Donizetti's Don Pasquale, concert style at PPO March concert

Catch a concert staging of Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale at the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra's penultimate performance of its 39th Switch season happening this March 8, 2024, 7:30 PM at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

PPO Music Director/Principal Conductor Grzegorz Nowak welcomes in this concert soprano Dorota Sobieska, bass Matheus França, baritone Byeong-In Park, tenor Nomher Nival and baritone Zadkiel John Yarcia who will sing the roles of this opera buffa composed by Gaetano Donizetti with libretto by Giovanni Ruffini.

More details about PPO's concert staging of Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale can be found at the press release below.

DON PASQUALE TAKES OVER PPO’S CONCERT

Filling the gap in the opera programming in the Philippines, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra present Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale as part of its 39th concert season on March 8, 7:30 pm, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

Dorota Sobieska

For its seventh concert, the PPO will have a concert-style performance of the Italian opera under the baton of PPO music director and principal conductor Maestro Grzegorz Nowak.

With the Italian libretto by Giovanni Ruffini, Don Pasquale is one of the most popular opera buffas, along with Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Donizetti’s other opera The Elixir of Love. It is known for its bright and colorful vocal, and truthful depiction of characters and genuine emotions.

Matheus França

First premiered at the Théâtre Italien in Paris on January 3, 1843, the three-act opera follows the story of a wealthy old bachelor named Don Pasquale who decides to take a wife and produce an heir to disinherit his nephew Ernesto for refusing to enter an arranged marriage. Dottore Malatesta, a friend of the Don, promises to help Ernesto and his widowed sweetheart Norina.

Things take a humorous turn when his scheming plans are thwarted by a series of comical misunderstandings and mistaken identities. Will Don Pasquale change his mind and realize that marriage is not for him, and allow the couple to happily live ever after?

Find out as opera soloists Dorota Sobieska (as Norina), Matheus França (as Don Pasquale), Byeong In Park (as Dr. Malatesta), Nomher Nival (as Ernesto), and Zadkiel John Yarcia (as Notary) bring to life its entertaining plot and memorable characters.

Byeong-In Park

A talented soprano and stage director, Sobieska has participated in many opera productions and solo performances with an orchestra and piano. One of Ohio’s finest sopranos, her exceptional wide-ranging coloratura technique exemplifies glorious tones and passages with wonderful quality.

Brazilian bass with experienced remarkable growth in the solo landscape, França, is a product of the University of Brasília where he received his musical education. He also possesses a bachelor’s degree in Orchestral and Choral Conducting with excellence.

Alongside Dorota Sobieska and Matheus França, baritone Park will also take center stage. A student under acclaimed tenor Francisco Araiza at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart, Germany, Byeong In Park has been actively performing in opera productions and concerts around Europe and Asia. Currently based in the Philippines, Park continues to involve himself in most opera productions and concerts with several orchestras such as the PPO, the Manila Symphony Orchestra, the ABS-CBN Orchestra, and the Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nomher Nival

Another soloist with a deep, rich voice and an alumnus of the internationally acclaimed high school choir, Boscorale, baritone Yarcia is currently a student taking up a bachelor’s degree in music, majoring in voice, at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. The young baritone soloist received medals in the Opera and Broadway categories when he competed in the 2018 World Championships of Performing Arts in California, U.S.A.

Completing the cast is Nival, a first-prize winner in the vocal male category of the 2007 National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) and the 2015 Jovita Fuentes Vocal Competition Male Category. A well-established tenor who has performed major roles in many CCP productions, he was also the recipient of the Mr. and Mrs. Tommy & Simonetta Steyer Encouragement Award at the prestigious Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition 2013 in Vero Beach, Florida.

Zadkiel John Yarcia

Tickets to PPO Concert VII: Don Pasquale are priced at Php3,000 (Orchestra Center), Php2,000 (Orchestra Side), Php2,500 (Loge Center), Php1,500 (Loge Side), and Php800 (Balcony 1).

The PPO concert season is made possible with partners SSI Group, Inc., TBWA\SMP, Ascott Bonifacio Global City, and Lyf Malate Manila.

For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest updates.

