Foreign ‘invasions’ fall on the same dates

Our cultural life continues to flourish despite the daunting unpredictability of the times. With invitations pouring in, the recipient, although complimented by the attention, contends with the perennial problem of how to be present at the events which fall on the same dates. The partial calendar hereunder – culled from the announcements – demonstrates the coincidences.

The fifth San Agustin International Music Festival, Nov. 12 to 14, opens with Spanish organist Josep Ma. Mas i Bonet interpreting baroque music. Later, he will be accompanied by PPO principal trumpet player Fredeline Parin. On Nov. 13, Belgian Luc Ponet will be organ soloist. In the second half, Bonet will join him in pieces by Cabezon, Årauxo, Cabinilles and Soler.

Capping the festival is the PPO under Ruggero Barbieri’s baton in Corelli’s Christmas Concert and Mozart’s "Exultate Jubinale". Highlight will be the Asian premiere of Misa Tango by Argentinian Luis Bacalov to be interpreted by the AILM and UE Chorales, Chorus Philippines, and soloists Aileen Espinosa, Nolyn Cabahug and Argentinian Bandoneonist Gabriel Rivano and the PPO.

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To celebrate St. Stephen’s Parish Centennial, two US-based Chinese-born artists, soprano Yi Ru Wang and baritone Brian Ming Chu will perform on Nov. 14, 8 p.m. at the concert hall with pianist J. Greg Zuniega as assisting artist.

Winner of the Pavarotti International Voice Contest in 1996, Ms. Wang, a Juilliard graduate, once performed with Pavarotti himself in three different roles, and sang in Carmen, Rigoletto, Turandot and Traviata. She has held three recitals at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Chu has been acclaimed for his "sterling performances" (Washington Post), his "rich, resonant voice", his "wide range, agility and expressive story-telling ability" (Monterey Herald), and for his interpretative versatility in music from baroque to contemporary. He has sung in Lakme, Rigoletto and Lady Macbeth, Brahms’s Requiem, Messiah, St. John’s Passion and other sacred music compositions. This year, he sang in Bosnia, Croatia and Romania. Mr. Chu, who took graduate studies at Peabody Conservatory, has an architect’s degree from Cornell U.

On Sunday, Nov. 16, Johnny Yu, leading marimba player, will perform at the same venue assisted by pianist Patricia Lim. AnLun Huang’s "Revelations" will be premiered; excerpts from Handel’s Messiah will complete the program, with Armando Salarza on the pipe program. A brass-string-percussion ensemble will enhance the concert.

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For the very first time in Manila, cinema buffs will see Nov. 12 and 13, 7 p.m., courtesy of the Goethe Institut, a screening of Horror Stories, a silent film series, at the Podium. Admission is free.

Directed by Richard Oswald, the horror film series Unheimliche Geschichten (95 min.) features stars of the German Silent Film era: Anita Berber, Conrad Veidt and Reinhold Schunzel who are also known as the Trio Infernale. They appear as prostitute, Death and Devil, searching for horror stories in an antique bookshop at midnight. They come up with five short, sinister plots about dubious husbands, lost hands and mysterious houses, which make up the stories.

Oswald’s 1919 horror films are the first of their kind and have become the basis for many movies to follow. Oswald distorted reality and adapted his stories from the theatre to moving pictures. His trick techniques were revolutionary for the time, and today his films are gems among early horror movies.

Unheimliche Geschichten was premiered in Berlin in December of 1919 and immediately received an honorary award in Amsterdam. The films were not seen in public for nearly 80 years.

The accompanying music was composed and will be played live by the Majam Jazz Group, a Manila based chamber jazz trio that believes in propagating jazz philosophy in particular, and the fine art of music in general. Ruben Reyes – guitar, Ryan Villamor – piano, Ronald Tomas – tenor saxophone and Joey Valenciano – drums, will play a fresh, creative brand of mainstream jazz and originals in keeping with their concept.