Celso & Sylvia: The Golden Couple

Come Oct. 9 this year, Dr. and Mrs. Celso Perez de Tagle (nee Sylvia La Torre) will be celebrating their golden anniversary as husband and wife in California, where they’ve been based since 1989. They were married 50 years ago at the Lourdes Church in Quezon City. They will renew their marital vows at St. Denis Church in South Diamond Bar, California.

The couple is blessed with three children: Artie, Bernie and Che-Che.

Artie’s married to Evelyn Enriquez. He is VP for a staffing company and manager of the Sylvia La Torre Travel Agency. They have three children: Miguel, Antonio, and Anna Maria (singer, actress, and model).

Bernie’s married to Benedictor Evangelista. They have three children: Bernice, Bernard, and Barbara. Bernie is the principal of Montessori School, Elk Grove, Sacramento.

Che-Che’s married to Vladimir Vega, with two children: Liza and Alyssa who excel in school and inherited Sylvia’s love for music. Che-Che is the manager of San Dimas Montessori.

Asked the secret of her long-lasting and fulfilling marriage, Sylvia cites true love, fidelity, togetherness, and faith in God. Sylvia says Celso is her one and only true great love and, in her words, "Si Celso walang natikmang iba. They are always together. Not an evening passes without them being together. They pray together and to date has never quarreled.

Sylvia is a Marian devotee. Whenever she is in the country, she hears Mass (every first Saturday) at the Carmel church in Lipa City, where she also sings Ave Maria and other religious songs.

She will be wearing a gown designed by Aureo Alonzo for her 50th wedding year. She was 21 when she married Celso (a dentist). Sylvia was then a third year student at the UST Conservatory of Music, a scholar under famed soprano Salvacion Oppus Yñiguez.

Sylvia and Celso, a family friend, had a five-year period of courtship and engagement. She was pregnant when she graduated from UST, but being wife and mother didn’t stop her from pursuing a career in classical music and popular entertainment. She gave recitals and concerts; sang in operas; waxed records; appeared on stage, radio, TV and movies. Celso proved to be a most supportive husband.

Sylvia is truly a natural treasure – and perhaps in time even a National Artist.

As earlier noted, two of her grandchildren, Anna Maria, 13, and Alyssa, 11, are following in Sylvia’s artistic footsteps.

Anna Maria is a finalist in the Star Search singing contest and a model with several TV commercials. She’s been taking up voice lessons for three years and played lead roles in The King and I and Cinderella for the community theater. Anna Maria is a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Alyssa is President Bush awardee for academic excellence. She acts in school plays and sings in private parties.

Anna Marie and Alyssa join their Lola Sylvia in concerts in America, singing Filipino and pop songs, including kundiman and balitaw.

At the tender age of five, Sylvia La Torre won first prize at a singing contest in Savoy Theater and appeared as a student in Ang Maestra, starring Rosa del Rosario and Rogelio de la Rosa. At nine, she was singing at Life Theater during the Japanese Occupation.

At 15, Sylvia acted in Takas sa Bataan (1950) for Sampaguita Pictures, directed by her father, Olive La Torre. Other movie assignments came in quick succession: Ulila ng Bataan, Buhay Pilipino, Ang Asawa Kong Amerikana, 24 na Pag-Ibig, all produced by Sampaguita.

Sylvia’s mother was Leonor Reyes, herself a singer who performed at the Savoy during the vaudeville years (pre-war) with Katy de la Cruz, Diana Toy and Atang de la Rama. Then she was billed Kundiman Queen. But she quit when she got married to Olive La Torre (pre-war director of Philippine Films) and bore six children.

After the war, Leonor appeared in mother roles in some Premiere films.

As earlier mentioned, Sylvia continued her career even after marriage to Celso.

On radio, she appeared in Caltex Caravan hosted by Jaime de la Rosa: Elizalde Hour with another soprano Letty Liboon; Edong Mapangarap and Sebya Mahal Kita with Eddie San Jose.

Her first recording was with Bataan, Cest Petite with Jerry and His Romancers, followed by the big hit, My Broken Heart.

Sampaguita, LVN and Premiere used her voice to enhance the performance of non-singing leading ladies.

Sylvia made movies for LVN: Tang Ta Rang Tang, Yantok Mindoro, and My Little Kwan.

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On television, Sylvia starred in The Big Show for MBC with Cris de Vera and Oscar Obligacion; The Best Show for ABS; Oras ng Ligaya also for ABS with Eddie San Jose, Vic Pacia and Oscar (it lasted for 15 years); Every Day Holiday; and Ituloy ang Saya for Channel 5, produced by husband Celso and good friend Oscar.

Looking back the past 50 years, the Golden Couple thanks God for the many blessings they have received – and continues to receive.