Pianist Dingdong Fiel caps yearlong monthly concert series with tribute to grandmother

At the start of 2023, Aliw Award winning pianist Dingdong Fiel embarked on a rarity in the Philippine classical music scene: performing in 12 monthly solo piano concerts in a calendar year as part of the Manila Pianos Artist Series.

After 11 solo outings and having performed music ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach's baroque to György Ligeti's avant garde, Dingdong caps the series with Of Fond Remembrances, a tribute concert to his paternal grandmother happening on December 10, 2023, 6:00 PM at the Manila Pianos Showroom, 4/F Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City.

Dingdong Fiel

Lola Daidy, as she is fondly called, was instrumental in raising Dingdong not only physically but intellectually, emotionally and spiritually as well. He remembers her lola playing CDs of Van Cliburn, Horowitz, Argerich and other piano greats at home when he was small. Her love for classical music seeped into his subconscious at an early age and soon enough he started to play on the family's upright. The rest, they say, is history.

During the pandemic, Dingdong went back to his hometown in Ormoc to be with family. Every Sunday he would lug his electric piano and play for his lola in the afternoons - a mini recital lasting 4 hours. He made it a point never to repeat works. Playing the complete sonatas by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven as well as piano works by Schumann, Chopin, Liszt. This became the catalyst for the twelve solo recitals this year.

Lola Daidy

Lola Daidy passed away this year. This concert is a tribute to the matriarch who exemplified strength with grace, perseverance and above all filial piety.

At the concert, Dingdong will perform works by Richard Addinsell, Johannes Brahms, Francisco Buencamino, Frédéric Chopin, Sergei Rachmaninoff among others.

Below are images for the past 11 concerts of Dingdong throughout 2023.

Tickets to Of Fond Remembrances are priced at P1000 and P500 for seniors & students.

To purchase your ticket(s), GCASH payment to 0917-415-8876 Richard S. On the MSG line, type "(name) (# of tickets) - FIEL".

Please send confirmation to either 0917-415-8876 or use the messenger on Manila Pianos Artist Series Facebook page. Ticket(s) will be ready at the gate on the day of the performance.

Exploring Poland through music and literature

Ena Aldecoa, Zdzisław Łapiński, Maria Pomianowska,  and Tusa Montes

Whenever I think of music from Poland, composer Frédéric Chopin always comes to mind first followed by other classical music figures like Jan Paderewski, Henryk Wieniawski, Witold Lutosławski, and of late, Karol Szymanowski.

This is why it was a very welcome change that the Embassy of Poland brought folk music here when cellist Zdzisław Łapiński and folk musician Maria Pomianowska flew to Manila for a series of events as part of the festivities celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Poland.

One of the highlights of the duo's visit was a an intimate concert held at the Manila Polo Club where they performed folk and traditional Polish music as well as compositions by Pomianowska herself.

All eyes and ears were with Pomianowska as she showcased two Polish fiddles namely, suka biłgorajska and fidela płocka. Having a more angular shape rather than curves and similar in size with a viola, and played upright like a cello but just placed on the lap like an ehru, these instruments were lost for centuries but she, along with her collaborators Prof. Ewa Dahlig-Turek and luthier Andrzej Kuczowski, were able to reconstruct them despite the lack of existing specimens.

Ena Aldecoa, Maria Pomianowska, Zdzisław Łapiński, and Tusa Montes

Hearing Pomianowska play her compositions with these instruments with Łapiński on the cello providing accompaniment was a treat to the ears as the music not only explored different textures but also featured touches influenced by Asian music.

Befitting an event celebrating the ties between the two countries, local artists, namely soprano Ena Maria Aldecoa and percussionist Tusa Montes joined their Polish counterparts on stage resulting in a music performance that was truly collaborative.

Apart from this performance, Łapiński and Pomianowska gave masterclasses, workshops, performed at other lecture/concerts, and participated in a discussion about the music ties between the Philippines and Poland. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the University of the Philippines and the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Kraków to develop academic cooperation and promote mutual understanding.

