Tenor Arthur Espiritu holds one night only concert at MiraNila House on April 2

The MiraNila Heritage House & Library, in partnership with Leon Gallery and Gallery MiraNila of The Blue Leaf with support from the Bizu Groupe, presents a homecoming concert of tenor Arthur Espiritu happening on April 2, 2025, 6:30 PM at the Main Hall of the Miranila Heritage House.

Coming at the heels of Arthur performing the title role in Faust at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo in Palermo, Italy, the one night only concert at the MiraNila sees the critically acclaimed tenor perform music by Gabriel Fauré, Franz Lehar, Giacomo Puccini, Charles Gounod, Richard Strauss, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Francesco Sartori.

Tenor Arthur Espiritu was born in Morong, Rizal, Philippines. He migrated to the United States with his parents in his teens and finished with an Artist Diploma in Music Performance at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. He won the La Scala award at the Belvedere Competition in 2007 and the distinguished George London Award in 2009.

Mr. Espiritu has portrayed numerous leading roles in North America, Europe, and Asia, with early career highlights that include his very first Ferrando in Michael Hampe’s staging of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte in the Teatro alla Scala, the role of Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the Israeli Opera Tel-Aviv, and the role of Publio in Mozart’s early work, Il sogno di Scipione, with the former Gotham Chamber Opera, New York.

Arthur Espiritu
Photo ©Jojit Lorenzo

His recent roles include Roberto of Leicester in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda in the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (the Munich opera house); Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor in the Daegu International Opera Festival, South Korea; Gualtiero in Bellini’s Il Pirata; Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata; Cassio in Verdi’s Otello; Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme; and Don Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, in Munich’s Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz. His opera commitments continue unabated in 2025. Read more about him at: https://www.arthurespiritutenor.com/

Below are some reviews regarding Arthur's previous performances.

Arthur Espiritu as Roméo... interpreted his leading role with a heroic tenor. Powerful and musically secure in all registers, he steered timelessly, singing his melodious tenor voice and making his role debut through the demanding role. The soft tones are touching.

Das Opernglas

Filipino-American tenor Arthur Espiritu as the poet Rodolfo, whose sound is exquisitely polished and contained—almost delicate—with a fine, burnished sheen. Espiritu’s voice warms in Che Gelida Manina as he sensitively crafts the swells and diminuendos.

Angus McPherson of Limelight Magazine

As one of the rare Spinto-tenors in the tradition of a Pavarotti, which combine safe heights with lyrical melt and great virtuosity, he travels at large houses worldwide. Sparks spark in the duets of the two.

Detlef Obens of Opernmagazin Das Opern & Kulturmagazin

Arthur Espiritu achieved great success with his Duke, who also had an impeccable voice. With his well-trained tenor and no fear of heights, he showed how to musically implement the specifications of Leggerezza.

Peter Skorepa of OnlineMERKER

Arthur Espiritu convinces with a powerful sensitive implementation in the title role. His Don Carlo is characterized by emotions, suffering and hopelessness, to which he submits little rebelliously. His tenor follows effortlessly in all layers and warms with full bright timbre.

Florian Krenstetter of The Kronen Zeitung

The Filipino-American tenor Arthur Espiritu makes this feeling at the mercy of his own doubts and desires come alive with his magnificent vocal power and fantastic height confidence. He crowns this production with top performances in singing and acting, for which he repeatedly receives applause from the audience.

Dr. Andreas Ströbl of Klassik begeistert - Der Opernfreund

The tenor Arthur Espiritu... has a sweet timbre and he sings with a lilting Italianate intonation, ideal for the bel canto repertoire, which his aria Ah! Rimiro il bel sembiante beautifully confirmed, by highlighting his natural lyricism. He performed exceptionally well in the numerous interactive recitative passages and ensembles.

Alan Neilson of @operawire.com

Filipino-American opera singer Arthur Espiritu, who embodied the title part with wonderful Italianita. He is an extremely beautiful, sympathetic and high-altitude Rudolfo, who does not need to fear the comparison with stars... His high C in the aria hit Che gelida manina is of an effortlessness and radiance that require admiration. (December 24, 2024)

Norbert Pabelick of Der Opernfreund

Performing with Mr. Espiritu is the multi-awarded soprano Jade Riccio. Virtuoso pianist Mariel Ilusorio will accompany them on MiraNila’s newly restored 1904 Steinway, considered rare in the Steinway & Sons catalog.

Jade Riccio

Soprano Jade Riccio, an Italian-Filipina who hails from Palawan, earned a slot in the 2024 Person to Watch: Women Who Made It in Music. She was the sole recipient of the 37th Aliw Awards 2024 Hall of Fame from which she won five consecutive awards, including Best Classical Performer in 2018 and 2020 and Best Female Crossover Performer in 2019 and 2022. She earlier received highest recognitions during vocal competitions at the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) in 2014 and the Jovita Fuentes Vocal Competition in 2015. As one of the most sought-after celebrity vocal coaches to some of Asia’s most shining stars, Ms. Riccio is also the CEO, creative producer, and chairperson of a music company called Riccio Music and Artistry (RMA) Studio Academy, a creative hub she founded during the pandemic, which now nurtures nearly 400 students from around the world.

