CCP's The Met: LIVE in HD presents Richard Strauss' Salome

The Cultural Center of the Philippines presents Richard Strauss' Salome, the latest installment of CCP's The Met: LIVE in HD screening on August 12, 2025, 5:30 PM at Glorietta 4, Cinema 1 at the Ayala Center in Makati.

This new production by Claus Guth, set during the Victorian era, stars soprano Elza van den Heever in the titular role, baritone Peter Mattei as Jochanaan, tenor Gerhard Siegel as King Herod, mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as Herodias, and tenor Piotr Buszewski as Narraboth. Met Orchestra's Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.

An advance warning though as this production of Salome contains adult themes and disturbing imagery.

Here is the press release for CCP's The Met: LIVE in HD screening of Strauss' Salome

Salome’s dangerous obsession in CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD

The biblical tale of the wicked Salome takes center stage in the seventh installment of CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines)’s The Met: LIVE in HD, screening on August 12, 2025, 5:30 pm, at Glorietta 4, Cinema 1 in Makati City.

Composed by Richard Strauss, Salome intertwines the life of the young girl with her stepfather, King Herod, and the prophet Jochanaan. Enthralled by Jochanaan, Salome makes advances. He then rejects her and advises her to seek Christ instead. Blinded by anger, the girl seduces King Herod to get the prophet for herself.

Due to its scandalous tale of eroticism and indecency, Strauss’ Salome was banned in London until 1908. Its provocative number, Dance of the Seven Veils, paints the once innocent girl in a new light. The spoiled princess displays her sexual awakening as a terrifying force, enough to commit murder in the name of her desires. Highlighting Salome’s dangerous obsession with Jochanaan, the opera narrates her inevitable descent into madness and corruption.

Originally a French play by Oscar Wilde, Salome was translated into German by Strauss following Hedwig Lachmann’s libretto. Its unsettling dissonances and turbulent rhythms deny the audiences a gentle introduction, reeling them in with psychological precision. Meanwhile, the use of string, wind, and brass instruments perfectly balances the tale’s eerie atmosphere with the powerful vocals of each singer.

After two decades, the Metropolitan Opera brings Strauss’ Salome back with mezzo-soprano Elza van den Heever brilliantly portraying the unhinged heroine. Tenor Gerhard Siegel joins her as the corrupt King Herod, while celebrated baritone Peter Mattei is Jochanaan. The regality and dark themes of Salome shine with the orchestral performance under the baton of the Met Opera’s music conductor, Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Witness Salome’s tragedy on screen on August 12, 5:30 p.m., at Glorietta 4’s Cinema 1 in Makati City as the seventh installment of the CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD. The CCP, in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc., and Ayala Malls Cinemas, showcases the beauty of operas in excellent Dolby Surround and High-Definition video.

While inspiring a deeper appreciation of all art forms, the country’s leading art institution keeps true to its commitment to providing world-class artistic experiences to Filipinos through The Met: LIVE in HD program. Aside from the performance itself, the opera program gives a glimpse into the nitty-gritty of mounting operas with exclusive interviews and footage.

Regular tickets for CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD - Season 10 screenings are priced at Php350. Students and young professionals can avail of the discounted price of Php100 upon presentation of a valid ID. You may purchase directly from the ticket booth at the venue or book tickets online via www.sureseats.com.

Get updates on CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD through the official Facebook pages of CCP and CCP Film, Broadcast, and New Media. For upcoming CCP shows and events, follow the CCP’s official social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok. You may also check on the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) for more information.

Contemporary operas highlight CCP's The Met: Live in HD Season 9

The Cultural Center of the Philippines' The Met: Live in HD series returns for its 9th season with seven Metropolitan Opera productions screening one per month this March-September 2024 at Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.

Presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Metropolitan Opera of New York, Filipinas Opera Society Foundation Inc., and Ayala Cinemas, The Met: Live in HD Season 9 features seven Metropolitan Opera performances in High Definition video and Dolby Surround Sound. And two of this season's offerings are contemporary works never before seen (in any production) in the Philippines.

Kicking off the season is Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier screening on March 5, 2024, 5:30 PM.