A couple of days after the Manila Polo Club performance, the festivities of 50th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Poland reached its climax with yet another celebration, that of the National Day of Poland held at Fairmont Makati.

Embassy of Poland's Chargé d’Affaires Jarosław Szczepankiewicz reiterated in his speech the strong ties between the two countries. He then delighted the guests when he told in Filipino that the chicken galantina, a favorite dish served during feasts, and the mazurka folk dance (specifically Mazurka Boholana) have their origins in Poland.

H.E. Jarosław Szczepankiewicz, Usec Eduardo de Vera, and
Papal Nuncio Reverend Charles Brown 

In attendance at the reception were Eduardo de Vega, Undersecretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Reverend Charles Brown, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, members of the diplomatic corps, government employees, the Polish community in Manila, and some personalities in the world of business, media, and arts/culture as well.

Polish chefs ensured that the event would be a gastronomical feast showcasing the best of Polish cuisine. Good food is best paired with good drinks and the Zubrówka or Bison Grass Vodka was divine. Polish food products that are available in local groceries were also on display.

Suyo Rondalla Group

As with any celebration, music is always a highlight and the special guests that night was the Suyo Rondalla Group, coming all the way from Ilocos Sur.

RAd's Page Turners | Solaris

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As always, whenever I attend a national day celebration, I got compelled to read a novel by a Polish author to learn more about the country. But I am uncertain if reading Solaris by Stanisław Lem can help me at all to learn more about Poland since it takes place on a far away planet.

https://amzn.to/3QYrlCd

The science fiction novel is about a group of scientists in a research station studying the strange planet of Solaris, especially the ocean that covers almost the entirety of the planet. In their quest to find answers regarding the possible sentience of the ocean, the scientists instead get confronted by their inner, suppressed feelings manifested in human form, that is probably the work of the mysterious ocean itself. In the case of the lead protagonist Kelvin, he is visited by his ex-lover who has long been dead.

Solaris is a psychologically charged novel that has already been adapted into film twice, first by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972, and then by Steven Soderbergh in 2002 that starred George Clooney

RAd week November 27-December 3: Music performances beyond Metro Manila

Slim pickings in terms of classical music for Metro Manila folks this week but that doesn't mean that there aren't any performances happening elsewhere in the country.

Up in Baguio, internationally renowned tenor Arthur Espiritu, one of the country's top sopranos Stefanie Quintin-Avila, and the ever reliable and versatile pianist Mariel Ilusorio team up for Christmas Solstice on December 2, 2023, 6:00 PM at Canto, Kisad Road in Baguio.

This early Christmas treat will see Arthur, Stefanie, and Mariel perform a mix of classical, musical theater, and holiday music.

Going a bit south to the central Philippine islands, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra continues their outreach concert tour with Hala Bira PPO sa Kalibo on November 29, 2023, 7:00 PM at the Aklan Provincial Capitol, in front of the Godofredo P. Ramos Park, in Kalibo, Aklan.

This Cultural Center of the Philippines' outreach concert, a part of the orchestra's ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations, will also feature soprano Gerphil Flores-Libana and tenor and musical theatre actor Arman Ferrer. Herminigildo Ranera conducts.

Lined up for the evening are a mix of classical, musical theater, OPM, and surprise numbers especially programmed for the Aklanon audience.

While Metro Manila takes a breather this week, the Manila Pianos Artist Series is a model of consistency with its weekend concerts.

Pianist Jordan Shangkuan Ong will have a solo recital on December 2, 2023, 6:00 PM. Billed as Rhapsody, the performance will feature music by George Gershwin, Frédéric Chopin, Aram Khachaturian, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and a selection of Filipino and Chinese songs.