Noli Me Tangere, the Opera: Promise fulfilled for current generation of classical singers

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Manila Symphony Orchestra rings in 2018 with epic season finale

The Manila Symphony Orchestra brings their Leadership & Creativity season to an epic close with a performance of Carl Orff’s masterpiece Carmina Burana this January 20, 2018, 8:00 PM at The Theatre at Solaire.

The MSO, to be conducted by Prof. Arturo Molina, will be joined by soprano Rachelle Gerodias-Park, baritone Byeong-In Park, tenor Nomher Nival, Coro Tomasino, and Viva Voce for the performance of Carmina Burana.

Making its world premiere on this night is Alejandro Consolacion II’s Dekada ’70 A Rhapsodic Suite for Orchestra which is in line with the orchestra’s aim to enrich the Philippine orchestral music literature by commissioning works from Filipino composers.

The MSO gave a sampler of Carmina Burana years ago featuring soprano Elainne Marie Vibal, baritone Noel Azcona and Viva Voce through a recording made for the Ortigas Foundation. Note that there was no tenor listed since only some parts, and none with the tenor, was recorded.

While very brief, the tenor part in this piece is extremely demanding and gives no opportunity for him to warm up at all. I do think that Nomher Nival is one tenor who is up to this formidable task.

Carmina Burana, especially the O Fortuna part is one of the most recognizable pieces of music out there as it had been used in movies, television, commercials and just recently as the music for Michael Christian Martinez’s short program for this season in his unsuccessful bid to return to the Winter Olympics.

I do recommend that people head on to The Solaire and hear Carmina Burana in its entirety and make this epic piece of music set the pace for an equally epic 2018.

Manila Symphony Orchestra Concert Season 2017-2018

Leadership & Creativity Season Finale

January 20, 2018, 8:00 PM | The Theatre at Solaire

Featuring:

Rachelle Gerodias-Park, soprano

Byeong-In Park, baritone

Nomher Nival, tenor

Coro Tomasino

Viva Voce

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Program:

Alejandro Consolacion II

     Dekada '70 A Rhapsodic Suite for Orchestra

Carl Orff

     Carmina Burana

Revisiting Mario Lanza’s legacy in concert

I first became aware of who Mario Lanza was through the 1994 film Heavenly Creatures, one of the most disturbing movies that I’ve ever seen. The film, featuring two deranged teenage girls who imagine Mario Lanza in their fantasy world (the two eventually end up as murderers), was hardly the ideal way to get acquainted with the legendary Hollywood actor credited to bringing opera music to the masses.

Soprano Stephanie Aguilar

But now, a chance to relive Mario Lanza in all his glory comes our way as soprano Stephanie Aguilar and tenor Nomher Nival perform in a concert entitled The American Song Book: Mario Lanza Revisited happening this June 1, 2017, 6:30 PM at the Ayala Museum. Collaborating artist for this evening will be award winning pianist Gabriel Paguirigan.

Tenor Nomher Nival

The American Song Book: Mario Lanza Revisited is presented by the Ayala Museum and the Cultural Arts Events Organizer with the support of Lyric Piano and 98.7 DZFE The Master’s Touch.

The American Song Book: Mario Lanza Revisited

June 1, 2017, 6:30 PM | Ayala Museum

Featuring:

Stephanie Aguilar, soprano

Nomher Nival, tenor

Gabriel Paguirigan, piano

Ticket prices:

P1000 | P700

Discounted rates for Ayala Museum members, AGC employees, ARC members, senior citizens and students are available

For inquiries:

Ayala Museum 759-8288 local 8272, concerts@ayalamuseum.org

CAEO (0917)347-3027

TicketWorld 891-9999

BGC Arts Center Festival Day 2: The Opera Gala

Going back for the second day of the BGC Arts Center Festival was not a question for me mainly because of the Opera Gala featuring international tenor, Arthur Espiritu. Joining him in this concert presented by MusicArtes, Inc. and directed by Leo Rialp was a dozen (initially) young and upcoming classical artists. What also drew me in was getting to experience the new Globe Auditorium and see how this space can cater to classical music performances such as a concert featuring operatic singers like this one.

A bit of drama unfolded even before the start as it was announced that baritone Noel Azcona would not be appearing on stage due to illness. He was supposed to be the first to perform and his booming voice in Si può? Si può? from Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci could’ve been an awesome start to the concert.