A dream cast assembles for Strauss’s grand Viennese comedy. Soprano Lise Davidsen is the aging Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey as her lover Octavian and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie, the beautiful younger woman who steals his heart. Bass Günther Groissböck returns as the churlish Baron Ochs, and Brian Mulligan is Sophie’s wealthy father, Faninal. Maestro Simone Young takes the Met podium to oversee Robert Carsen’s fin-de-siècle staging.

Here is the rest of CCP's The Met: Live in HD Season 9 lineup.

Nabucco

Giuseppe Verdi

April 2, 2024, 5:30 PM

Ancient Babylon comes to life in this classic Met staging of biblical proportions. Baritone George Gagnidze stars as the imperious king Nabucco, alongside soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska, reprising her thrilling turn as his vengeful daughter Abigaille. Mezzo-soprano Maria Barakova and tenor SeokJong Baek are Fenena and Ismaele, whose love transcends politics, and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy repeats his celebrated portrayal of the high priest Zaccaria. Daniele Callegari conducts Verdi’s exhilarating early masterpiece, which features the ultimate showcase for the great Met Chorus, the moving Va, pensiero.

Carmen

Georges Bizet

May 7, 2024, 5:30 PM

Acclaimed English director Carrie Cracknell brings a vital new production of one of opera’s most enduringly powerful works, reinvigorating the classic story with a staging that moves the action to the modern day and finds at the heart of the drama issues that could not be more relevant today: gendered violence, abusive labor structures, and the desire to break through societal boundaries. Dazzling young mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina leads a powerhouse quartet of stars in the complex and volatile title role, alongside tenor Piotr Beczała as Carmen’s troubled lover Don José, soprano Angel Blue as the loyal Micaëla, and bass-baritone Kyle Ketelsen as the swaggering Escamillo. Daniele Rustioni conducts Bizet’s heart-pounding score.

X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X

Anthony Davis | Libretto by Thulani Davis

June 4, 2024, 5:30 PM

Anthony Davis’s groundbreaking and influential opera, which premiered in 1986, arrives at the Met at long last. Theater luminary and Tony-nominated director of Slave Play Robert O’Hara oversees a potent new staging that imagines Malcolm as an Everyman whose story transcends time and space. An exceptional cast of breakout artists and young Met stars enliven the operatic retelling of the civil rights leader’s life. Baritone Will Liverman, who triumphed in the Met premiere of Fire Shut Up in My Bones, is Malcolm, alongside soprano Leah Hawkins as his mother, Louise; mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis as his sister Ella; bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as his brother Reginald; and tenor Victor Ryan Robertson as Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. Kazem Abdullah conducts the newly revised score, which provides a layered, jazz-inflected setting for the esteemed writer Thulani Davis’s libretto.

La Forza del Destino

Giuseppe Verdi

July 2, 2024, 5:30 PM

Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Verdi’s grand tale of ill-fated love, deadly vendettas, and family strife, with stellar soprano Lise Davidsen as the noble Leonora, one of the repertory’s most tormented—and thrilling—heroines. Director Mariusz Treliński delivers the company’s first new Forza in nearly 30 years, setting the scene in a contemporary world and making extensive use of the Met’s turntable to represent the unstoppable advance of destiny that drives the opera’s chain of calamitous events. The distinguished cast also features tenor Brian Jagde as Leonora’s forbidden beloved, Don Alvaro; baritone Igor Golovatenko as her vengeful brother, Don Carlo; mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi as the fortune teller Preziosilla; bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi as Fra Melitone; and bass Soloman Howard as both Leonora’s father and Padre Guardiano.

La Rondine

Giacomo Puccini

August 13, 2024, 5:30 PM

Puccini’s bittersweet love story returns to cinemas, with soprano Angel Blue starring as the French courtesan Magda, opposite tenor Jonathan Tetelman as Ruggero, an idealistic young man who offers her an alternative to her life of excess. Maestro Speranza Scappucci conducts Nicolas Joël’s Art Deco–inspired staging, which transports audiences from the heart of Parisian nightlife to a dreamy vision of the French Riviera. Soprano Emily Pogorelc and tenor Bekhzod Davronov complete the sterling cast as Lisette and Prunier.

