Francisfest 2008/'Cory'

On Nov. 7, courtesy of the Italian Embassy, Italian conductor Luciano Bellini will wield the baton in the concert “Scenes from Italy” consisting of Rendine’s Nocturne for Flute and Strings, Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide, Merca-dante’s Concerto in E Minor for Flute and Orchestra, Albioni’s Adagio in G Minor and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome. Guest flutists are PPO’s Enrique Barcelo and Raymond Sarreal.

The Francisfest committee chaired by Menchu Padilla Concepcion is preparing parishioners and friends of the parish for the Francisfest 2008 concert in Santuario de San Antonio on Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

The concert, in honor of St. Francis, will also mark the 200th birth anniversary of St. Paul. The St. Paul Oratorio by Mendelssohn, which highlights the conversion of Paul from renegade to saint, will feature Austrian Ernest Hoetzel conducting the Manila Philharmonic, Rolando Abarquez, baritone, Camille Lopez, soprano, Ronan Ferrer, tenor, assisted by combined choirs led by Coro de San Antonio which has been regularly conducted through the years by Amelita D. Guevara.

Gifted composer-lyricist Lourdes “Bing” Pimentel, wife of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., has come out with her latest musical, “Cory”. In the Sunday ABS-CBN radio program “Music and Memories”, Boots Anson Roa and Willie Nepomuceno interviewed Bing who said: “Tita Cory has served our people well. In gratitude, I’d like to give her something in return, especially now that she is stricken with cancer. Because she really has everything, I thought of gifting her with the musical.”

The script is written and directed by Nestor U. Torre Jr. with whom Bing has an easy, informal, close working relationship. “Nestor tells me the song here must be fast; there, slow. Here, happy; there, sad.” The home-grown, self-taught composer has already produced six other musicals, among them Nasaan si Jesus, Huwag Pumayag sa Dagdag Bawas, Pagibig sa Bayan.

When Bing asked Tita Cory’s daughter Ballsy for some guidelines on how she should go about the musical, Ballsy demurred, saying: “We want it to be a surprise.” The musical will underscore certain events and circumstances — Ninoy’s incarceration and death, Cory’s unwillingness to be president, episodes of her governance. But it will be non-confrontational despite the inclusion of the Marcoses. “The musical will be wholesome, one which I think will please the public,” Bing added.

For his part, Nestor has already written several critical hits: Magsimula Ka, Magnificat, Katy! Birhen ng Caysasay, Awit ni Kadugnung, Sino Ka Ba, Jose Rizal?, Ay Kasingkasing Ko!, among others.

Isay Alvarez, who starred in the original production of Miss Saigon, will portray Cory. She has also appeared in Himala, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, Once on This Island, They’re Playing Our Song, and recently, PETA’s Skin Deep.

Sherwin Sozon will be Ninoy; Robert Sena, Marcos; Pinky Marquez, Imelda; Tommy Abuel, the reporter. Sherwin, a businessman, is relatively new in the musical scene. He claims that my review of his recital has encouraged him to engage in singing further.

Others in the cast are Andy Bais, Edmund Sicam, Rito Asilo and Lou Veloso. Musical director-conductor-arranger is Leo Quinito. One of the songs Isay will render is Bakit Ako? wherein Cory asks God whether she should give in to the people’s call that she run for the presidency.

“Cory” will be staged at the Meralco Theater on Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 1, 2008. Also on Jan. 16 and 17, 2009 in celebration of Cory’s birthday.

“Bravo, Espana!” will be presented at the CCP main theater on Dec. 5 by the Spanish embassy, with Maestro Cristobal Halffter conducting the PPO in Spanish masterpieces. Also to be featured are the Madrigal Singers and Juilliard-trained concert pianist Rudolf Golez, the first and only grand prize winner in the 2005 International Competition in Malaysia.