On December 3, 2023, 7:00 PM, vocal ensemble PASIPO presents Hodie: A Christmas Offering. The group, a part of the talent roster of the Manila Pianos Artist Series since 2019, will perform a Christmas themed program with music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ralph Vaughan-Williams, and Felipe de Leon.

Both Rhapsody and Hodie: A Christmas Offering will be held at the Manila Pianos Showroom at Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati.

Here again is the run down of music events and more happening this week.

November 27, 2023

26th French Film Festival

November 28, 2023

26th French Film Festival

November 29, 2023

26th French Film Festival

Hala Bira PPO sa Kalibo

November 30, 2023

26th French Film Festival

December 1, 2023

26th French Film Festival

December 2, 2023

26th French Film Festival

Christmas Solstice

Rhapsody

December 3, 2023

26th French Film Festival

Hodie: A Christmas Offering

26th French Film Festival: Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom

The story of global cinema in the 21st century so far is the dominance of superhero films adapted from comicbooks with the Marvel Cinematic Universe leading the charge for the past 15 years or so. But there is so much more to films adapted from comics than just the superhero fare from DC and Marvel Comics, known as the Big Two US comic publishers.

On the other side of the Atlantic, there are the Asterix & Obelix films based on the French comicbook Asterix created by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny. The comicbook has been around for more than 60 years predating most of the Marvel superheroes that have already hit the big screen. There have been 40 albums of Asterix released so far, with the latest being Asterix and the White Iris that had an initial print run of 5 million copies. Throughout the decades, English translations of Asterix comics have found their way to local bookstores. Although they may not be household names in here compared to France, there may be some who are familiar with the adventures of Asterix, the Gaul who by the help of a magic potion, has kept his small fishing village from getting conquered by the Romans.

Now, the fifth and latest film installment, Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom has made its way to Philippine cinemas via the 26th French Film Festival.

Directed by Guillaume Canet, who also stars as Asterix and Gilles Lellouch as Obelix, Middle Kingdom sees the titular characters travel to China in aid of Princess Sass-Yi (Julie Chen) in freeing her mother, the Empress (Linh-Dan Pham), from the traitorous Prince Deng Tsin Quin (Bun Hay Mean). The rag tag band that also includes trader Grandemaïs (Jonathan Cohen) and the Princess' bodyguard Tat Han (Leanna Chea), encounters numerous adventures over land and sea as they head towards the Middle Kingdom. In China, they cross paths with Julius Caesar (Vincent Cassel) who has also set his sights on conquering China to get back at his lover, Cleopatra (Marion Cotillard).

Just like the comicbooks, the film is littered with numerous puns for names like Caius Antivirus (Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović), Titanix (Orelsan), Tabascos (French Olympic gold medalist swimmer Florent Manaudou), and the aforementioned Deng Tsin Quin.

Anachronisms also are a plenty like the vibrating messenger pigeons, Cleopatra's wardrobe, and pop songs like, Kung Fu Fighting, and Lionel Richie's Say You, Say Me which served the movie's love theme. And yes, there is the obligatory love interests of the leads.

All of these just point to how similar Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom is to the Philippine action/adventure comedies of the 1980s-1990s that parodied pop culture of the time, but with a lot better visual and special effects. Asterix humor may be juvenile at most, but it is extremely accessible even to non-readers of the comics. And with French Film Festival tickets costing just about a third of the regular cinema fare, it is worth taking a chance just to have a change of pace from the usual Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster.

Long time readers will be rewarded though in seeing come to life on the big screen Dogmatix, Getafix, Vitalstatistix, Cacofonix, Unhygienix, and the other villagers. It is a bit jarring though when the names seen at the English subtitlles do not match with the French audio revealing that a lot of the names were changed in the English translations since the original names (puns in French) would not fly at all to a non-French speaker.