Dead Man Walking

Jake Heggie | Libretto by Terrence McNally

September 3, 2024, 5:30 PM

American composer Jake Heggie’s compelling masterpiece, the most widely performed new opera of the last 20 years, arrives in cinemas in a haunting new production by Ivo van Hove. Based on Sister Helen Prejean’s memoir about her fight for the soul of a condemned murderer, Dead Man Walking matches the high drama of its subject with Heggie’s beautiful and poignant music and a brilliant libretto by Tony and Emmy Award–winner Terrence McNally. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium, with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato starring as Sister Helen. The outstanding cast also features bass-baritone Ryan McKinny as the death-row inmate Joseph De Rocher, soprano Latonia Moore as Sister Rose, and legendary mezzo-soprano Susan Graham—who sang Helen Prejean in the opera’s 2000 premiere—as De Rocher’s mother.

Content Advisory: Dead Man Walking contains a depiction of a rape and murder, as well as other adult themes and strong language.

The CCP's The Met: Live in HD is a special program of the CCP Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division (CCP FBNMD), under the Production and Exhibition Department, in partnership with The Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc., and Ayala Malls Cinemas. The series showcases The Metropolitan Theater’s operatic productions through High-Definition (HD) digital video technology and Dolby Sound, recreating the experience of watching an opera production at the Met “live”.

More than just music to the ears in Odin Rathnam, Mariel Ilusorio concert

Violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio

While heavy rain poured over Metro Manila, I found myself delighted by the music performed by violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio at a benefit concert that was held recently at the St. Cecilia's Hall in St. Scholastica's College, Manila. 

The concert, billed as Music & Healing, served as a fund raiser for the World Surgical Foundation Philippines whose founder, Domingo Alvear, happens to be friends with Odin for around two decades already. During his opening remarks, Alvear revealed his surprise upon learning that Odin has already performed here a few times in in here including a couple of guests stints with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. This meant that having Odin back in the country once again all for a good cause was a no-brainer.

Violinist Odin Rathnam

Annotations from both Mariel and Odin provided superb introductions to each piece which was of great use for those who aren't familiar with the music. As for those who knew their music, the information provided not just context but added layer to the music and the performance.

This was why while listening to the performance of Jean-Marie Leclair's Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 9 No. 3 "Tombeau", a piece from the Baroque era, made me imagine how it was back then being a court musician playing for the enjoyment of royalty. The following piece, Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor L. 140, which was quite a departure from the Leclair, fascinated me knowing each note was written by a man who knew that his end was near. Those who know me can attest to my unusual interest in last compositions especially those written with the knowledge that this was going to be their final work before dying.

There was a sense of reverence when Odin performed Eugène Ysaÿe's Violin Sonata in D minor, Op 27 No. 3 "Ballade", a fiendishly difficult piece that Odin considers himself to be a grandson of some sort since one of his former teachers, Josef Gringold, premiered this work.

The marital life of Richard Strauss got me curious with his Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18, especially the 2nd movement that expressed his feelings towards Pauline de Anna who would later one become his wife. I also appreciated knowing that this was his last chamber work before composing solely larger, orchestral works afterwards. The contrasts between the intimate, tender moments with the heroic ones made up for a stimulating listening experience. And this was made possible by the wonderful annotations by Mariel that complemented Odin's extensive program notes.

Pianist Mariel Ilusorio

To the delight of the audience, the duo performed two encores, Nicanor Abelardo's Cavatina and Debussy's Claire de lune. I wondered how much awareness did Mariel have while accompanying Odin with the Debussy encore. With the violin taking on the melody, I would've struggled having to accompany on the piano a stripped version of a popular piece.

A nice bit of trivia is that this concert saw the Asian debut of the "Lady Caren" violin, a bench copy of a 1755 Calvarola crafted by master American luthier Scott W. Hershey.

The concert was indeed a night filled not just with music to the ears, but also information that enriched my brain as well. Most importantly, the event raised funds for the World Surgical Foundation Philippines benefitting the needy who couldn't afford surgical procedures that can vastly improve and even save their lives.

Violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio reunite for benefit concert

American Violinist Odin Rathnam and Filipina pianist Mariel Ilusorio reunite for a benefit concert happening this July 27, 2019, 6:00 PM at the St. Cecilia's Hall in St. Scholastica's College, Manila.