Opening the concert then fell to tenor Ervin Lumauag with Ich baue ganz auf deine Stärke from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail. A duet between tenor Christian Nagaño and soprano Anna Migallos performing Lippen Schweigen from Franz Lehár’s Die lustige Witwe followed before Christian going solo with Dein ist mein ganzes Herz from Das Land des Lächelns also by Lehár. It was my first time to see both Ervin and Christian perform and I felt that Ervin sounded a bit nervous who, probably owing to starting the affair on such short notice while I think that Christian’s timbre is more suited for a classical crossover repertoire.

A selection from Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto featured the promising soprano Stephanie Aguilar displaying great control with Caro nome. But the normally well-composed Nomher Nival was out of sorts with a rough La donna è mobile that sounded more shouted than sung. This was very uncharacteristic of him since he was top on top form during the press conference of Noli Me Tangere, the Opera. With Noel’s absence, Bella figlia dell’amore with him, along with Nomher, Stephanie, and Krissan Manikan was no longer performed.

A “dolled up” Lara Maigue brought some color and humor to the stage with Les oiseaux dans la charmille aka The Doll’s Song from The Tales of Hoffman by Jacques Offenbach. Pianist Dingdong Fiel gamely joined in on the action when he had to do the winding up of the doll. And the winding up probably did the trick enabling Lara to hit that high Ab in the end.

The most anticipated man of the night, Arthur Espiritu gave me a sampling of something new, his duet with soprano Stefanie Quintin in Prendi l'anel ti dono from Vincenzo Bellini’s La Sonnambula, and a soaring Ah! lève-toi, soleil from Charles Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. Both these pieces were unknown to me but Arthur’s superb storytelling gave me a clearer picture of what these songs were all about. Although it doesn’t take much to know what Romeo’s aria was all about.

At the start of the second half, it became more obvious that the females provided more character, color and flavor to the concert as proven by Marielle Tuason’s exotic rendition L'Air des clochettes aka The Bell Song from Lakmé by Léo Delibes. Not to be outdone, mezzo soprano Krissan Manikan delivered an emotionally intense Adieu, forêts from Jeanne d'Arc, La Pucelle d'Orleans by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky with such rich, dark timbre.

An unexpected surprise occurred as Andrew Fernando, who was really just there as part of the audience, came in to the rescue and took over the Noel’s part in a duet with Kay Balajadia-Liggayu in Là ci darem la mano from Don Giovanni by Mozart. Only urged by Madame Fides Cuyugan-Asencio to step in during the intermission, Andrew nonetheless performed as if he was indeed part of the original line up and had ample rehearsals. I wish that someone had informed him before the concert started so that he could’ve taken over entirely Noel's part and sung more than just the duet.

A scene from Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème with Arthur as Rodolfo and Anna Migallos as Mimì followed. What had come before were just bits and pieces from various operas, so this portion that included Arthur’s Che gelida manina, Anna’s Sì, mi chiamano Mimì, and their duet of O soave fanciulla really told a story. I bet that those who had not seen La bohème before, upon seeing how these two neighbors fall in love at first sight, would want to see the entire thing now.

Kay Balajadia-Liggayu revisited Micaëla with her aria Je dis que rien ne m'épouvante from Carmen by Georges Bizet. Having done La voix humaine, the night before, Kay spent her weekend portraying broken hearted women so it was no wonder that she enjoyed her duet with Andrew. As I’ve said earlier, the female singers were on fire and Tanya Corcuera was no exception in singing Sola, perduta, abbandonata from Manon Lescaut by Puccini. I still remember being blown away by Stefanie Quintin a year ago and she did once again with the same number that had me take notice of her: Ombre légère from Giacomo Meyerbeer’s Dinorah.

Arthur then put a close to the evening by dedicating Gioachino Rossini’s Cessa di più resistere from Il barbiere di Siviglia to Juan Antonio Lanuza who was one of the most ardent supporters of the classical music scene here in the country, even predating the establishment of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Hearing the flurry of notes in this aria made me scratch my head as to how Arthur could switch from Puccini to Rossini which is so musically different from each other.

The finale, with everyone back on stage, was Questo è il fin di chi fa mal from Mozart’s Don Giovanni that once again made me feel the absence of a baritone voice. Nessun dorma from Puccini’s Turandot was the encore with the audience getting giddy once the first two words were sung. As always, this aria never fails to stir the emotions and the audience were up on their feet soon after the final Vincerò! was sung.

