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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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