Mariel Ilusorio

Pianist Mariel Ilusorio studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York, Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, and the State College of Music and Theater Hanover (now Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media) in Lower Saxony, Germany. Under the tutelage of Stella Brimo, she won top prizes in Philippine piano competitions before continuing her studies overseas. After performing in the U.S., Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Indonesia and having lived twenty-six years in the U.S., Germany, and South Africa, she has made the Philippines her home. She continues performing and now organizes concerts and recitals. She is also in the faculty of the UST Conservatory of Music, St. Scholastica's College of Music, the Philippine High School for the Arts, and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

This April, the public gets the chance to hear these three outstanding performers in an environment conducive to master-level performances. In the once bucolic environs of Cubao, this four-story 1929 heritage house boasts a living room and library with near perfect acoustics. With its charming gardens and chapel, the grounds are likewise not to be missed.

Doors open at 6:00 PM with the concert proper promptly starting at 6:30 PM.

Tickets are priced at P2500 (Main Hall) and P1500 (Library). Seats are limited, so book now by texting Robeen at (0927) 277-6335.

Guests are requested to wear soft-soled shoes as these are kinder to old floors.

Pre-concert and intermission snacks and bottled water are available for sale in the East Patio. The Gift Shop will also be open.

MiraNila Heritage House & Library is located at 26 Mariposa Street, Brgy Bagong Lipunan Crame, Q.C. (Find us on Facebook: MiraNila Heritage House and Library & MiraNila Heritage House Events)

Arthur Espiritu's concert at the MiraNila is presented by the MiraNila Heritage House & Library in partnership with Leon Gallery and Gallery MiraNila of The Blue Leaf with support from the Bizu Groupe.

Rowena Arrieta to perform with PPO

Way back when the 32nd Concert Season of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014-2015 was announced, one of the most anticipated soloists in the lineup was celebrated Filipino pianist Rowena Arrieta. But performer and program changes typically occur in a season for a myriad of reasons and Arrieta's initially scheduled performance with the PPO didn't materialize then.

Rowena Arrieta

Now, a little over a decade later, Rowena Arrieta, the Fifth Prize winner for Piano at the VII Tchaikovsky International Competition in 1982, will finally make her much awaited performance on March 14, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati.

Under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, Arrieta take audiences to a journey to the underworld with Franz Liszt's technically challenging Totentanz S.126.

The concert, billed as Homecoming, will also commemorate Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis's 150th birth anniversary with a performance of the Lithuanian composer's  Miške (In The Forest).

Diomedes Saraza, Jr.

The PPO's Concertmaster and Artist in Residence, Diomedes Saraza, Jr. also gets featured as the soloist in Ralph Vaughan William's The Lark Ascending.

Rounding up the evening's packed program are familiar tunes from the opera and ballet stages with Georges Bizet's Carmen Suite No. 1 and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Suite.

Maestro Grzegorz Nowak and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Reprinted below is the CCP press release.

Filipino pianist Rowena Arrieta returns for PPO Concert VI: Homecoming this March 14

Laureate pianist Rowena Arrieta makes a triumphant return to her homeland with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) for the highly anticipated sixth installment of its 40th concert season. Dubbed “Homecoming,” PPO Concert VI shares the warmth of home through musical brilliance on March 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

ECHOES OF LITHUANIA IN PPO CONCERT VI: HOMECOMING

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming opens with Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ Miške (In The Forest), commemorating the Lithuanian composer’s 150th birth anniversary. When the Nazis occupied his hometown in Lithuania, he turned to art. Čiurlionis created approximately 400 compositions and 300 artworks, blending music and visual arts.

The Lithuanian cultural hero composed his first symphonic poem, “Miške (In The Forest),” for a competition in Warsaw in 1901. It was introduced in the first concert season of the war period, cementing Čiurlionis’ status as one of Lithuania’s patriotic figures.

AN ARIA OF LOVE

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming continues its melodic journey with George Bizet’s Carmen Suite no. 1. Drawn from the composer’s celebrated opera “Carmen,” this suite’s vivid orchestration conveys the tragic destiny of a free-spirited gypsy woman who had an affair with a young soldier.

THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED COMEBACK OF ROWENA ARRIETA

Arrieta will be playing Franz Liszt’s Totentanz (Dance of Death) in PPO Concert VI: Homecoming. Composed in 1849, the dramatic piano and orchestra work is based on “Dies Irae (Day of Wrath)” from the Requiem Mass. Arrieta will showcase her world-class technical skills through the piano variations of “Totentanz”.

TRULY A PINOY PRIDE

Arrieta was hailed the “youngest and most promising of 82 contestants” in the prestigious Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. After winning the competition’s Fifth Prize and Special Prize in 1982, she received the title “Laureate”. To this date, Arrieta is the only Filipino to attain this honor.

Arrieta began playing the piano at age two, learned to read notes at age three, and wrote her first composition at age five. She received her first musical training in the Philippines under the tutelage of Philippine Women’s Conservatory of Music’s Leonila Celino, the University of the Philippines College of Music’s Regalado Jose and Reynaldo Reyes, and Carmencita Arambulo of Greenhills Music Studio.

One of the first graduates of the Philippines High School for the Arts (PHSA), Arrieta received her Master’s Degree from the renowned Moscow State Conservatory. She received the highest honors under the tutelage of Russian National Artist Yevgeny Malinin in 1985. While in Russia, she also earned a degree in Russian Language Pedagogy. She later pursued Professional Studies at the Manhattan School of Music as a student of Dr. Solomon Mikowsky and as a recipient of the Elva Van Gelder Memorial Scholarship.