Billed as Music and Healing, this event is presented by the Philippine Chapter of World Surgical Foundation in close collaboration with Defending Family Values Foundation, Inc. with the mission to enhance the surgical healthcare capacity in the Philippines in an equitable manner and to help establish its sustainability focusing on the marginalized Filipinos.

At the concert, the pair of Rathnam and Ilusorio will perform a selection of violin sonatas rarely heard at the Manila concert scene namely Jean-Marie Leclair's Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 9 No. 3 "Tombeau", Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor L. 140, Eugène Ysaÿe's Violin Sonata in D minor, Op 27 No. 3 "Ballade, and Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18.

I was able to correspond with Mariel Ilusorio and got a few words from her regarding her working experience with Odin Rathnam and more.

Pianist Mariel Ilusorio

You first collaborated at a recital in Casa San Miguel, Zambales back in April 2016. How was working with each other like? And how did this upcoming repeat collaboration come about?

MI: If I remember correctly, that was a last minute plan, as Odin had come to perform the Korngold Violin Concerto with the PPO. Coke Bolipata called me on short notice to play a short light program with Odin in Casa San Miguel. It was too short, but there was not much time, and I thought how wonderful it would be if we could play together again!

You will be playing pieces that are rarely performed at concerts in here. What made you decide to choose these pieces?

MI: Odin already asked me to play this set of pieces many months back and I found it exciting. Leclair and Debussy are new works for me. I played the Debussy cello sonata many years ago and it belongs to the same set as the violin, having been composed just before Debussy died. In fact, it is the last composition Debussy wrote. It is very different from how we normally perceive Debussy to sound like. But it is a beautiful work! I was excited to relive the Strauss as I performed it in my senior year at Oberlin. I was so scared of this great piece then, and never found the opportunity to work through this wonderful music again until now. It is a wonderful way to grow as a musician to be able to work on this repertoire with a violinist like Odin.

The upcoming concert is billed as Music and Healing and will benefit the World Surgical Foundation and Defending Family Values Foundation. Can you recall any experiences wherein music has healed you in some way?

MI: Music heals me everyday. It is my therapy. It is my way to self-express. It is my way to see the beauty in life. I believe music can heal people in every level, physically, emotionally, spiritually, also intellectually.

The World Surgical Foundation was established by renowned Filipino surgeon, Dr. Domingo Alvear in Pennsylvania in 1997 and is committed to providing charitable surgical health care to the world’s poor and under served in developing nations regardless of race, color, religion, or creed. The foundation's Philippine chapter was established in 2017 with a commitment to regularly conduct free surgical missions, educate and help surgical capacity building in the poorest provinces in the country.

Defending Family Values Foundation, Inc. (DFVF) a PCNC and DSWD accredited non- government organization, established in 1994,  serves thousands of poor families and individuals through various socio-educational, nutrition and health programs and projects. DFVF currently assists handicapped (blind, deaf-mute) students to gain a better future through varied skills training programs and in improving their school’s facilities.

Music and Healing with violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio happening on July 27, 2019, 6:00 PM at St. Cecilia's Hall, St. Scholastica's College, Manila is sponsored by World Surigcal Foundation, Manila Bulletin, 98.7 DZFH, Baguio Country Club, MBLife, PE Capital Investment, Lin and Albert Bildner Foundation, Josie Cruz Natori, and EEI Corporation.

For concert inquiries, contact Sugar Ferre at wsfphilippines@gmail.com or (0995)954-5368. Tickets are also available for purchase at ticket2me.net.

An emotionally charged "Saraza in Concert"

Featuring:

Diomedes Saraza, Jr, violin

Greg Zuniega, piano

Programme:

Ludwig van Beethoven
     Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 Spring

Nicanor Abelardo
     Cavatina

Manuel Velez
     Sa Kabukiran

Frédéric Chopin
     Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth

Franz Waxman
     Carmen Fantasie

Richard Strauss
     Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18

Encore:

Willy Cruz
     Sana'y Wala ng Wakas

  

The sudden announcement of violinist Diomedes Saraza, Jr.’s upcoming concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines caught me by surprise. The concert was happening on a Saturday, and I learned about it on Monday when Saraza himself made the announcement in Facebook. But I knew that I have to catch it no matter what. So on Saturday, I left home before noon, more than eight hours before the actual concert, just to avoid getting stuck in my hometown that was having a parade at the main roads in celebration of its foundation day.