RAd's Page Turners | Asterix the Gaul, Asterix and the White Iris

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After watching the Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, viewers may be interested to check out the source the Asterix comics books. A good place to start is the first volume Asterix the Gaul, written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo.

https://amzn.to/3GeC1aV

The latest volume, Asterix and the White Iris by writer Fabcaro and illustrator Didier Conrad was just published on October 26, 2023 so it is still hot off the press, so to speak.

https://amzn.to/46tAMPF

Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom is part of the 26th French Film Festival happening on November 25-December 3, 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall Cinemas. Tickets are for P150 each with a discounted price of P100 available as well.

RAd week November 20-26: NAMCYA@50 finals week

The National Music Competitions for Young Artists' almost year long celebration of 50 years of musical excellence reaches its peak with the finals week happening this November 21-26, 2023 at the Metropolitan Theater and Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium.

With the theme of Gintong Pamana/Golden Legacy, the competition finals will see who will emerge triumphant in these categories: Choir (Children’s and Senior), Guitar (Senior), Piano (Senior), Rondalla (Children’s Solo and Junior), Strings (Violins and Lower Strings), Traditional Music, Voice (Senior), Woodwinds (Open).

Here is the schedule of the NAMCYA@50 Gintong Pamana finals week.

November 21, 2023

9:00 AM Opening Ceremonies, Metropolitan Theater

1:00 PM Piano (Senior), Metropolitan Theater

1:00 PM Guitar (Junior), Met Music Hall

November 22, 2023

9:20 AM Strings Lower (Senior), Metropolitan Theater

2:00 PM Voice Senior, Metropolitan Theater

November 23, 2023

9:30 AM Strings Violins (Senior), Metropolitan Theater

9:20 AM Woodwinds (Open), Met Music Hall

November 24, 2023

9:30 AM Children's Choir, Metropolitan Theater

2:30 AM Senior Choir, Metropolitan Theater

6:00 PM Traditional Music, Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium

November 25, 2023

10:00 AM Junior Rondalla, Metropolitan Theater

1:30 PM Children's Solo Rondalla, Met Music Hall

7:00 PM NAMCYA@50, Metropolitan Theater

November 26, 2023

3:00 PM Closing Ceremonies, Metropolitan Theater

On to other music events this week, Hungarian pianist Alexandra Balog, 1st prize winner of the 2022 Franz Liszt Centre International Piano Competition and the 2017 Béla Bartók International Piano Competition, will have a solo piano concert on November 26, 2023, 4:00 PM at the St. Cecilia's Hall at St. Scholastica's College in Manila.

Billed as Zenére! and presented by the Piano Teachers Guild of the Philippines Foundation Inc. and the St. Scholastica's College School of Music, the concert will have Balog perform music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Schubert, as well as Hungarian composers Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály and Franz Liszt.

Also in town is the 2022 BBC Best Male Chorister of the Year Luca Burgnoli for a one night concert on November 22, 2023, 8:00 PM at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Building in Makati.

Presented by the British Alumni Association in partnership with the British Embassy, British Council, and British Chamber of Commerce, Luca in Concert guest stars Steinway Artist & Global Ambassador Dominic Ferris, British dancer Darcey Redman, and soprano Regina Saban, a prize winner at the 2022 National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA).

The Manila Pianos Artist Series this week includes Szymanowski/Ligeti, pianist Dingdong Fiel's penultimate performance of his year long 12 monthly recitals. Happening on November 25, 2023, 6:00 PM, the recital will feature Karol Szymanowski's 9 Preludes, Op. 1 and György Ligeti's Musica ricercata.

Then it's holiday programming time with Christmas Nocturne: Melodies of Joy featuring percussionist Thristan Mendoza and pianist Jesper Mercado happening on November 26, 2023, 6:00 PM.

Program for this holiday offering includes selections from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and various Christmas songs and carols. Joining Mendoza and Mercado are guest artists clarinetist Herald Sison and percussionist Jacques Dufourt.

Both Szymanowski/Ligeti and Christmas Nocturne will be held at the Manila Pianos Showroom at Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati.

