ARDP brings Tales of the Manuvu to Proscenium at Rockwell

After a well received one weekend run at UP Diliman last February, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP) brings the Tales of the Manuvu at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati this March 28-29, 2026.

Presented in collaboration with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and with the generous support of Pinay In Action, ARDP's Tales of the Manuvu is the country's first ever rock opera ballet that premiered at the CCP back in 1977.

Telling the creation story of the Manobo tribe in Mindanao, Tales of the Manuvu is choreographed by Alice Reyes, National Artist for Dance from the libretto written by Bienvenido Lumbera, National Artist for Literature. OPM icon Dero Pedero composed the music with the rock band Afterbirth providing additional music.

Photo ©Erica Jacinto

As a rock opera ballet, the production features a powerhouse ensemble of singers and dancers, continuing the tradition of featuring live vocalists and a rock band alongside technical brilliance. The original staging boasted a who's who of Philippine theater and music with the casting of Boy Camara, Anthony Castelo, Haji Alejandro, Celeste Legaspi, and Leah Navarro who made her debut with this production.

For the 2026 restaging, the singers include Joshua Cadeliña, alternating with versatile theater artist Adonis Villanueva for the role of Manama/First Man; international a cappella sensation Almond Bolante and distinguished baritone Greg De Leon sharing the role of Ogassi; Christy Lagapa and Toni Carm Santos alternating the role of First Woman; and the UP Concert Chorus returning as the ensemble continuing an almost 50 year tradition.

ARDP dancers taking on the lead roles include John Ababon, alternating with Renzen Arboleda for Manama and Earl John Arisola and seasoned choreographer/dance artist Erl Sorilla sharing the role of Ogassi. Renzen Arboleda and James Galarpe alternate for the First Man while Krislynne Buri and Francine Beltran alternate dancing the First Woman.

Photo ©Erica Jacinto

The 2026 production is restaged by ARDP Ballet Master Lester Reguindin. This iteration features new set and costume designs by award-winning director and designer Loy Arcenas, and lighting design by Barbara Tan-Tiongco.

The March 28, 2026, 8:00 PM performance is a fund raising gala that will be a direct investment in the future of ARDP, providing vital support for our dancers and the preservation of the works of National Artists like Alice Reyes and Agnes Locsin.

Regular performances are set on March 29, 2026 with a matinee at 2:00 PM and an evening performance at 6:00 PM.

All proceeds from ticket sales will cover production expenses and provide essential financial support to ARDP dancers, musicians, and the artists involved in bringing this epic production to life. By purchasing tickets, patrons directly contribute to sustaining the legacy of Filipino dance and supporting the livelihoods of dedicated performing artists.

British soprano Katerina Mina headlines PPO Concert VII: Opera

As the ballet and opera world continue to react to Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet's now infamous remarks about not wanting to work in ballet or opera because no one cares about them anymore, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra gives more than enough reason to care with its upcoming opera themed concert happening on March 13, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Metropolitan Theater.

Billed as Opera, the seventh installment of the PPO's 41st season sees British soprano Katerina Mina headlining the concert performing opera arias by Giuseppe Verdi (Pace, pace mio dio from La forza del destino), Umberto Giordano (La mamma morta from Andrea Chénier), and Giacomo Puccini (Vissi d'arte from Tosca). She will also perform Angel of Fire, which is her poetry set to music by composer Stephan Hodel.

Katerina Mina

Angel of Fire is also the title of Katerina Mina's 2018 album with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, who is currently the PPO's music director and principal conductor. The title track and all the arias in the concert program are part of the album that has been presented to King Charles of Britain.

Born in Cyprus and based in London, Mina is a prizewinning artist renowned for her powerful stage presence and wide-ranging repertoire, from Verdi and Puccini to Wagner and contemporary works. She recently starred in the world premiere of Three Women and has performed leading roles in classic operas, including Turandot, Tosca, Brünnhilde, and Isolde.

Mina’s vocal performances through the years drew raves from various critics, citing her “deeply passionate vocal sound,” having “added layers of depth and visualisation to the work that any singer coming after her will be hard put to replicate…”, with a “mature voice that has a given place in any Music Hall. Critics praise her as “one of those clear-as-a-bell soprano voices, displayed with great charm to the top of the register, and with generous volume.”

A versatile concert performer, Mina has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cyprus Symphony, and other orchestras across Europe, Japan, and Mexico. Mentored by British dramatic soprano Susan Bullock, Mina has received the Stockholm Culture Award in recognition of her contributions to opera.

Grzegorz Nowak

The concert will also feature Verdi's Overture to La forza del destino as well as Jeffrey Ching's Ring Symphony, a large-scale orchestral work based on Richard Wagner’s The Ring of the Nibelung cycle.

The previously announced world premiere performance of Jerry Dadap's Symphony No. 5 The Wrath of Prakṛti (nature) & Ragatmika-Bhakti (devotion) will be programmed for next season.