As far as the Globe Auditorium is concerned, I would need to experience being seated from different sections first like the two balconies in order for me to gauge the acoustics fully. The sound was okay (not great, not bad) from where I was seated at the orchestra section but whenever the two mics in front of the stage pick up the voice especially during the louder moments, a distracting reverb blares out from the speakers above. More distracting was the noise from outside, like the chatter from the lobbies and the vehicles passing by the road, that can be heard inside the auditorium. Measures should be undertaken in soundproofing both the Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall and the Globe Auditorium to keep outside noise to the minimum.

I was very pleased with the audience turnout of the inaugural BGC Arts Center Festival. I saw students making up the long line to get into Katips while the senior citizens were given seats to make themselves comfortable while waiting for the Opera Gala to start. I now await with great interest what this new cultural hub has lined up, especially in the field of classical music, for the rest of the new year.

Future of Philippine opera shines in concert

Featuring:

Roxy Aldiosa, soprano

Jan Briane Astom, tenor

Carlo Bunyi, baritone

Michaela Fajardo, soprano

Mheco Manlangit, soprano

Carlo Mañalac, tenor

Myramae Meneses, soprano

Anna Migallos, soprano

Nomher Nival, tenor

Stefanie Quintin, soprano

Mia Ariana Tanciongco, soprano

Marielle Tuason, soprano

Iona Ventocilla, soprano

Najib Ismail, piano

Gabriel Allan Paguirian, piano

Full length opera productions in the Philippines are a rarity which is a shame since there’s an abundance of talent in here. And a small number of these talents, thirteen to be exact, showed off their operatic vocal chops at a concert entitled A Night at the Opera, their culminating recital held at the Ayala Museum after going through an intensive three day workshop under famed Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu.

The performers, namely Roxy Aldiosa, Jan Briane Astom, Carlo Bunyi, Michaela Fajardo, Mheco Manlangit, Carlo Mañalac, Myramae Meneses, Anna Migallos, Nomher Nival, Stefanie Quintin, Mia Ariana Tanciongco, Marielle Tuason, and Iona Ventocilla each had their moment to shine as they sang works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gaetano Donizetti, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and Roger Quilter. They were accompanied by pianists Najib Ismail and Gabriel Allan Paguirigan.

When Myramae along with Iona kicked things off with Prenderò quel brunettino from Mozart’s Così fan tutte, I had a realization that unsettled me for a bit. Myramae, who just a few years ago was a promising newcomer to the scene, now appeared as the seasoned veteran, along with Nomher Nival, in this concert. These two later on sang arias from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore with Myramae doing Prendi, per me sei libero while Nomher delivering Una furtiva lagrima. Iona, on the other hand, gave me my first taste of Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Mi tradi quell'alma ingrata.

The evening served as an introduction for me to unfamiliar faces like Mia Ariana Tanciongco who sang Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Carlo Bunyi who did Madamina, il catalogo è questo from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Marielle Tuason (Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben from Mozart’s Zaide), Mheco Manlangit (Chi il bel sogno di Doretta from Puccini’s La Rondine), and Anna Migallos (Donde lieta usci from Puccini’s La Boheme).

It was also the first time for me to see familiar faces like Michaela Fajardo (Voi che sapete from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro), Carlo Mañalac (Quanto è bella, quanto è cara from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore), Roxy Aldiosa (Una voce poco fa from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia) perform as soloists. I’ve seen them a handful of times perform as members of Viva Voce so it’s nice to hear their solo voices at last.

Another very familiar face is Jan Briane Astom (Come Away Death from Quilter’s 3 Shakespeare Songs, Op. 6) and seeing him sing was a departure from what I know of him as a pianist. This wouldn’t be the first time for someone to change tracks since Myramae actually had her start as a violinist before switching to operatic singing.

The one who stole the show was Stefanie Quintin who dazzled with great dynamics, humor and charm despite most of us in the audience not having any idea what the French words of Ombre légère from Meyerbeer’s Dinorah mean. Later did I find out that the aria is actually a duet for one with Dorinah singing alongside with her shadow.

