Lena fantastic as Lakme /Chino’s brief, brilliant act

The UP College of Music presentation of Delibes’ Lakme at the Abelardo Hall featured Lena Mckenzie who as Lakme was giving her graduation recital in the role. If I am not mistaken, it was the opera’s very first local staging – and in the original French!

The East-West theme (much like Madama Butterfly) has the Hindu maiden Lakme falling in love with the British soldier Gerald, then taking her own life when he prepares to return to military duty.

Lakme is seldom produced, presumably because very few coloratura sopranos can take on one of the most daunting, challenging roles in operatic literature, and also presumably because its Oriental mode veers away from the lush lyricism of La Traviata, La Boheme, M. Butterfly, Rigoletto, Lucia, etc.

Coloratura sopranos tend to have a tinny, metallic timber. But Lena, a fantastic Lakme, sang with a luminous silken voice that smoothly and effortlessly hurdled the taxing demands of the Belle Song aria, its staccatos gliding up and down endlessly, and finishing in the highest note superbly sustained in a long, firm, vibrant manner.

The rest of the singers were highly qualified UP music graduates. Dominating the stage was the powerful, magnetic baritone Michael Bulaong, the Brahmin priest Nilakantha, Lakme’s father who despises her lover Gerald here portrayed by the virile, accomplished tenor Conrado Ong III. Frederic, Gerald’s friend, the outstanding baritone Cipriano de Guzman, displayed a remarkably full, rounded, resonant voice and a strong personality. He was superb in his brief role. The Flower Song duet, the most melodious in the entire opera, was rendered by Lakme and her slave Malika, the mellifluous-voiced,  enchanting mezzo soprano Maricris R. Joaquin.

Director was Greg de Leon. Despite budgetary constraints – evident in the inadequate stage lighting, the reduced cast, the piano accompaniment – the opera was an admirable vocal success, with Lena triumphant in a role great divas such as Adelina Patti,  Amelita Galli-Curci (whom I have heard on records), Lily Pons, among others, have sung at NY’s Met. Upon request, Lena’s mentor Fides C. Asensio joined the curtain call.

In the audience were distinguished tenor Sherwin Siazon and incomparable actor-iconic popular singer Cocoy Laurel.

Just turned 24, former violin prodigy Joaquin Maria “Chino” Gutierrez gave a brief, brilliant performance at the birthday of charming doyenne Loleng Panlilio, playing condensed versions of De Falla’s “Danse Espagnole,” Velez’s “Sa Kabukiran,” Vallejo’s “Habanera Filipina,” Abelardo’s “Cavatina” and “Paru-parong Bukid.” Chino had no accompaniment; thus the audience focused solely on him, while awed by his astounding brio, dexterity and inherent expressivity.

Loleng’s 15-year old grand-daughter Gabriela Panlilio, a promising soprano, sang contemporary hits.