The PPO will also have an Opera Cosplay Challenge inviting audience goers to dress up inspired by any opera and/or ballet or as an orchestra musician for a chance to win merchandise and tickets to the PPO's season finale concert. Or just to let Timothée Chalamet know that people still care about ballets, operas, and orchestras. Complete mechanics can be seen at the PPO's social media pages.

Manila Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Manila present joint season opener with Sleeping Beauty

The Manila Symphony Orchestra formally begins its Centennial Season by joining forces with Ballet Manila with the staging of the ballet Sleeping Beauty happening on March 13-15, 2026 at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex in Pasay.

Ballet Manila's Sleeping Beauty features the choreography of Lisa Macuja Elizalde, the company's Artistic Director and CEO Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and is the final installment of her Princess Trilogy following Cinderella and Snow White.

Shapira Drapete and Joshua Enciso

The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will be brought to life by the Manila Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Alexander Vikulov. The MSO, BM, and Vikulov have been frequent collaborators since 2011.

Music highlights of the ballet include the Rose Adagio and the popular Waltz known to most as Once Upon a Dream from the animated feature by Disney. Both the Tchaikovsky music, completed in 1899, and the ballet, premiered in 1890, predate by six decades the Disney adaptation that was released in 1959.

Alexander Vikulov

Another music highlight to look out for is Aurora's Variation featuring a special violin passage to be performed by MSO's concertmaster Alessio Benvenuti.

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Below is Manila Symphony Orchestra's updated Centennial Season Lineup.

Concert I: Centennial Opening: Sleeping Beauty

March 13-15, 2026

Aliw Theater

Ballet Manila

Alexander Vikulov, conductor

Concert II: From Mozart to Mahler

May 30, 2026

Proscenium Theater

Emanuel John Villarin, violin

Christian Wrona, viola

Joshua Dos Santos, conductor

Concert III: Concert Celebration: 80 Years of Filipino-American Friendship

July 4, 2026

Metropolitan Theater

Jeanne Marquez, violin

Jason Marquez, clarinet

Jose Lorenzo Reyna, Jr., conductor

Concert IV: Opera and Kundiman: The Legacy of Maestra Conching Rosal

August 29, 2026

FEU Auditorium

Rachelle Gerodias-Park, soprano

Michelle Mariposa, mezzo-soprano

Byeong In Park, baritone

Marlon Chen, conductor

Concert V: Cellist Camille Thomas with the MSO

October 24, 2026

Hyundai Hall, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University

Camille Thomas, cello

Marlon Chen, conductor

Concert VI: World Premiere: Filipino Master Composers

January 2027

Venue: TBA

New works by Ryan Cayabyab

Marlon Chen, conductor

Violinist Bartek Nizioł, pianist Junhee Kim join PPO for Romanza concert

For this Valentine's Day weekend already overflowing with multiple concerts happening all over the Metro, try something orchestral with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's Romanza this February 13, 2026, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Joining PPO music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak are violinist Bartek Nizioł and pianist Junhee Kim for an evening of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jeffrey Ching, Henryk Wieniawski, and Maurice Ravel.

Nizioł and Kim will be the soloists for Mozart's Concerto for Violin and Piano in D major, K. Anh. 56/315f. This unfinished piece from 1778 will be completed by Jeffrey Ching, the PPO's composer-in-residence. Romanza sees the world premiere of this Mozart/Ching work.

Nizioł will also have his shining moment on stage with Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22. Dedicated to celebrated Spanish violinist/composer Pablo de Sarasate, this work is one of the most enduring violin concertos of the Romantic era.

Bartek Nizioł

Violin prodigy Nizioł graduated from the Academy of Music in Poznań. He then resumed his education at the Conservatoire de Lausanne. Apart from winning the Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition in 1991, Nizioł has coveted awards in several international violin competitions. Nizioł has spent nearly four decades as both a soloist and a chamber musician, with over 20 albums. On numerous occasions, he has performed and recorded with Maestro Nowak.

Rounding up the program is Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé: Suite No. 2 which is music extracted from the ballet of the same name. Stravinsky calls this "not only Ravel’s best work, but also one of the most beautiful products of all French music.”

After the PPO concert, Kim will have a solo recital on February 15, 2026, 7:00 PM at Manila Pianos at Ronac Lifestyle Building, Paseo de Roxas Magallanes, Makati. Prior to that, he is also scheduled to conduct a masterclass on February 14, 2026, 2:00 PM at Pacific Plaza in Makati.

Junhee Kim

South Korean pianist Kim is known for his stage presence, tone, and refined sense of repertoire. Fusing technical mastery with emotional clarity, his musical interpretations showcase fresh perspectives on the classical piano tradition. Currently, Kim curates long-term projects for the Santa Barbara International Music Festival in Sardinia as its artistic director.

In 2025, he commissioned Ching for a reimagined version of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with piano and premiered it at a festival. He later focused on Franz Liszt’s lesser-known compositions and worked with WDR 3 to release Apparitions on Deutsche Grammophon.