Roger Chua’s Marco Polo: A stupendous surprise / NAMCYA marks 40th year

For years, I have known Roger Saldo Chua as a highly gifted singer-actor. But “Marco Polo,” a full-blown musical, was a totally unexpected, stupendous surprise, with not only the book and the lyrics by him but also the music.

This consisted of 24 compositions: two orchestral — the arresting, well-structured overture and entr’acte — eight solos, trios and a quartet with ensemble (chorus), and two for the entire cast. These were a tremendous order, especially as already mentioned, book and lyrics were also by Roger.

The exquisitely melodious music consistently conveyed Oriental or Eastern strains which commingled with the Occidental or Western, thus pointing up the dual setting that shifted from Europe to Asia.

There seemed scant or no publicity on “Marco Polo” prior to its staging, yet the Meralco Theater was full. How the audience enjoyed the musical to the hilt!

Most cast members were excellent, especially the principals: high baritone David Blanco as Marco Polo, soprano Stephanie Reese as Kagayin, Marco’s sweetheart; baritone Chinggoy Alonso as Rustigielo, mezzo-soprano Gina Respall is Empress Wu. Tenor Sherwin Sozon was a persuasively imperious and mighty Kublai Khan, his ringing voice sonorous and powerful, his searing top notes magnificently sustained.

Strongly asserting their presence, likewise, were the rest of the lead singers: soprano Elaine Co as Toragana, high baritone Meynard Peñalosa as Khogatal, bass-baritone Paul Holme as Nicolo, baritone Miguel Faustman as Maffeo, baritone Ed Rocha as Enzo, tenor Kuya Manzano as Tegan, tenor Jonas Gruet as Togachar, bass-baritone Pepe Herera as  Togan, tenor Terence Guillermo as Friar Nicholas and tenor Enrfil Seguino as Friar William.

The chorus, singing cohesively and  expressively, enhanced the intrinsic value of the music. Not the least, the 15-member orchestra under conductor Joseph Tolentino instantly arrested attention as it played the opening passages of the Overture, and kept audience interest alive throughout.

Staging was uniquely innovative. With Chua and Faustman as artistic director and production designer, respectively, the sets consisted mainly of vivid, descriptive photos on the screen, each changing with every episode or scene. (The photos were provided by Inma Ortoll Mutuc.)

The only exception was the vast, white lace curtain with huge flower designs which served as backdrop for the love scene between Marco Polo and Kogajin.

The slow-moving, languid, graceful, imaginatively choreographed dances by Rose Borromeo also had the heavy Oriental character reflecting that of the music. The ravishing, exotic, eye-fetching costumes designed by Raven Ong were in consonance with the dances in particular and the fanciful production in general.

There is one minor reservation. Although the story of  Marco Polo is familiar, the printed synopsis, rather cryptic and general, made it difficult for the audience to follow the plot or action closely,  or to identify the characters immediately.

Nevertheless, the singing, acting, staging, lighting, dancing and direction — all these expressing Chua’s book, lyrics and music — rendered “Marco Polo” comparable to the best musicals I have seen here and abroad. It could be for this reason executive producer Olivier Leonard reportedly plans to stage “Marco Polo” in London.

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The National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA) will mark its 40th year with a concert “Celebrating the Harvest” which will feature competition winners on Aug. 25, 8 p.m., at the CCP main theater.

With the support of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, NAMCYA has been discovering, training and developing the country’s best musical talents.

Performing will be artists through four decades, from recent winners like sopranos Gereberne Lozada and Myramae Meneses to the seasoned Rachelle Gerodias and Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata. The best wind and string instrumentalists will render Dvorak’s Serenade for Winds and Mendelssohn’s Octet.

Marking the numerological significance of four will be Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Four Violins, Bach’s Concerto for Four Violins, assisted by the PPO under Olivier Ochanine, ending with Lucio San Pedro’s Sa Mahal Kong Bayan.