Aside from the solos, there were also duets between Mheco and Marielle (Sull'aria...che soave zeffiretto from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro) and Nomher and Anna (O soave fanciulla from Puccini’s La bohème) that eventually capped the concert. For an encore, all the performers sang Ikaw ang Mahal Ko by Tito Arevalo and Levi Celerio, a surprising choice but eventually a breath of fresh air since it was not yet another Libiamo ne' lieti calici which has already been done to death.

Throughout the concert, I was greatly amused seeing Arthur Espiritu get all excited and nervous as he watched at the sidelines. At the start, he gave opening remarks and told the audience how these young singers need the support especially when they pursue further studies to improve their craft. He clearly wanted these young singers to have the opportunities he has had to study and perform in opera productions here and abroad. Of course, the audience didn’t let the evening end without Arthur singing and he caved in to demands and did Giuseppe Verdi’s La donna è mobile from Rigoletto.

It’s been only few years since I got first exposed to full length operas and this night only told me that there are still new faces and voices to discover and more operas to explore out there. A Night at the Opera was presented by Cultural Arts Events Organizers and MusicArtes Inc.

MSO IV: Verdi’s Opera Extravaganza

Tanya Corcuera, Noel Azcona, Camille Lopez-Molina, Nomher Nival
and Myramae Meneses

Featuring:

Camille Lopez-Molina, soprano

Noel Azcona, baritone

Myramae Meneses, soprano

Tanya Corcuera, soprano

Nomher Nival, tenor

Viva Voce
Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Giuseppe Verdi

     La Forza Del Destino

          Overture

     Nabucco

          Va, pensiero

     La Forza Del Destino

          Pace, pace mio Dio

     La Traviata

          Un di felice eterea

          Di provenza il mar, il suol

          Libiamo ne lieti calici

     I Vespri Siciliani 

          Overture

     Rigoletto

          Caro nome

          La donna e mobile

          Un di sa ben rammentomi… bella figlia dell’amore

     Un Ballo in Maschera

          Morro ma prima in grazia

     Don Carlos

          O don fatale

    Otello

          Credo

     Il Trovatore     

          Mira d’acerbe lagrime

     Aida

          Gloria all’egitto ad isside

The previous week leading into this concert was marked by illness due to exhaustion coupled with the unpredictable weather. And if one looks at the blog entries that I’ve written for the past few months, then one can form an idea on how busy I’ve been. So I decided to take things easy and made sure that I’d recover in time to see the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s concert Verdi’s Opera Extravaganza at the Santiago Francisco Hall. I knew that I really had to make it up to them and catch this performance in celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s 200^th anniversary of his birth since I missed the orchestra’s previous concert featuring violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr., which I heard was literally a standing room only affair.

Soprano Camille Lopez-Molina

When concert started with Arturo Molina conducting the orchestra with the very familiar overture from La Forza Del Destino, I knew that the concert repertoire was perfect for me because I could just take things easy and just enjoy the performances. And I did appreciate the next number which was Va, pensiero from Nabucco performed by Viva Voce who were at the gallery above the stage. This tune is a big deal for Italians and they even consider it as their unofficial national anthem. Then it was time for the featured soloists to do their solos, starting with soprano Camille Lopez-Molina doing Pace, pace mio Dio from La Forza Del Destino. I was surprised and slightly amused to see her donning the same ensemble she wore during her show stopping aria from Lorenzo.

Tenor Nomher Nival

The La Traviata portion that came right after had me thinking about the previous staging of the opera that I was able to see thrice. So it was nice reliving those memories when Nomher Nival and Myramae Meneses performed Un di felice eterea and baritone Noel Azcona did Di provenza il mar, il suol. After this, Viva Voce joined all of the soloists including soprano Tanya Corcuera who has yet to do her solo in singing the popular drinking song Libiamo ne lieti calici which ended the first half of the concert.

Soprano Myramae Meneses

The overture to I Vespri Siciliani started the second half of the concert before Myramae Meneses took to the stage to do her solo which is Caro nome from Rigoletto. Nomher Nival then took a shot at the most famous aria from that opera which is La donna e mobile. Then the quartet of Meneses, Nival, Corcuera and Azcona did Un di sa ben rammentomi… bella figlia dell’amore. Around this time, I was pleased to have seen the Met Opera in HD screening of Rigoletto since I now had a clear idea on what was going on stage and also how nice it was to finally see these arias performed live.