Arrieta’s accolades include being one of the Ten Outstanding Women in the National Service (Philippines, 1989), Presidential Awards in Performance (Philippines, 1978–1979), and Second Prize as a songwriter in the 1979 Metro Pop Music Festival (Philippines).

Since 1990, Arrieta has been a faculty member of the National Piano Teachers Guild (USA). She was then inducted into the Hall of Fame of the U.S. National Piano Teachers Guild in 2009.

PPO CONCERT VI: HOMECOMING TAKES FLIGHT

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming unfolds with Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, a renowned violin and orchestra work inspired by George Meredith’s poem of the same title. Composed in 1914, the piece portrays the image of a lark in flight. In “The Lark Ascending,” Vaughan Williams makes use of sweeping melodies to evoke a sense of freedom.

PPO guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence Diomedes Saraza Jr. will perform this exquisite work, highlighting its emotional depth.

PPO’S ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE DIOMEDES SARAZA JR. JOINS CONCERT VI: HOMECOMING

Before becoming PPO’s guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence, Saraza Jr. was a 3-year-old playing the violin with his father. His formal training began at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila. Through a full scholarship, Saraza Jr. received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School in New York.

At 19 years old, Saraza Jr. was the first Filipino Outstanding Academic Achievement awardee of former U.S. President Barack Obama’s Education Awards Program. He then pursued a Master of Musical Arts degree as a full scholar at Yale University. At Yale, he received the Brodus Erle Prize and successfully debuted at Carnegie Hall with the PPO.

But aside from being a concert violinist and chamber musician, Saraza Jr. is a dedicated educator. He served as associate and assistant concertmaster of The Juilliard Orchestra and Juilliard Lab Orchestra. He was also a former faculty member of St. Scholastica’s College Manila and the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra.

MUSICAL TALES OF HOME

The PPO Concert VI: Homecoming concludes with Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, an orchestral arrangement of unforgettable moments from the composer’s ballet “Swan Lake”.

An evening of exquisite musical storytelling, PPO Concert VI: Homecoming holds a diverse repertoire that transcends time and borders. Under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, this unmissable concert harnesses music’s power to shape and preserve cultural identities.

Tickets for PPO Concert VI: Homecoming on March 14 are priced at Php 3,000, Php 2,500, Php 2,000, and Php 1,500. They are now available online via TicketWorld. To enjoy up to a 25 percent discount, be a PPO subscriber. You may also email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph or call the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Box Office at +63931-033-0880 for ticket concerns.

For updates on PPO’s future performances and CCP events, follow the CCP and PPO’s official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph for updates on future masterclasses, performances, and other events.

Iranian Film Festival 2025 screens at Shang's Red Carpet Cinemas

The Cultural Section of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Manila, in cooperation with Shangri-La Plaza and the Film Development Council of the Philippines present the Iranian Film Festival 2025 happening this March 1-3, 2025 at the Shangri-La Plaza's Red Carpet Cinemas.

This festival's editions will showcase six contemporary Iranian films led by In the Arms of the Tree, Iran's official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.

Admissions to the film screenings, at Cinema 3 of Shang's Red Carpet, are for free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Here is the film lineup of the Iranian Film Festival 2025.

Capitan (2022)

Director: Mohammad Hamzei

Cast: Pantea Panahiha, Pejhman Bazeghi, Sepideh Eydi, Amir Hossein Bayat, Parham Gholamlou, Amir Ali Moghadam, Mahbod Byour, Arghavan Shabani

Isa is an 11-year-old boy in a children's hospital who dreams of playing for Iran's national football team and is often referred to as "Captain." Despite his illness, he is determined to achieve his goal.

Fragrant (2023)

Director: Hadi Moghadamdoost

Cast: Mostafa Zamani, Hoda Zeinolabedin

The story of the suffering and cowardly man’s confrontation with life and his commitments. A romantic melodrama that centers around a man's ambition to create a unique perfume that has never been experienced before. The film explores themes of love, creativity, and the personal struggles associated with pursuing one's dreams. It highlights the protagonist's emotional journey as he confronts the challenges of life and his obligations while striving to achieve his artistic vision.

Goodbye Shirazi Girl (2020)

Director: Afshin Hashemi

Cast: Afshin Hashemi, Shabnam Moghadami, Aysan Hadad

Based on Neil Simon’s The Goodbye Girl.Based on Neil Simon's Goodbye Girl it is a romantic story Nasim who is from Abadan and Shabnam a widow who lives with her girl. When they both rent the same house, they have to deal with each other until they find a solution.

In the Arms of the Tree (2023)

Director: Babak Lofti Khajehpasha

Cast: Maral Baniadam, Javad Ghamati, Rouhollah Zamani, Ahoora Lotfi, Rayan Lotfi

The life crisis of Kimia and Farid, who have been married for twelve years, destroys the world of their children. Children who know nothing but kindness in life.

A Passenger from Ganora (2024)

Director: Ahmad Alamdar

Cast: Hooman Karimi, Atefeh Rezvannia, Shohre Roohi, Leila Soodbakhsh

A family, science fiction, and adventure animation, it is about an alien who comes to the earth to search for the ruler of the planet Ganora, who is lost on earth. A disabled boy and his friends help the alien to restore peace to the land of Ganora.

