Only Love Remains launched

MANILA, Philippines - Soothing melodies serenaded guests with the launch of the double cd album Only Love Remains. Composer George Sison has collaborated with pianist Dean Raul Sunico and Bo Cerrudo as they perform his greatest compositions.

TOPPP Rated Productions in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Tantoco-Rustia Foundation brings to the forefront this new album that features a collection of Sison’s compositions, performed by the featured artists. The Peninsula Manila sponsored the press conference at The Conservatory the week before. Former chairman and president and current ex-officio member of the CCP Board Balthazar Endriga did the welcome remarks tracing the history of the compositions and attesting to awards Sison has received.

Held at CCP, guests were able to sample songs from the album with solo performances from Sunico and Cerrudo. Cerrudo sang Se Potessi Un Di Rinascere (If I had my Life to Live Again); Tayo Din Naman ay Umibig; My Bitter Black Coffee; and What Name Shall I Give You My Love?. Heartfelt pieces were played by Dean Sunico titled My Bitter Black Coffee, Love from a Distance and also the famous song What Name Shall I Give You My Love? Only Love Remains contains songs written in Spanish, Filipino and English all meshed with the imaginative orchestration of Noel Espenida.

Present during the event were Nedy Tantoco, president of the Tantoco-Rustia Foundation; Amb. Bienvenido Tantoco Sr.; Amb. Heikki Hannikainen of Finland with wife Eleonora de Strobel; former Amb. Theo Arnold; Alex and Marixi Prieto; Vicky Zubiri with members of the CCP Trustees Bhen Cervantes, Tessie Luz, lawyer Lorna Kapunan and Bal Endriga with wife Tessie; Ramon Orosa; Ramon Ilusorio; Nora Bitong; Glenda Barretto; Bernard Roque; Jul Dizon; architect Gerry Contreras; DJ Lopez, Gov. Emily Lopez, banker Danny Dolor, Josephine Razon and friends; Eduard and Margarita Delgado, Bambi Harper; Rupert and Tina Jacinto; Abe and Nini Licaros; Criselda Lontok; Offie Recto; Basil Ong; Letty Syquia; Dero Pedero; Cory Quirino; Becky Garcia; STAR EVP Grace Glory Go; Robert and Helen Lim; William and Katherine Tan; Pepe and portraitist Lulu Rodriguez; Ana Tirol; Friends from the entertainment industry like former Sen. Eddie Ilarde with wife Sylvia; Barbara Perez and Robert Arevalo; Diether Ocampo with Rima Ostwani; Jenine Desiderio; Marco Sison; Romano Vasquez; Juan Rodrigo; Ernie Garcia; Margarita Sison; Louie Sison with wife Triccie; Jeremy Barns; Nomer Pabilona; Myrna Borromeo; Lulu Tesoro Castañeda; Ado and Rosita Escudero; Pitoy Moreno; Mel Meer; lawyer Linda Jimeno; Concha Hontiveros; Dette Tan; Annie Barba Bautista; Angelita Sibal; Manette Agbayani; Toshiro Morito with wife Mei of Japan Airlines; Thai Airways’ Nivat Chantarachoti; Elizabeth SP Lietz; Leonarda Camacho; Johnny and Nonette Hubilla.

Delectable cuisine was served courtesy of Via Mare and Ralph’s Wines and Spirits. Other sponsors of the event were The Peninsula Manila and Visions and Expressions.

Sison’s career spans to also being a poet, a painter and a restaurateur. His songs have been acclaimed internationally with What Name Shall I Give you My Love? as recorded by the third generation Platters in their album The Platters Have the Magic Touch and was released as a single in London. Pilita Corrales also sang his songs with an album titled Pilita Sings George, also with the single What Name Shall I Give You My Love.

Only Love Remains is available at Rustan’s stores, National Book Stores and Odyssey Record Bars.