Baritone Noel Azcona

After this, things took a turn to the unfamiliar and darker route as Tanya Corcuera sang Morro ma prima in grazia from Un Ballo in Maschera, Camille Lopez-Molina with O don fatale from Don Carlo, Noel Azcona with Credo from Otello and Camille and Noel doing Mira d’acerbe lagrime from Il Trovatore. This was the time when the concert ventured into Verdi that I am not familiar with. Although I barely had an idea on what these arias were all about, I felt the malevolence, despair and impending doom based on what I saw in their performances.

Finally, Viva Voce performed the Gloria all’egitto ad isside from Aida. At one point when I looked back once again on my previous Aida experience, I thought that the orchestra would play the entire march but they played a shortened/concise version or else it would’ve been a very, very long night. Thank goodness that the concert ended in this triumphant mood which was boosted further by an encore of Libiamo ne lieti calici, thus making me feel energized and upbeat which I really needed at that time.

Arturo Molina, the Manila Symphony Orchestra

One thing I realized with this concert was how differently I was able to appreciate arias from operas that I’ve seen performed in its entirety compared to those that I was only able to listen on its own through various recordings and recitals. It felt like was I trying to relive the experience of the opera and also imagining how these singers would be if they were in those roles in a full opera production. And for the ones that I’ve heard only for the first time, it made me wonder if I would be able to have the chance to see the entire opera in the near future. This concert capped the MSO’s Color Your World series for this year but they will return early next year with a performance celebrating the orchestra’s 88 years.

Manila Symphony Orchestra celebrates Verdi's bicentennial with opera extravaganza concert

September 14, 2013, 8:00 PM

Francisco Santiago Hall

South Tower, BDO Corporate Center

Makati

Featuring:

Camille Lopez-Molina, soprano

Noel Azcona, baritone

Myramae Meneses, soprano

Tanya Corcuera, soprano

Nomher Nival, tenor

Viva Voce
Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Giuseppe Verdi

     La Forza Del Destino

          Overture

          Pace, pace mio Dio

     Nabucco

          Va, pensiero

     La Traviata

          Un di felice eterea

          Di provenza il mar, il suol

          Libiamo ne lieti calici

     I Vespri Siciliani 

          Overture

     Rigoletto

          Caro nome

          La donna e mobile

          Un di sa ben rammentomi… bella figlia dell’amore

     Un Ballo in Maschera

          Morro ma prima in grazia

     Don Carlos

          O don fatale

    Otello

          Credo

     Il Trovatore     

          Mira d’acerbe lagrime

     Aida

          Gloria all’egitto ad isside

The Manila Symphony Orchestra celebrates Giuseppe Verdi’s bicentennial by presenting Verdi’s Opera Extravaganza on September 14, 2013, 8:00 PM at the Santiago Francisco Hall at the BDO Corporate Center in Makati. This performance, the fourth in MSO’s Color Your World 2013-2014 Concert Season will feature an all Verdi repertoire performed by a handful of seasoned and promising up and coming talents in the Philippine opera scene.

The Manila Symphony Orchestra

Joining the MSO and conductor Arturo Molina are internationally renowned soprano Camille Lopez-Molina and baritone Noel Azcona, rising talents sopranos Myramae Meneses and Tanya Corcuera, and tenor Nomher Nival. They will be supported by Viva Voce, a group of young and talented classical singers trained by voice teachers Camille Lopez Molina, Randy Gilongo, Pablo Molina, John Glenn Gaerlan and Rica Nepomuceno, and pianists Peter Porticos, Myrna Lopez, and Najib Ismail. In this concert, famous selections from Verdi’s operas like Nabucco, La Traviata, La Forza Del Destino, Rigoletto, Aida, Un Ballo In Maschera, Don Carlos, and Otello will be performed.

Conductor Arturo Molina

There haven’t been any full opera productions this year compared to last year’s four. Yes, there had been screenings of opera productions this year but still, nothing compares to seeing and hearing performances live and this concert is a good way for people to have their fill. And looking upon the lineup for this concert, there’s a nice mix of pieces that I know and a lot more that I’ve yet to hear. This concert is another opportunity for me (and others as well) to expand my knowledge of opera especially Verdi’s music.

Ticket prices:

P1200 Orchestra

P600 Balcony

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

523-5712, (0916) 408-7549, info@manilasymphony.com