Sima's Unfinished Narration (2023)

Director: Alireza Samadi

Cast: Ghazal Shakeri, Hamed Kamili, Mehran Ahmadi

Dr Arash Samin, one of the prominent professors in the field of sociology, lives a calm and peaceful life with his doctor wife and young daughter. But the publication of a picture of him in cyberspace puts his personal and family life on a new path..

Here is the schedule of screenings.

March 1, 2025

2:00 PM In the Arms of the Tree

4:00 PM A Passenger from Ganora

March 2, 2025

2:00 PM Capitan

4:00 PM Goodbye Shirazi Girl

March 3, 2025

6:00 PM Fragrant

8:30 PM Sima's Unfinished Narration

Jeanine Tesori's Grounded premieres at CCP The Met: LIVE in HD

Jeanine Tesori's Grounded is set to land on Philippine shores making its premiere at CCP The Met: LIVE in HD screening on March 4, 2025, 5:30 PM at Glorietta 4 Cinema 1 in Makati.

Grounded is a groundbreaking, kaleidoscopic opera that wrestles with often-overlooked issues created by 21st-century warmaking: the ethical conflicts created by the use of modern military technology and the psychological and emotional toll supposedly safe remote technology takes on our servicepersons.

Emily D'Angelo

This production by Michael Mayer stars Canadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo as Jess, the hot-shot fighter pilot whose life at the military is derailed due to an unexpected pregnancy and American tenor Ben Bliss costars as the Wyoming rancher Eric. At the podium conducting the orchestra is Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Grounded is composed by Jeanine Tesori with libretto by George Brant. Tesori is the Tony Award winning composer behind Kimberly Akimbo and Fun Home, the musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel's 2006 graphic memoir.

Reprinted below is the press release for CCP The Met: Live in HD screening of Grounded.

The Realities of Modern Warfare Through a Woman’s Eyes

CCP The Met: LIVE in HD premieres Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded this March at Glorietta 4

Two-time Tony Award–winning composer Jeanine Tesori’s new opera Grounded is set to premiere in the Philippines through CCP The Met: LIVE in HD on March 4, 5:30 pm, exclusively at Glorietta 4 Cinema 1 in Makati City.

Grounded narrates the story of a woman who is a successful F-16 combat pilot in the United States Air Force but has to leave the military for a moment because of her unexpected pregnancy. When she comes back, she is reassigned to being a Reaper drone operator in the Nevada desert. As she adjusts to this new way of doing battle, she struggles under the pressure to be the perfect soldier, the perfect wife, and the perfect mother all at the same time.

A thrilling, fast-paced adaptation of an award-winning play by playwright George Brant, who also wrote the libretto, the opera explores the psychological toll of modern warfare, as well as the roles of women in the armed forces and in society at large.

“The main part of the opera deals with what that psychological toll is on this woman. I’ve seen so many war stories, movies and books, and they’ve been told from male perspective. To me, when you see that woman up there in her fight suit, there is a jolt of newness and differentness,” shared George Brant, the playwright and librettist of the opera, in the behind-the-scenes interview.

Tesori, the most prolific female composer in American theater history and one of the first two women ever commissioned to compose an opera for the Met, described Grounded as “a moral awakening. I think Grounded is about unseen trauma, the psyche behind that.”

Commissioned through the Metropolitan Opera-Lincoln Center Theater New Works Program, Grounded had its world premiere at the Washington National Opera in 2023 and opened the Met’s 2024-2025 season, with Tesori making history as the first woman composer in the company’s 141-year legacy to open the season. This milestone highlights the growing recognition of female composers in a male-dominated industry.

Tesori is the force behind the Tony Award–winning Best Musicals Kimberly Akimbo and Fun Home. Grounded is her fourth opera, following most recently Blue, which garnered the Music Critics Association Award for Best New Opera.

Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, one of most compelling young opera stars in this generation, headlines in the tour-de-force role of the hot-shot woman fighter pilot.

“It’s just the most amazing material, with the most amazing team of people. It’s a gorgeous story. It is a meaningful human story about a person who, you know, seems so real. So, to have the opportunity to play this character and to sing music written by Jeanine Tesori, it’s impossible to turn down,” said D’Angelo in an interview with The Met.

The Met music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, with assistant conductor Steven Osgood, takes the podium and leads the powerful cast. Michael Mayer’s high-tech staging, using a vast array of LED screens, presents a variety of perspectives on the action, including the drone’s predatory view from high above.

The special screening of Grounded is part of the tenth season of CCP The Met: LIVE in HD, a remarkable program that brings the captivating world of opera to Filipino audiences, offering them the unique opportunity to experience world-class performances from The Metropolitan Opera. The program is in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera of New York, The Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc. (FOSFI), and the Ayala Malls Cinemas.

Regular tickets for the CCP The Met: LIVE in HD are priced at Php350. Students and young professionals may avail of the special discounted price of Php100 upon presenting a valid ID. For tickets, visit Glorietta 4 Cinema ticket booth or book via www.sureseats.com.

For more information on CCP The Met: LIVE in HD, visit the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph).

Op-Ed: The Road to Prosperity by Radosław Sikorski

Radosław Sikorski

Browsing social media I have recently come across a map showing all the countries with GDP per capita higher than Poland’s back in 1990 and in 2018. The difference was striking. While 35 years ago there were quite a few such countries not only in Europe but also in South America, Asia and Africa, in time their number has significantly decreased. In 2018 there were no longer any South American or African states highlighted on the map.