See a Christmas tree inspired by Juan Luna's Hymen Oh' Hyménée lit up as the Philippine Madrigal Singers headline the Christmas Tree Lighting Concert this November 23, 2023, 7:00 PM at the Ayala Museum.

This sold out concert is the second of the two part Isang Dekada ng Musika presented by the Ayala Foundation, Inc. and Ayala Museum, together with Avida Land, marking the 10th anniversary of the museum’s concert program.

After their Russian Masters season concert, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra goes to Cavite for Reina de Cavite outreach concert on November 24, 2023, 7:00 PM at the Montano Hall Gymnasium, Cavite. Joining the PPO led by Herminigildo Ranera is the soprano duo the Nightingales composed of Bianca Camille Lopez and Bernadette Mamauag.

Here again is the rundown of music events (and a film festival) happening this week.

November 21, 2023

NAMCYA@50

November 22, 2023

NAMCYA@50

Luca in Concert

November 23, 2023

NAMCYA@50

Philippine Madrigal Singers Christmas Tree Lighting Concert

November 24, 2023

NAMCYA@50

Reina de Cavite

November 25, 2023

NAMCYA@50

26th French Film Festival

Szymanowski/Ligeti

November 26, 2023

NAMCYA@50

26th French Film Festival

Zenére!

Christmas Nocturne

Included in the schedule above is the upcoming 26th French Film Festival which will have its own separate blog entry.

RAd week November 13-19: Pianist Nikolay Khozyainov plays Rachmaninoff with PPO

Orchestra performances are back this week with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's presenting an all Russian program at its latest subscription concert series happening on November 17, 2023, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Billed as Russian Masters, the concert features Russian pianist Nikolay Khozyainov as the soloist in Sergei Rachmaninoff's popular Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, which is very much in line with the ongoing worldwide celebrations for Rachmaninoff's 150th birth anniversary.

The program also sees the PPO, led by music director and principal conductor Grzegorz Nowak, perform the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Selections from Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev.

Nikolay Khozyainov
©Marie Staggat

Khozyainov burst into the scene more than a decade ago winning in 2012 the 1st prize at the Dublin International Piano Competition and at the Sydney International Piano Competition. Since then, he has performed worldwide with renowned orchestras like the London Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, etc.

Khozyainov achieved another milestone last year when he was commissioned by the United Nations to write a piece for his Concert for Peace at the UN. His composition, Petals of Peace had its world premiere last November 2022 at the Human Rights’ Hall of the United Nations.

On the other hand, the Manila Symphony Orchestra leads the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Ayala Museum's concert series with The Best of Rush Hour on November 16, 2023, 7:00 PM at the Ayala Museum, Makati.

Presented by the Ayala Foundation and Ayala Museum together with Avida, the MSO concert is the first of two special events of Isang Dekada ng Musika, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the museum’s concert program.

Originally conceived by the MSO and the Ayala Museum, the Rush Hour concert series is a way for the Makati crowd (office workers, mall goers, citizens, etc.) to wait out the rush hour traffic by an hour or so music offering at the museum. A handful of Rush Hour concerts with the MSO like Bach versus The Beatles, Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue, and Video Games Symphonic have become sold out affairs.

It is not just orchestra concerts that are back this week, but also a handful of chamber music performances.

Leading the chamber music lineup is already sold out The Best of Chamber Music on November 18, 2023, 6:00 PM at the Roof Deck of the Sunshine Place, in Makati.

Joining pianist Mariel Ilusorio in this Classics in Sunshine 2023 series finale are violinist Noel Martin, violist Coi Reyes, cellist Steven Retallick, and double bassist Aris Payte. The group will perform Franz Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 which is also more popularly known as the Trout Quintet.

Meanwhile, the Manila Pianos Artist Series offers two chamber music programs this weekend.

