Sharon in an OPM mega drama mood

I have been listening a lot to Sharon Cuneta lately, mostly her early stuff from over the past 30 years ago. And if I thought she was good at the time and I will say that looking back, she was indeed better than a lot of others even at 13 years old with a simple ditty like Mr. DJ. She had no technique. Whatever lessons she had were cursory at best, when she felt like she needed to get her vocals into shape. She was also not into power singing to impress. It was just her natural flair at work in her recordings, an innate knowledge of how to interpret a song.

Of course, it also helped that Sharon got access to the original works of Filipino composers. She herself has pointed out lots of times that she got her hands on the “best of the best works” by the likes of George Canseco, Rey Valera, Willy Cruz and others. Dear Heart, Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko, Pangarap Na Bituin, etc. etc. These songs might have been covered and will still get covered by other artists from time to time, but they will always be Sharon’s and just like what I once more realized while going over the old LPs and cassettes, her versions still sound better. No wonder many of them are now considered classics.

For another, Sharon also has this gift of being an excellent interpreter. She is one of the very few who can take any song and make it sound new, just like it was her very own. Think of the likes of Ewan by the Apo Hiking Society, Mahawi Man Ang Ulap by Dulce, Maging Sino Ka Man by Rey Valera, Pangako Sa ’Yo by Geraldine. Those were not her originals but she turned her versions into hits. Sharon covering an oldie is like giving a song a new lease on life. These cannot help but become popular again. The drawback here, which is also to Sharon’s advantage, is that a lot of people end up thinking that those songs were also Sharon’s originally.

There is more to be had of Sharon’s qualities as an interpreter in her latest album release Musika At Pag-ibig. This is an all-OPM collection. It was a sort of return to her roots venture after recording her share of foreign covers in the Isn’t It Romantic series of CDs. So for this project produced by Eloisa Matias for Sony Music, Sharon chose contemporary classics, her personal favorites and songs that she had long wanted to record.

Included in Musika At Pag-ibig are Gary Granada’s touching love song, Saranggola Sa Ulan; the rarely heard Nagbalik Ka Na Mahal by Ryan Cayabyab, which if I am not mistaken, comes from the musical Rama At Sita; Dina Bonnevie’s Bakit Ba Ganyan, which Sharon first recorded but never released until now; Tuloy Pa Rin by Neocolours; Eto Na Naman by Gary Valenciano; Sa Isip Ko by Agot Isidro; You’re My You by Nyoy Volante; Habang Atin Ang Gabi by South Border; Nais Ko by Ogie Alcasid; Suwerte-Suerte Lang by Joel Navarro; Show Me A Smile by Danny Javier; Sana Naman by Naldy Gonzales; Iniibig Kita, again by Ryan; and Paalam by Louie Ocampo and Basil Valdez.

It is this combination of original Filipino songs and of Sharon as interpreter that will take the spotlight when Megadrama goes on stage at the Araneta Coliseum at 8 p.m. on Aug. 7. Sharon’s big concert for 2010 will retell the Megastar’s story as an actress, daughter, mother, wife, friend and most of all, as the singer. She will perform the works of great Filipino composers of various types. Think pop, dance, rock, novelty and many others. The show is produced by Artist House, Inc., with musical direction by Louie Ocampo, script by Noel Ferrer and direction by Rowell Santiago. Guests set to lend more drama to the event are Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Pokwang, Ogie Alcasid and Sarah Geronimo. It will be a big feast for Original Pilipino Music, which can really use the boost.

Tickets to Sharon Cuneta: Megadrama are now available at Ticketnet (911-5555) and Artist House (817-4660 and 815-1953).