POC’s successful Black Box/ RADA to tutor PETA actors

The Philippine Opera Company headed by director Karla Gutierrez and mezzo-soprano Clarissa Ocampo as artist-in-residence, staged another highly successful Black Box event at the Opera Haus the other night. Titled “Elite”, it featured talented young singers under POC’s auspices.

For the experiment, a raised platform in the middle of the room served as the stage, with the audience seated around it. Props consisted of a few tables and chairs. The simple costumes suggested the characters the singers were delineating. One costume, however, seemed to contradict this description, namely Violetta’s pant suit in Verdi’s Traviata. As the epitomé of feminity, how could Violetta attract so many men, particularly Alfredo, in masculine wear?

The attire did not detract from the performance of Twinkel Prietos who, as Violetta, sang and acted out the aria Sempre Libera (Forever Free) with force, intensity and moving conviction. Arms flailing, her spirited movements revealed a courtesan vowing to free herself from pleasures now that she has found her true love. Her vocal flexibility, tessitura, ease in hitting and sustaining high notes in true coloratura fashion were admirable. Tenor Al Gatmaitan as Alfredo briefly sang off-stage in a smooth, fluid manner.

Another highlight was Faust. Lawrence Jatayna as Mephistopheles and Al Gatmaitan as Faust had an exquisite vocal dialogue, their duets blending their powerful voices magnetically. Each gave a strong portrayal. Joseleo Logdat and Gabrielle Panlilio, Siebel and Valentin, respectively, lent very able support.

Still another highlight was provided by tenor Jatayna as Tonio in the opening scene from Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. He arrested attention in the prologue “Si Puo?” (A word?) which tells the audience that what will unfold are fragments of a tragedy involving real human beings.

In a remarkable display of versatility, Clarissa Ocampo took the role of Romeo opposite Marian Santiago as Juliet in Bellini’s The Capulets and the Montagues. The long sequence taxed the young, promising Santiago, with the full-throated Ocampo delineating Romeo with dash and daring.

Baritone Logdat and Chris Go were an engaging pair as Figaro and Susanna in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. Janine Santos starred in Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine. Lara Maigue, Lena McKenzie and Rica Laguardia rendered most charmingly “Sous les dome epais” from Delibes Lakme. The whole cast sang “Tonight” from Bernstein’s Broadway musical West Side Story, bringing “Elite” to a rousing end.

It was evident from the most gratifyingly varied and vibrant concert that the POC is honing the talent of young singers for opera and musical theater. Directors William Elvin Manzano, Onyl Torres and Will Fredo created the needed ambiance which, with the eloquent facial expression and gestures of the singers told the story of each operatic scene. I venture to regard Lawrence Jatayna, Al Gatmaitan and Twinkel Prietos ready to “invade” the operatic stage.

“Elite” was mounted on a very tight budget. Candidly, one wonders how the POC can maintain its weekly program.

Forbes magazine’s list of billionaire tycoons and taipans, as well as others not in the list, readily suggests that even a minimum donation from each of them would be a considerable help toward sustaining the worthy projects of the POC at Opera Haus, 3651  Bautista St., Makati.

Loleng Panlilio, grandmother of Gabrielle Panlilio, grandmother of Gabrielle Panlilio (whose first public performance I recently reviewed) informs me that every POC weekly program is free to the public; so are the refreshments which the audience enjoys afterwards!

RADA workshop at PETA

London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) will hold the first workshop in Asia through a course on Musical Theater at the PETA Theater Center in QC from May 21 to 26. Rada, UK’s oldest and most prestigious drama school, counts Sir Anthony Hopkins and Vivien Leigh among its eminent graduates.

The intensive training is for professional actor-singers who have undergone formal vocal training and intend to pursue a career in Musical Theater. RADA instructors will help them develop the necessary skills as they work in solo pieces, a duet or trio and an ensemble number.