A confluence of concerts, Albert Tiu plays Rach 3

Today, at the CCP main theater, a modern-day version of Puccini’s La Boheme will be shown at 8 p.m., with a 3 p.m. matinee on Oct. 5. The casts consist of tenors Gary del Rosario, Juan Alberto Gaerlan and Dondi Ong (Rodolfo); Jennifer Uy and Maribel Miguel (Mimi); Ana Feleo and Elaine Lee (Musetta), baritones Lawrence Jatayna and Jesus Baang (Marcelo).

On Oct. 5 at 5 p.m., the MCO Foundation will present “A French Soiree” at the F. Santiago Hall, with violinist Gina Medina and pianist Mary Ann Espina in sonatas by Ravel, Saint-Saens and Fauré — composers who lived at the time of Debussy, Hugo, Rimbaud, Monet, Manet and Cezanne.

Medina, a much sought-after chamber musician and soloist, finished MA at the San Francisco State U. as a full scholar. Through a French government scholarship, she participated in French festivals and studied with the Amadeus Quartet. Espina, an equally sought-after chamber musician, e.g., Hagai Shaham, Alexander Tomescu and Kaori Sato. Last year she received the ALIW award for Best Instrumentalist.

On Oct. 10, American Laura Jackson will wield the baton in “The Spirit of America” concert at the CCP main theater, for Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” and “An American in Paris,” and Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances” from West Side Story. Adolfo Mendoza will play John Williams’ bassoon concerto “The Five Sacred Trees.” Williams composed the music for Star Wars and Superman. The US Embassy is joint sponsor of the concert.

On Oct. 10 and 17 at 8 p.m. “An Enchanted Evening with Cocoy Laurel” will be presented at the Teatrino In Promenade, Greenhills.

On Oct. 10 at 8 p.m., “Love Conquers All” will be shown at the F. Santiago Hall with Naomi Emerson in the Off-Broadway musical drama hit on the life of French singer Edith Piaf.

On Oct. 11 at 8 p.m., Filfest will present virtuoso violinist Alfonso Bolipata and virtuoso pianist Jiovanney Emmanuel Cruz in an all-Mozart concert with the FILharmoniKA under Gerard Salonga. Venue: Insular Life Theater, Alabang.

On Oct. 11, at the CCP main theater Albert Tiu plays Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the MMCO under Conductor Josefino Toledo. Other numbers: Kantus: Tagabawa by Toledo, Dances of Galanta by Kodaly, Huapongo by Jose Pablo Moncayo.

Tiu has won in several major international contests, including first prize in the UNISA International Competition in South Africa and the Juilliard William Petschek Award, taking him to five continents as soloist with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hamburg Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Gstaad Festival Orchestra and the Winnipeg Symphony, among others.

Initially, Tiu gained national recognition as the 1987 first prize winner (senior level) after playing for the Jeffrey Ching Piano Competition, the world premiere of Piano Sonata No. 2 in F Minor composed by the prolific and protean Ching.

The second of Ching’s piano sonatas, the work was completed in Cambridge, England, on Aug. 22, 1983, and revised in Manila for the aforementioned 1987 Jeffrey Ching tilt.

Oct. 25, 8 p.m., Instituto Cervantes patio: Gaita concert starring Xose Manuel Budiño playing the ancestral instrument.

Oct. 25-26, 8 p.m. Filfest offers Opera Miniscola: Mozart’s The Impressario and Menotti’s The Telephone, starring Gerodias, Tamayo, Abarquez, Dela Cruz, Pagcaliwagan, Del Mundo, with the MCCO under Toledo. Venue: Insular Life Theater, Alabang.

Oct. 3-11 “Beyond Performance”, wallworks by Cesare Syjuco, Eghai Roxas and Lirio Salvador, on exhibit at the Big and Small Gallery, SM Megamall.