By 2025, the group has shrunk even further. According to IMF’s data Poland’s GDP in 1990 was a mere $6,690 in current dollars. By 2024 it grew almost 8-fold to $51,630. All that in just three decades - one generation. And it goes on. According to the European Commission’s forecast, in the years 2024-2025 Polish economy will be the fastest growing large economy in the European Union.

How did it happen? Apart from the hard work of our citizens, two major factors – or, to be more precise, two institutions – contributed to the economic success: NATO and the European Union.

The first, which Poland joined in 1999, provided security guarantees and helped overcome decades-old division between Eastern and Western Europe. The second, which we joined five years later, took the process of easing long-standing disparities one step further. It granted new member states access to so-called “cohesion funds” but most importantly to the common European market.

Sources of success

After the fall of communism in Poland in 1989 and the return of messy democratic politics, despite all day-to-day political squabbles one thing remained constant no matter who was in power – Poland’s determination to join the two aforementioned organizations. Why?

We are a great nation but a medium-size country. We cherish our long history - this year marks a millennium since the coronation of our first king - but our population is much smaller than that of merely Beijing and Shanghai combined. Poland needs allies to boost its potential on the international stage.

What’s been true for Poland - in 1990 a poor country coming out of four decades of Russian domination and economic mismanagement – might well be true for many of the so-called “middle powers” in Asia, Africa and South America looking for room to grow.

These countries often need what Poland desperately needed 35 years ago and still profits from: good governance, foreign investments with no strings attached, but above all political stability, rule of law, and predictable international environment with neighbors eager not to wage wars but work together for mutual benefit. In fact, these factors can benefit every country, no matter the level of their GDP.

Today the international order is being challenged on multiple fronts. Sometimes for good reasons. Decades-old institutions - including the UN and its Security Council - are unrepresentative of the global community and incapable of dealing with the challenges we face. What they need, however is to be thoroughly reformed, not entirely rejected.

Imperialist illusions

To those desperate for change force might look appealing. It would be a mistake. Abandoning forums for international dialogue and resorting to violence will not get us far.

Take Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. According to Kremlin’s propaganda it is a justified reaction to western imperialism allegedly threatening Russia’s security. In fact, it is a modern-day colonial war against Ukrainian people who – just like us Poles 30 years ago – want a better life and realize they can never achieve this goal by going back to subjugation to Russia. That is what they are being punished for – an effort to free themselves from the control of a former metropolis. Kremlin’s aggression is a desperate struggle of a failing empire to restore its sphere of influence.

Russian victory - may it never come - would not create a more just global order. It wouldn’t benefit countries dissatisfied with where things stand now. It wouldn’t even bring about a more just and prosperous Russia. Suffice to say there are now more political prisoners in Russia than there were in the 1980’s when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. There are many more casualties as well.

War is hardly ever a shortcut to prosperity. Over the last millennium Poland experienced its share of invasions and uprisings against occupying forces. What finally brought us prosperity were three decades of peace, predictability, international cooperation and political stability.

That is why on assuming the presidency of the Council of the European Union Poland made its priority clear – security in its many dimensions, from military, through economic to digital. Europe safe, prosperous and open for business can benefit not only Europeans but a greater global community. Just as it benefited Poland over the last three decades.

It may sound dull but it worked. Just look at the numbers.

Radosław Sikorski is Poland’s foreign minister.

Jericho Rosales plays Quezon in TBA Studios biopic

Jericho Rosales
Photo ©TBA Studios

Jericho Rosales is Manuel L. Quezon.

TBA Studios has officially announced that Jericho Rosales will portray the role of Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon in the historical biopic Quezon. 

Quezon, the latest installment in Bayaniverse, the studio's cinematic offerings based in Philippine history, follows the life of Quezon, a Filipino lawyer, and soldier who became the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944.

“I feel so honored to be with this team. Coming to a script like this which is so potent and so entertaining, I feel so lucky and happy.” Rosales said. “Here, you will see Quezon as a person. He's not written as a hero. He is cunning, he is charming, he is intelligent. Quezon is such an interesting character to play; there are so many things I can put into the role to build Quezon as a character. That adds to the pressure, but at the same time I am very excited.”

Quezon marks Rosales' big screen comeback since the 2018 drama The Girl in the Orange Dress. He starred in the recently concluded ABS-CBN drama series Lavender Fields.

TBA Studios President and COO Daphne Chiu said of the casting: “We are honored to welcome Jericho Rosales as he leads the cast of ‘Quezon.’ Jericho’s unbelievable screen presence has made him one of our best actors today, and we're all looking forward to working with him and seeing how his artistry can give life to one of the country’s most charismatic yet divisive political figures.”

Meanwhile, “Quezon” director and co-writer Jerrold Tarog said Rosales was cast for the power he is known to deliver on screen—the same power the actor showcased when he auditioned for the role of Gen. Antonio Luna in Heneral Luna (2015).

Reprising their previous Bayaniverse roles in Quezon are Mon Confiado as Emilio Aguinaldo and Benjamin Alves as the younger Quezon. Also joining the cast are Karylle Yuzon as Quezon’s wife, Aurora Quezon, Romnick Sarmenta as Sergio Osmeña, the first Vice President of the Philippines, JC Santos as Manuel Roxas, and Cris Villanueva as the older Joven Hernando, the only fictional character in the film series.

Quezon is slated for local and international release later this year. Until then, it's time to revisit the previous two installments of the Bayaniverse.