For this concert, Diomedes, along with the ever reliable Greg Zuniega on the piano accompanying him, prepared a program that I initially thought was generally positive, light and brimming with optimism. With this in mind, I was taken aback with his opening piece, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 “Spring” which he performed with too much tension and drama for my taste. The all too familiar first movement, Allegro, felt like it teetered on the dark side but the tricky Scherzo of the third movement, with the violin seemingly chasing the piano in a game of tag, was handled very deftly. If performed by less capable hands, this part can come off as a mess, but Diomedes and Zuniega were up to the task.

The next couple of pieces, Nicanor Abelardo’s lyrical Cavatina and Manuel Velez’ playful Sa Kabukiran, showed Diomedes’ range as he was able to showcase the contrast between the two short, well known pieces. And it was crystal like clarity when he tackled Nathan Milstein’s violin transcription of Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. The way he made the violin sing as it flowed from the primary theme to the next made me want to attempt to replicate such clarity on the piano as soon as I arrived home after the concert.

Diomedes displayed a great deal of fireworks with Franz Waxman’s Carmen Fantasie. Listening to it should be a walk in the park seeing that this piece was made up of various music from George Bizet’s opera Carmen. But familiarity with another Carmen Fantasie, the more popular one composed by Pablo Sarasate, meant that there were times during the performance when I was taken by surprise by how some parts went into unexpected turns. I had to remind myself that this was a different arrangement and whatever differences the Waxman have with the Sarasate was not a mistake.

Clearly, the main highlight of the concert for me was Richard Strauss’ Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18. Before starting, Diomedes offered some insight regarding the piece, telling the audience that Strauss wrote this when he was in love with his eventual wife and that we should all watch out for the contrasting lyrical and rhythmical themes in the sonata. Lastly, he recounted how this piece was assigned to him by Stephen Clapp, his teacher at the Juilliard School shortly before he passed away. With this piece having such a personal and profound meaning for him, it was no wonder that Diomedes delivered an intense and emotionally charged performance. He even looked like he was on the brink of tears during the second movement. Again, Zuniega proved himself as one of the most reliable accompanists here and it was hard for me to imagine anyone else in the piano during the Strauss. For an encore, Diomedes did Sana’y Wala Ng Wakas by Willy Cruz which prompted a few members of the audience to hum along.

With the very short notice for this concert, the audience turnout was not surprisingly the full house that his last concert was. Still, I am pleased by how the concert turned out which is incidentally my first for 2016 that also marked my return to this blog after some months of inactivity. May this be the fuel that will invigorate me for a more fruitful and musical year ahead.

Caces' electrifying Rach 3 amid an evening of gloomy, romantic music

Featuring:

Aries Caces, piano

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Richard Strauss

     Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24

Sergei Rachmaninoff

     Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

     Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

An electrifying Rach 3 by Aries Caces amid a dark and brooding lineup of late romantic music by Richard Strauss and Sergei Rachmaninoff was how the Manila Symphony Orchestra and their principal conductor/music director Arturo Molina wrapped up their 2014-2015 Sound of Life Season concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Performing to a packed theater, the MSO opened the concert with Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24 which I think is the most musically poetic depiction of death. The orchestra was able to weave an arc depicting the last moments of an artist, his final burst of reminiscence, his body finally succumbing to the inevitability of death, and ultimately, the immortality and triumph of the spirit. Such profound themes by Strauss could’ve made for a very emotional experience. Despite being the among the oldest orchestras in Asia, the MSO currently probably the youngest orchestra on average in here and this inexperience became a barrier for them. While they were able to go through the piece, I felt that it somehow lacked the punch needed to make the journey more moving.

