A reviewer explains

Time and time again, I have requested readers to send letters, invitations, announcements, press releases to my D.V. residence and not to the STAR offices because my messenger does not immediately pick up the materials which, therefore, reach me long after announced events have taken place.

For instance, the MusicArtes invitation to “After Aida” got to me when I had committed myself to another event. I could have arranged to attend one of the “After Aida” performances had the invitation reached me way ahead of the scheduled shows. People whose opinion I value informed me what a wonderful presentation “After Aida” was, highly praising theater veterans Bart Guingona, Paul Holmes (as Verdi), Nieves Campa, Robbie Guevara and Jaime Del Mundo who also directed the play, and musical artists Rachelle Gerodias, Nenen Espina, Noel Azcona, Ronan Ferrer, Randy Gilongco and Mary Anne Espina.

Jay Valencia, president and executive director of MusicArtes, relates that in “After Aida” Verdi’s wife persuades him to compose another masterpiece, namely Otello, after Aida.

The currently congested traffic, which Conrado de Quiros describes as a “nightmare”, discourages culture vultures from venturing out. A friend left her home in Alabang at 4 p.m. and arrived in QC three-and-a-half hours later! Traffic, likewise, was the reason music lovers missed “Christmas Bachxes” featuring the Metro Manila Community Orchestra under Josefino “Chino” Toledo and the Novo Concertante under Arwin Q. Tan in Bach Cantatas 5 and 6 at James the Great Parish, Alabang, as part of MCCO’s 7th concert season.

Earlier, the UP Camerata Voices under Cholo C. Gino, the Ateneo Chamber Singers under Jonathan Velasco, and the San Guisepp Chorale under Ed Manguiat rendered other Bach Cantatas.

Another reason highly significant events are missed is their frequent time duplication. The gracious US Ambassador Kristie Kenney presented the internationally acclaimed pianist Raul Sunico in concert and I deeply regretted foregoing it for another concert to which I had previously committed myself. Top pianist Sunico has accomplished the feat — unmatched here or abroad — of rendering Rachmaninoff’s four concertos in one evening — sans score!

Years ago, I used to review music, theater and dance performances religiously, having acquired both the academic background and actual (practical) experience in all three disciplines. Owing to the proliferation of productions in all three, I now review mostly musical presentations, allowing for exceptions.

There is such a surfeit even of musical events that I inadvertently missed the unique “Gong Festival” of the St. Paul U. Manila Chorale, with its Kulintang Ensemble, the Gongs of PWU, the Tingog Kulintang of Sta. Isabel College and the Ethnic Ensemble of Assumption, Antipolo, participating.

Why I skipped the concert of pianist Mariel Ilusorio and violinist-conductor Juan Muñoz had nothing to do with the foregoing reasons. On Nov. 29, a friend urgently admonished me to watch Channel 27 on television — which was at that time showing the Trillanes caper — then strongly urged me to stay home. I later discovered that many others similarly missed the concert which must have been a veritable auditory feast.

Young Mariel, who studied at Juilliard in NY, the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and the State Academy in Hannover, has garnered several international awards, including special and grand prizes in Italy, and one in Germany. Mariel’s previous appearances here foreshadow her assured place in the fiercely competitive international arena.

Martin Lopez, FEU’s charity-oriented Cultural Affairs  executive director, presented “Come to the Stable” at the FEU Chapel and at Holy Trinity Church, with the Kasilag Guitar Trio and sopranos Thea Tadiar, Eileen Fernandez and Jennifer Uy performing for the benefit of special children. For donations call 7261567 or 7384897.