Heneral Luna (2015)

Director: Jerrold Tarog

Cast: John Arcilla, Mon Confiado, Arron Villaflor, Joem Bascon, Archie Alemania, Art Acuña, Alex Medina, Nonie Buencamino, Lorenz Martinez, Epy Quizon, Alvin Anson, Mylene Dizon, Bing Pimentel, Leo Martinez, Ketchup Eusebio, Ronnie Lazaro, Paulo Avelino

General Antonio Luna, commander of the revolutionary army, is spoiling for a fight. After three hundred years as a Spanish colony, the Philippines must endure a new foreign power: the United States of America. General Luna wants to fight for freedom but members of the elite want to strike a deal with the Americans. The infighting is fierce in the new cabinet but General Luna and his loyal men forge ahead even as his military decisions are met with resistance from soldiers who are loyal only to President Aguinaldo. Ultimately, it is the general’s legendary temper and pride that bring him to his death when a pack of presidential guards assassinate him in broad daylight. While American newspapers blame Aguinaldo, the mystery of General Luna’s assassination was never completely solved and his killers never put to justice.

Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018)

Director: Jerrold Tarog Cast: Paulo Avelino, Art Acuña, Alvin Anson, Epy Quizon, Mon Confiado, Empress Schuck, Gwen Zamora, Rafa Siguion-Reyna, Carlo Aquino, Arron Villaflor

With this film (the second war trilogy set during the Filipino-American war in the early 1900s), the revolution marches on against the Americans after the bloody death of General Antonio Luna. The conflicted philosophies behind the heroic struggle continue and become personified in the colorful character of General Gregorio “Goyo” del Pilar.

Philippines joins worldwide film screening of Ludzie in solidarity with Ukraine

Photo ©Jan Lemiech

The Philippines joins more than 30 countries in the worldwide screening of the film Ludzie (People) in commemoration of the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Directed by Polish filmmakers Maciej Ślesicki and Filip Hillesland, Ludzie is the first feature film about the war in Ukraine. The film features an all Ukrainian cast led by Afina Ostapenko, Mariia Shtofa, Oksana Cherkashyna, Tetiana Yurikova, and Nina Naboka as well as Cezart Pazura.

The film focuses on the lives of five women sharing the experience of war, emphasizing the women's point of view as well as their courage, strength, and perseverance which is often overlooked in films depicting military conflicts.

I have frequently announced my plans to stop making any more films, but something made me go back on my promise. Cruelty and bestiality of Russians who invaded Ukraine made me furious. I guess that this sense of helplessness and injustice, mixed with anger, are the best motivation for a film director to make a movie. The script I wrote is based on true events; all I had to do was to combine them into a whole. Civilians are the group most affected by absurdity and cruelty of war. The film is an attempt to help others see the war through their eyes.

- Maciej Ślesicki, producer and director

Photo ©Jan Lemiech

At the end of the day, each global crisis translates into suffering of local ordinary people: mothers, sons, daughters, fathers, grandfathers, lovers and neighbours. This film is about them. They are suddenly forced to make unimaginable decisions of critical importance, where both life and human dignity are at stake. Unfortunately, we tend to forget about the fact that such tragic events take place every day beyond our Eastern border. We all have our own lives to live, our own reality and problems. It is normal that we grow indifferent with time. Now and then, empathy needs a booster. I hope that this film will provide this much needed stimulus. I hope it will trigger empathy.

- Filip Hillesland, director

The free public screening of Ludzie will be on February 24, 2025, 3:00 PM at Cinema 3 of Red Carpet Cinema, Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong.

Ludzie is produced by the Warsaw Film School and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. The Philippine screening is presented by the Embassy of Poland in Manila, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Philippines, the Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Shangri-La Plaza.  

Ludzie | People (2024)

Directors: Maciej Ślesicki, Filip Hillesland

Cast: Mariia Shtofa, Cezary Pazura, Oksana Cherkashyna, Afina Ostapenko, Daniel Dziubynskyi, Hryhorii Horobchuk, Tetyana Yurikova, Nina Naboka, Oleksandr Yarema

When war breaks out in Ukraine, five women are forced to take up a desperate fight to save themselves and their loved ones. A doctor who faces a huge moral dilemma. A blind girl who becomes a carer for a group of orphans. A teenager who tries to save her little sister at all costs. An elderly woman who loses her husband after many years of living together. A mother who goes to the front to find her son. Their intertwined fates combine into a symbolic story about humanity, and remind us that war is just around the corner.

A Rare Glimpse into Japan’s Living Tradition: Maiko and Geiko from Gion, Kyoto to Perform in the Philippines

The Japan Foundation, Manila (JFM) proudly presents a rare opportunity to witness the elegance and artistry of Japan’s renowned Maiko and Geiko from Gion Higashi, Kyoto. This exclusive performance will take place on February 22, 2025, at 6:30 PM at Shangri-La Plaza Grand Atrium, as part of Nihongo Fiesta 2025.

This once-in-a-blue-moon event offers audiences a rare chance to experience traditional Japanese performing arts, showcasing the grace, refined movements, and time-honored culture of Kyoto’s Hanamachi (flower town). Maiko (apprentice Geiko) and Geiko from the historic district of Gion in Kyoto will perform classical Japanese dances and share insights into their centuries-old traditions.