First off is Scheherazade with the Rivera Woodwind Quintet on November 18, 2023, 6:00 PM. The quintet, composed of clarintetist Jayson Rivera, flutist Crystal Milarose Rodis-Concepcion, horn player Earvin Rosacay, oboist Arvin Jan Medrano, and bassoonist Alvin Sison will perform Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade Op.35 transcribed for the woodwind quintet by Ioan Dobrinescu.

Next is Reminiscing, the annual tribute concert to Ruben Reyes ,happening on November 19, 2023, 6:00 PM featuring the Silangan Chamber Guitar Ensemble. Made up of faculty and alumni from the UST Conservatory of Music, as well as the Colleges of Music of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, St. Paul's University Manila and Centro Escolar University, the SGCE was formed under the leadership and artistic director of the late Ruben Reyes. The concert will feature music by John Dowland, Antoine de Lhoyer, Paolo Bellinati, Johann Kasper Mertz, Catriona McKay, and Georges Bizet

Both performances will be held at the Manila Pianos Showroom at Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati.

Outside the orchestral and chamber music realm is the return of CCP-Out-of-the-Box: Isang Gabi ng Sarsuwela this November 18, 2023, 6:00 PM at the Baluarte de San Diego in Intramuros, Manila.

As part of the Intramuros Evenings by the Intramuros Administration, this musical revue stars Nenen Espina, Franco Laurel, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Reuben Laurente, Lorenz Martinez, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Jonathan Tadioan, and Karylle Tatlonghari.

The very affordable entry fee to the Baluarte de San Diego is all it takes to watch this performance.

The concerts, performances, and events continue to pile up and my only advice is to bring lots of patience as traffic after all these happenings may get worse especially as the peak of the holiday season grows near.

Here again is a quick rundown of this week's concerts and performances.

November 16, 2023

MSO The Best of Rush Hour

November 17, 2023

PPO Russian Masters

November 18, 2023

The Best of Chamber Music

Isang Gabi ng Sarsuwela

Scheherazade

November 19, 2023

Reminiscing

The concerts, performances, and events continue to pile up and my only advice is to bring lots of patience as traffic after all these happenings may get worse especially as the peak of the holiday season grows near.

RAd week November 6-12: Operas galore and more

As music performances and cultural events go back to full swing after the extended holiday break, I decided to shake things up a bit with this blog.

Getting back into circulation post-pandemic has made me realize that I have definitely reached middle age territory and maintaining the old pace is not as easy like before.

Hence, a more relaxed and hopefully, more sustainable, blog entries from here on in. But I was told that whenever I talk about music, culture, and other related topics, I usually go on and on. So just brace yourselves.

To kick things off, opera is back with a vengeance this week with a twinbill production of Cavalleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, a rerun of La Bohème, and a screening of Hansel and Gretel all lined up.

First off is the double bill production of Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavllo's I Pagliacci, a collaboration presentation of the Lyric Opera of the Philippines and Hong Kong Opera Tutti, with a Gala Night on November 10, 2023, 7:00 PM and a Matinee on November 12, 2023, 3:00 PM at the St. Cecilia's Hall, St. Scholastica's College in Manila.

Cavalleria Rusticana stars Vicky Wu, Henry Ngan, Michael Lam, Leung Siu Kwan, and Christy Lee. On the other hand, I Pagliacci stars Zip de Guzman, Isaac Droscha, Glenn Gaerlan, Rica Nepomuceno, Sherwin Sozon, and LyrOpera Chorus. Conducting the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra are Fan Ting for Cavalleria Rusticana and Horst-Hans Bäcker for I Pagliacci. The CavPag double bill is also presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Hong Kong Arts Development Council, the Philippine Heritage Society, Globaltronics, and is under the auspices of the Embassy of Italy.

The second live opera to look out for this week is the return of Viva Voce Voice Lab's production of Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème, now staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater) happening on November 11 & 12, 2023, 7:30 PM. The rerun cast includes Nomher Nival, Anna Migallos, Carlo Falcis, Iona Ventocilla-Borja, Roby Malubay, Fritz Rivera, and Raymond Yadao with Oliver Salonga on the piano.