The orchestra certainly needed the punch if ever they were to match pianist Aries Caces with Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, a piece notorious for its difficulty and demands on the pianist’s stamina and endurance. But Caces seemed to breeze throughout the concerto as if everything was just as simple and easy as the unison passages that started the piece. The piano used at the concert was far from optimum but his brilliance was more than enough for me to look past the inferior sounding instrument. And the orchestra's level of playing was clearly more inspired in here than the previous piece. I was also relieved that the piano was able to bear the brunt of such a demanding piece which cannot be said by a member of the 2^nd violin section who broke a string during the Intermezzo. For an encore, Caces performed the mega popular 18^th Variation of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 34 with the orchestra which slowed down the pace after the concerto’s electrifying finish.

The concert ended the evening, Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 also by Rachmaninoff. The three movement piece offered the orchestra a chance to showcase their range and explore different moods, colors and textures. The first movement featured a bizarre march that contrasted with a serene middle section that had Rachmaninoff using the alto saxophone for the first time. For me, the movement that drummed up the most interest is the second with its twisted and somewhat perverted version of a Viennese waltz. The third movement was soaked in such dark, sinister gloom and a fascination with death. What’s even more ominous was that this eventually turned out to be Rachmaninoff’s final work. I guess that this piece tied up thematically with the opening Richard Strauss work.

Again with the dances, I felt that a lot of the young and newer members were more relieved to get through the piece instead of being totally in command. The discrepancy between the first and the last stands of the strings section, which has been one of the MSO’s strengths, is now more pronounced. In recent years, the MSO has had its share of veteran members transferring to other orchestras and moving on to other things and that left the newer and much younger members with not just a lot of catching up to do but also with very big shoes to fill. The MSO is clearly on a transitional period with the younger members still gaining more experience as they go on through every concert to be at par with their predecessors.

RAd with pianist Aries Caces

But on a very positive note, the MSO has managed to fill up the CCP Little Theater for most of the shows this season. And I’ve been very delighted to see a lot of new and unexpected faces at their concerts, which is very much welcomed in the classical music scene in here. I think that a lot of credit has to go to Carlos “Garch” Garchitorena, their new Marketing Manager, who has been successful in drawing people from the other side of the fence to watch the MSO concerts.

Manila Symphony Orchestra goes Romantic in February concert

February 4, 2015, 8:00 PM

Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

Cultural Center of the Philippines

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Aries Caces, piano

Manila Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Molina, conductor

Programme:

Richard Strauss

     Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24

Sergei Rachmaninoff

     Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

     Symphonic Dances, Op. 45

The Manila Symphony Orchestra gears for a Romantic evening for the finale of their Sound of Life 2014-2015 Concert Season this February 4, 2015, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Pianist Aries Caces

Austria-based Filipino pianist Aries Caces joins the orchestra and principal conductor Arturo Molina in this concert that includes Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), Op. 24 and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 and Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 in the program.

Born in Manila, Philippines, Aries Caces' formative years as a pianist began with his mother, which led him to study early on with eminent Filipino pedagogues Prof. Feliza Custodio, Prof. Ernestina Crisologo and Prof. Bernardino Custodio. It was during these early years that he garnered attention in the Philippines when he won First Prize in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Piano Category, and Second Prize in the Manila Symphony Orchestra Piano Concerto Competition.

Mr. Caces has given numerous concerts in the Philippines, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S.A. Mr. Caces is currently a faculty member of the University of Music and Performing Arts (formerly known as the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst) in Vienna, Austria.

Ticket prices:

P1200 Orchestra Center

P800 Orchestra Side

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

+applicable service charges

For inquiries:

MSO 523-5712, info@manilasymphony.com

TicketWorld 891-9999

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra ends 31st Season with film music concert

Conductor Olivier Ochanine

April 11, 2014, 8:00 PM

Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)

CCP Complex

Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Programme:

Richard Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra

Gioachino Rossini William Tell Overture

Jerry Goldsmith, Alexander Courage (arranger) Music from Mulan

Charles Gounod Funeral March of a Marionette

John Williams Music from Pirates of the Caribbean

Tatsuo Takai Astro Boy March 

John Williams Music from Star Wars

Ralph Ford Go West!