The Nihongo Fiesta 2025, scheduled from February 22-23, 2025, is JFM’s annual celebration of Japanese language and culture. This year’s festivities also include the 52nd Nihongo Speech Contest, where talented Filipino learners of the Japanese language will showcase their skills, and a special Kobanashi (comic storytelling) performance, adding humor and wit to the program.

Admission to the Maiko and Geiko performance is free, offering a unique cultural immersion experience for Filipinos interested in Japan’s vibrant heritage.

For more details about Nihongo Fiesta 2025, visit The Japan Foundation, Manila’s official Facebook page and stay updated on event schedules and announcements.

Spanish Classical Guitar Virtuoso Miguel Trápaga performing 3 concerts at UP Diliman, UST and Instituto Cervantes de Manila

Miguel Trapaga
Photo © Kazuhiro Yoshizumi

The Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines and the Spanish Agency for Cooperation, in collaboration with the UP College of Music and the Conservatory of Music of UST, are proud to present the internationally acclaimed Spanish guitarist Miguel Trápaga in a series of concerts featuring one of his latest project, The Guitar in the Time of Manuel de Falla.

Performances are scheduled on February 17, 6:30 PM, at the University of the Philippines Diliman; February 19, 2:00 PM at the University of Santo Tomás, and February 21, 7:00 PM at Instituto Cervantes in Intramuros. These concerts promise a captivating journey through Spain’s rich musical heritage, brought to life by Trápaga, one of the world’s leading Spanish ambassadors of classical guitar.

Born in Cantabria, Spain, Miguel Trápaga is celebrated for his profound commitment to the classical guitar repertoire, from 18th-century masterpieces to contemporary works. Being a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid, Trápaga has earned numerous awards, including top honors at prestigious competitions, such as the Andrés Segovia International Guitar Competition or the Guitar Foundation of America’s International Solo Guitar Competition.

With an impressive international career, Trápaga has performed in iconic venues such as the Forbidden City Auditorium in Beijing, the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas, or the National Theatre in Taiwan. He has also collaborated with esteemed orchestras including the Real Filharmonía de Galicia, the Seville Symphony Orchestra, and the National Philharmonic of Ukraine.

Trápaga’s discography includes seven albums, with notable recordings for the NAXOS label, such as Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo, and the world premiere of Leo Brouwer’s Concierto de Benicassim. His latest album, Double Guitar Concertos, showcases works by renowned Spanish composers.

In addition to his active concert schedule, Trápaga is a professor at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid and a sought-after guest lecturer worldwide, having taught masterclasses at institutions such as the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and the Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music.

The program, The Guitar in the Time of Manuel de Falla, features a carefully curated selection of compositions that highlight the vibrant and evocative spirit of Spanish music.

First Part:

• Isaac Albéniz: Asturias, Capricho Catalán, Torre Bermeja
• Manuel M. Ponce: Suite in A Minor (Prélude, Allemande, Sarabande, Gavotte I et II, Gigue)

Second Part:

• Federico Moreno-Torroba: Sonatina (Allegretto, Andante, Allegro)
• Manuel de Falla: Homenaje a Debussy, Romance del Pescador, Canción del Fuego Fatuo
• Joaquín Turina: Sonata for Guitar, Op. 61 (Allegro, Andante, Allegro Vivo)

The three performances are free of charge, but seating is limited. Reservations can be made through the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/sXJCJsA1wq

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness the artistry of Miguel Trápaga and experience the timeless beauty of Spanish classical guitar.

On 18 February, Miguel Trápaga will also conduct a master class for advanced guitar students at Instituto Cervantes. Interested candidates should register through this link: https://forms.office.com/e/Qutb69171c

For updates on the concerts and other cultural activities of Instituto Cervantes, kindly visit Instituto Cervantes de Manila website https://manila.cervantes.es, or its Facebook and Instagram pages: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila and https://www.instagram.com/institutocervantesmanila/

PPO celebrates peace and solidarity in Wings of Hope concert

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Manila and the Cultural Center of the Philippines present the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, under the music direction of Grzegorz Nowak, in Wings of Hope: Warsaw-Manila Peace Tribute, a concert celebrating peace and solidarity happening on February 14, 2025, 7:30 PM at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

Konrad Binienda

The concert, the fifth installment of the PPO's 40th season, is highlighted by the world premiere of Roxanna Panufnik’s Wings of Hope, a commissioned work dedicated to the incredibly brave resistance fighters of World War II in both Manila and Warsaw.

Accompanying the music are film illustrations created by director Adam Ustynowicz and graphic artist Piotr Forkasiewicz creating a multi-sensory experience. Ustynowicz bagged the Best Film Award at the Monaco Film Festival with Chopin: the Space Concert, which brought Frédéric Chopin’s music along the flight of the Space Shuttle.

Małgorzata Trojanowska

Aside from composer Roxanna Panufnik, also flying to Manila for the concert are pianist Konrad Binienda and soprano Małgorzata Trojanowska.

Binienda opens the concert with Richard Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto, a miniature concerto originally written for the 1941 film Dangerous Moonlight. He will also perform Frédéric Chopin’s Allegro de concert, Op. 46 featuring his own orchestration. Trojanowska, on the other hand, will be the featured soloist in Henryk Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Op. 36 'Symphony of Sorrowful Songs'. This symphony, composed in 1976, is Górecki's most famous work as evidenced by the commercial success of the 1992 recording by the London Sinfonietta with Dawn Upshaw, under the baton of David Zinman making it one of the most best selling contemporary classical records in the world.

