TV5. Auditions have been ongoing in various cities around the country. And as much as Lea would want to have a larger role in the competition beyond the music video, her fully booked schedule in the upcoming months doesn’t permit her to do so. But she said that if she were given the chance to mentor the finalists, she would focus on the performance aspect since that is what she can bring to the table. She also said when interviewed by the media after the shoot that when someone wins the competition, he/she can’t just relax since that’s when the actual hard work will begin. And despite whatever people have heard or read in the news, Lea didn’t diss Anne Curtis’ singing. She actually stressed that Anne right from the start didn’t brand herself as a singer so she couldn’t be angry with her. But for those who continually dish out records and considers themselves as bona fide singers while being unable to sing to save their life, Lea didn’t hold back her words in expressing her displeasure over them. While her response may sound cocky to some, I do understand where she is coming from since she is a singer by profession and she has honed and improved her craft to get where she is right now. Her professionalism did manifest during the shoot as she came in very well prepared and did her part on cue. I felt bad for the others who were involved in the shoot who kept on making mistakes since Lea was spot on. It served as a reminder for everyone that one should come on set knowing what they’re supposed to do.

Lea Salonga

These three women have achieved a lot through hard work and dedication to their respective crafts and disciplines. So one might think that they would be the most serious individuals to work with but Roxanne Lapus shared during the press conference that Cecile Licad was the total opposite. Cecile then blurted out mga lokaret prompting laughter from Lea and Lisa who tried to contain it. This incident brought some credence that Cecile was right on referring to the three of them as crazy. They said that the three of them have only met the day before during their photo shoot and yet they already looked very comfortable around each other like they’ve known each other for ages. This much rapport with each other and this was just the press conference, so I wondered how it would be when they’re already on stage come show time. Well it’s a mighty good thing that I’ve already secured my tickets to this show.

Cecile Licad, Gerard Salonga, Lea Salonga, Lisa Macuja and Roxanne Lapus

This concert is presented by Ballet Manila and Manila Broadcasting Company, with the support of Lifestyle Network, Sofitel Philippine Plaza, and Ayala Land Premier. Special thanks to McDonald’s Philippines.

Ticket prices:

P7000 Orchestra Center

P5000 Orchestra Side

P3000 Balcony I Center

P2000 Balcony I Side

P1000 Balcony II

For inquiries:

TicketWorld 891-9999