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra bids its 31^st season adieu with a concert with a concert featuring music popularized by the silver screen and the boob tube. This season ending concert, conducted by the orchestra’s principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine, will be held on April 11, 2014, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Pieces to be performed at the concert is led by Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30. This symphonic poem became well known in pop culture when the piece’s Introduction/Sunrise fanfare was used at the opening scene of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: The Space Odyssey. And in this concert, the PPO will play the piece in its entirety giving the audience the rare opportunity to hear more than just the iconic opening brass fanfare.

Other pieces include Charles Gonoud's Funeral March of a Marionette, more popularly known as the theme of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture, fondly known as the theme of The Lone Ranger and Ralph Ford's Go West! an arrangement of Western flim music including the seminal Spaghetti Western theme of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Adventure and science fiction is represented by John Williams' music from Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars. Animated films take center stage with Alexander Courage's arrangement of music from Mulan by Jerry Goldsmith and Tatsuo Takai's Astro Boy March from the anime classic Astro Boy.

Ticket prices:

P1500 Orchestra Center

P1200 Orchestra Side

P800 Extreme Orchestra Side

P500 Balcony I Center

P400 Balcony I Side

P300 Balcony II

-50% student discount

-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:

CCP Marketing Department 832-1125 local 1806

CCP Box Office 832-3704

TicketWorld 891-9999

PPO III: Reshef Plays Schumann

Pianist Yossi Reshef

Featuring:

Yossi Reshef, piano

Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Programme:

Ralph Vaughan Williams

     Overture from The Wasps

     Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E minor

Richard Strauss Don Juan, Op. 20

Robert Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54

A moment of respite was delivered when the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, its principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine, and guest artist, Israeli pianist Yossi Reshef performed at a concert less than a week after the devastating super typhoon Yolanda hit the Visayas region at the center of the Philippines. This concert, billed as Reshef Plays Schumann, was co-presented by the Embassy of Israel and was held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

Conductor Olivier Ochanine and Madame Eti Bar-On

Ambassador Menashe Bar-On was not present during the concert for he was in Cebu overseeing the mobile hospital and team of medical personnel that flew in from Israel. Graciously acting as the host was his spouse, Madame Eti Bar-On who warmly welcomed the Embassy’s guests at the lobby prior to the actual performance.

The concert opened with a couple of pieces by Ralph Vaughan Williams, namely Overture from the Wasps and Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E minor. Vaughan Williams’ music is abundant with English folk tunes and these two pieces are no exception. These two pieces weren’t part of the original lineup for this evening but I am pleased that they made the change. Orchestras in here rarely play Vaughan Williams’ works and although these two pieces don’t appeal that much to me, it gives me hope that someday, my preferred Vaughan Williams piece will be played soon.

Next to be performed was Richard Strauss’ Don Juan, Op. 20, a tone poem that really captures the audience’s attention right from the start. The orchestra, led by Ochanine, was able to convey the majesty and tenderness that it was not that difficult for the audience to be moved despite not knowing a word from the source material which is Nicolaus Lenau’s poem Don Juan. I noticed also that this was the orchestra’s third symphonic poem in as many concerts.

Diether Ocampo, Michelle Barrera and Neelesh Sajnani

After the intermission, it was time for pianist Yossi Reshef to perform Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54. One of the most enduring piano concertos, this work was composed for Clara Schumann, Robert’s wife and one of the leading pianists at the time. This piece isn’t truly virtuosic as there aren’t really that much fireworks set out to impress the audience. It’s more lyrical, tender and romantic. What made this piece very interesting for me is that this has become Clara Schumann’s signature piece. And when one learns about the romance between Robert and Clara, her father’s objections to the affair, Robert’s sad fate and Johannes Brahms entering the picture later on, all of this adds up to one truly intriguing story and the music becomes more fascinating than ever. Despite an off moment during the first movement when he and the orchestra weren’t in sync, Reshef performed the concerto in the usual contained manner, not letting the emotions get out of hand. For an encore, Reshef played the Allegretto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2 which is also referred to as The Tempest.

Diether and Michelle explain sungka to Yossi

I was pleased to see Diether Ocampo watch the concert along with his non-showbiz girlfriend Michelle Barrera. The two clearly enjoyed watching and surprisingly, stayed on during the meet and greet at the lobby. Michelle even presented Yossi Reshef a sungka and amusingly explained to him how this popular Philippine game works.