There is also opera at the cinema with the CCP's Met: Live in HD Season 8's latest offering, Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel this November 7, 2023, 5:30 PM at Greenbelt 3. This Richard Jones and John Macfarlane staging, which is sung in English, stars Alice Coote and Christine Schäfer as the titular siblings, tenor Philip Langridge as the Witch, while Vladimir Jurowski conducts the Met Orchestra.

On the jazz end of things, there's Awé featuring saxophonist Samy Thiébault and bassist Felipe Cabrera happening on November 9, 2023, 7:00 PM at the Alliance Française de Manille. This jazz concert, an installment of Les Jeudis Culturels, is presented by the Embassy of France and the Alliance Française de Manille.

The duo will also conduct a Jazz Masterclass at 2:00 PM before their evening performance. The performance is for free but one needs to register first while the masterclass will incur a fee for admission.

The Metropolitan Theater will also present Palabas and Pamana: Mga Hiyas ng Komedya at Sarsuwela happening on November 9, 2023, 7:00 PM. Featuring excerpts of komedyas and sarsuwelas of yesteryears, this production boasts a cast of theater heavyweights and more that includes Arman Ferrer, Gio Gahol, Carla Guevarra-Laforteza, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Marynor Madamesila, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Stella Cañete-Mendoza, Gab Pangilinan, Stephanie Quintin-Avila, Katrine Sunga, Rody Vera, Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Komedya ng Don Galo, Komedya ng San Dionisio, Malaya Dance Theater, and Conchords.

As of writing, the registration link is not yet uploaded and based on experience, seats for the Met's free offerings get snagged up in a matter of minutes. Better keep your eyes peeled on the Met's Facebook page before the top of every hour to secure your seats.

The recitals of the Manila Piano Artist Series continue with pianist Denise See and the group OperaJuan. Denise See's Journey, on November 11, 2023, 6:00 PM, will have the multi-awarded pianist perform pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and Claude Debussy. OperaJuan's On Demand, on November 12, 2023, 7:00 PM is unique that it gives the audience the power to choose what the singers, namely Hannah Korin Castillo, Harrah Kay Castillo, Renz Nathaniel Cruz, Paul Jacob Enriquez, Angelo Esperanzate, Sam Fernandez, Camille Maica Juanitez, Jeric Paul Lim, Aindrielle Madelo, and Czarina Joy Villa, with pianist, Leroy Rodriguez, get to perform.

Both Journey and On Demand take place at the Manila Pianos Showroom at Ronac Lifestyle Center, Paseo de Magallanes, Makati.

Lastly, a couple of Polish musicians, cellist Zdzisław Łapiński and folk musician Maria Pomianowska are currently in town for a series of performances and masterclasses. The masterclass already took place over the weekend but their lecture-concert, Treasures of Polish Music, happens today, November 6, 2023, 6:30 PM at the UP College of Music's Mini Hall. Apart from Łapiński and Pomianowska, the concert will also feature local artists namely pianist Ena Maria Aldecoa and percussionist Teresa "Tusa" Montes. Makes a lot of sense since this year marks 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Poland.

Seat reservations for the concert can be made via writing to Ricardo Juanito "RJ" Balledos rballedos@up.edu.ph, that is if reservations are still open.

Here is a brief rundown of the classical music and more scene happening this week.

November 6, 2023

Treasures of Polish Music

November 7, 2023

Hansel and Gretel

November 9, 2023

Awé

Palabas at Pamana: Mga Hiyas ng Komedya at Sarsuwela

November 10, 2023

Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci

November 11, 2023

Journey

La Bohème

November 12, 2023

Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci

On Demand

La Bohème

Based on how much I have written above, I don't know if this is what I really meant as more relaxed blogging. This only goes to show that the classical music scene is not relaxing at all with more performances on the horizon. I hope that readers get to watch and enjoy a performance or two, or perhaps three this week.