French diva, visual artist at Mandarin benefit show/Mexican poet at PEN meet

Tonight, French singer Mouron, “Diva of Chanson”, will render “Songs of Love” in a benefit dinner-concert at Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s Tivoli Room. Last night, Mouron sang at Mandarin’s MO Lounge.

Both concerts will benefit the D’Aboville Foundation and Demo Farm Inc. which aim toward the reforestation and electrification of the Iraya Mangyan Community in Barangay Baclayan, the only barangay without electricity in Puerto Galera.

As in last night’s concert, the works of French-Filipina visual artist Olivia d’Aboville will be on display, with a silent auction of one of her works in aid of the same project.

Diva Mouron sings in the tradition of Edith Piaf  famous for her La Vie en Rose, Jacques Brel, Serge Gainsbourg, Charles Trenet and Juliette Greco. She will be accompanied on the piano by British Terry Truck. Born into a musical family, Mouron began writing her own songs at 12. Her first album, awarded the Grand Prix Academie Charles Cros in 1988, was followed by two more, “Quince Annees d’Amour” and “Peut-etre domain” in 2004. At 17, she performed in France’s most famous theater, L’Olympia, with the late 70s popular French group “Michel Fugain and Le Big Bazar”. She has had engagements in major theaters in France, in Germany, Belgium, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam where she served as an informal ambassador of French music.

The works of young, talented artist Olivia d’Aboville, made of utilitarian items, evoke organic sea creatures enhanced by lighting. A favorite piece, a long sculptural work titled “Physophora sp.”, calls to mind likewise sea creatures.

In endorsing the song concert and art exhibit, GM Mark Bradford says: “Mandarin Oriental Manila is an advocate of the arts. On these two French evenings, we highlight French songs, French culinary skills and visual arts by a Fil-French artist, and a beautiful advocacy for an indigenous tribe spearheaded by a French national.” (The French national is Hubert d’Aboville, father of artist Olivia.  RLO)

Tivoli’s chef Remi Vercelli will prepare a gourmet, four-course menu with French wines from Sommelier Selection. Inquiries and reservations may still be made through Director of Communications Charisse G. Chuidian, tel. 8574767 (direct line), 7508888 ext. 2220.

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Saturday’s general meeting of the PEN (Publishers, Essayists, Novelists), founded decades ago by National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose as the local counterpart of International PEN in London, was held as usual at the Solidaridad Bookshop.

The meeting turned into a literary session featuring the eminent Mexican poet Javier Sicilia who was introduced by Mexican Ambassador Thomas Javier Cabillo Unna, Ph.D. Mr. Sicilia, guest of honor in an earlier literary forum at Instituto Cervantes, is a leading poet, essayist and novelist. He finished Philosophy, Arts and Political Sciences at the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico. He is editor-in-chief of the magazine Poesia, director of the magazine Ixtus, and professor of literature, aesthetics and scriptwriting at the Universidad La Salle de Cuernavaca.

His poetry goes against the tide obsessed as he is with the transcendence and the yearning to communicate with God. He has thus created metaphysical and religious poems along the years, collected in “Permanencia en los puertos” (Permanence in the harbors, 1982), “Oro” (Gold, 1990), “Trinidad” (Trinity, 1992), “Vigilias” (Watchful Vigilance, 2000) and “La Presencia Desierta” (Solitary Presence, 2004). In 2009, he was awarded the Premio Nacional de Aquascalientes for “Triptico Desierto” (Solitary Tryptich).

Mr. Sicilia’s comments and those of Ambassador Unna were translated by Jose Ma. Fons Guardiola of the Instituto Cervantes; Lito Zulueta served as moderator. Among those present were National Artists F. Sionil Jose and Bien Lumbera, Elmer Ordoñez, Ricky Soler, Charlson Ong, Rustica Carpio and Amadis Guerrero. Mr. Sicilia read poems which had their corresponding translation in Pilipino; Domingo Landicho read some of his Tagalog poems.

Having studied Mexican literature as guest of state in the university from where Mr. Sicilia graduated, I would have welcomed a chat with him. But I had another engagement. As I was leaving, the cashier returned a check I had written out for my yearly dues. He said he found out I had already paid for them sometime ago. No corruption at the PEN!