Also to be performed at the concert Andrzej Panufnik's Heroic Overture and Tragic Overture.

Reprinted below is the press release of the PPO Concert V which is also dubbed as Hope.

Resilient tales of love and loss in PPO Concert V: HOPE this February 14

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) imparts narratives of solemn heroism and resiliency in the fifth installment of its 40th concert season, dubbed as “HOPE,” on February 14, 2025, 7:30 p.m., at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila City.

PPO Concert V: Hope uses the universal language of music to tell the shared past of two capitals, Warsaw (Poland) and Manila (Philippines), through melodies from Wings of Hope: a Warsaw-Manila Peace Tribute.

Accompanying the music are film illustrations created by director Adam Ustynowicz and graphic artist Piotr Forkasiewicz, thus creating a multi-sensory experience. Ustynowicz also bagged the Best Film Award at the Monaco Film Festival with “Chopin: the Space Concert,” which brought Frédéric Chopin’s music along the flight of the Space Shuttle.

Through the universal language of music, PPO Concert V: Hope honors the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the Warsaw Uprising in Poland and the Manila Massacre in the Philippines, both important historical events during World War II.

The first Warsaw Uprising began on the afternoon of August 1, 1944, with 50,000 troops attacking a German garrison. Their initial success, however, didn’t last long. When the Germans counter-attacked, the Polish underground resistance Home Army faced the bloodiest encounter as they tried to regain control of their city. Without significant support, the Home Army was forced to surrender on October 2, 1944. Over 15,000 insurgents and 250,000 Polish civilians faced death while the survivors were captured and sent to German concentration camps.

Also known as the “Rape of Manila,” the often overlooked Manila Massacre happened on the heel of the return of Gen. Douglas McArthur to the capital city during the waning months of World War II. The battle was characterized by the bravery of Philippine troops amidst the atrocities committed by Japanese troops. Refusing to surrender, the withdrawing Japanese forces slaughtered more than 100,000 Filipinos. They bombed Manila, obliterating cultural landmarks, religious sites, and government infrastructures. These acts sparked a firestorm with the World War II allied forces.

Under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, PPO Concert V: Hope highlights solidarity during trying times and spotlights the bravery shown by the people of the two countries.

The concert begins with Richard Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto, featuring multi-talented Konrad Binienda on piano.

Addinsell half-heartedly wrote this concerto for the romantic film Dangerous Moonlight (1941). Besides evoking turmoil, this song narrates the bubbling love story between protagonists Polish pianist Radetzky and American journalist Carole. Addinsell’s “Warsaw Concerto” is known to divide opinion among musicians. For movie-goers, however, it is deemed brilliant for sounding like a “full-bloodied romance.”

From describing the tragedy of love amid war, PPO Concert V: Hope continues with Andrzej Panufnik’s Heroic Overture and Tragic Overture. “Heroic Overture” reflects Poland's brave resistance during World War II. Drawing inspiration from his origins, Panufnik finished writing it in 1939. That same year, Poland was betrayed by the Stalin-Hitler pact, causing Panufnik to lose all optimism, giving birth to “Tragic Overture”.

Agonizing over the death of his only brother during the uprising in 1944, Panufnik composed Tragic Overture. Including its first version, 30 years of his life’s work were destroyed in the war. He rewrote Tragic Overture, intending to hide his frustration beneath it. Panufnik’s subconscious, however, seeped through and presented his grief in onomatopoeic passages.

Panufnik’s Wings of Hope pays homage to Polish airmen who risked their lives in the name of freedom. This commissioned work discusses the helplessness and hope that come with heroism. While exploring the struggle of making sacrifices in exchange for triumph, Panufnik’s “Wings of Hope” weaves modern harmonies with the human spirit’s innate resilience.

Featuring Binienda’s most Chopin-like orchestration, the PPO Concert V: Hope will showcase Frédéric Chopin’s Allegro de concert with patriotic conviction. Despite its title, this composition is technically not a “concerto” as it lacked orchestration from Chopin. This, however, didn’t stop it from gaining popularity as artists reimagined it over the years. Chopin’s “Allegro de concert” derives from military music and nocturne-like lyricism, making it stylistically inconsistent.

PPO Concert V: Hope culminates with Henryk Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. With Konrad Binienda on the piano and golden-throated soprano Małgorzata Trojanowska, this magnificent piece offers the perspective of the war’s innocent victims. Lamenting on the horrors of World War II, Górecki’s magnum opus describes the intricate relationship of a mother and her child amid wartime. Long, sustained notes decorate “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs,” creating a contemplative mood.

Through the poignant repertoire from Wings of Hope: A Warsaw-Manila Peace Tribute, PPO Concert V: Hope harnesses music’s profound power to foster solidarity among audiences of diverse cultures.

Celebrate Heart’s Day with these classical melodies of heroism, love, and loss on February 14, at 7:30 p.m., at the Metropolitan Theater.

PPO tickets are priced at Php 3,000, Php 2,500, Php 2,000, and Php 1,500, and are available at TicketWorld. Be a PPO Subscriber and enjoy up to 25 percent discount. Email salesandpromotions@culturalcenter.gov.ph or call the CCP Box Office at +63931-033-0880 for more information.

For updates on PPO’s future concerts, follow the official Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts of the PPO and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). You may also visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph for more information on upcoming masterclasses, workshops, performances, and other events.