Russian music and caviar

Madame Valentina T. Nebogatova, charming and vivacious wife of Russian Ambassador Anatoly V. Nebogatov, enlivened a mini-recital by serving as emcee herself.

The occasion marked the 130th birth anniversary and 60th death anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff, one of Russia’s titans of music.

Comfortably seated in the hosts’ living room, guests heard tenor Jose Randy Gilongo render three songs of Tchaikovsky (two of them in Russian), with Najib Ismail as accompanying pianist, and Jonathan Arevalo Coo interpret a Prelude and an Elegie by Rachmaninoff. Gilongo ended the program with three songs, also by the same composer, in their English translation.

Through the program, Ambassador and Mrs. Nebogatov presented (or introduced) to the audience not only two of the greatest Russian composers but also three highly talented Filipino musical artists.

Caviar and other Russian delicacies were served with wine before and after the mini-recital, and epicures who happened to be music lovers, and music lovers who happened to be epicures had a marvelously enjoyable evening.

Seen answering to the description of "dual personalities" were French Ambassador Renée Veyret, U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, Indian Ambassador Navreka Sharma, National Artist for Dance Leonor O. Goquingco, international concertist Raul Sunico, soprano-pedagogue Irma P.E. Potenciano, Beth Day Romulo, Cora Espiritu, Villa G. de Guia and many more.

Damas De Marfil

Originally named "Ivory Mafia" by Oscar Yatco, the Damas de Marfil (Ladies of the Ivory) consisting of pianist Nena R. Villanueva (leader), Amelita D. Guevara, Bonny B. Armacost and Myrna Adad gave recent concerts: at the S.F. residence of former Ambassador to the Philippines Michael and Bonny Armacost, May 1; in the S.F. Radisson Miyoko Hotel (Sakura Ballroom), May 2; the Liederkranz Club in Manhattan, NY, May 3. For the S.F. engagement, Menchu D. Padilla was guest pianist.

Curtis-trained former prodigy Nena, who has played solo with major US orchestras, is the country’s first international concertist; Amelita of the UST Conservatory obtained her MA at Ohio State U.; Myrna Adad is a piano graduate of SSC whose first music head, Sr. Baptista Battig, introduced formal music education here. Bonny studied at NY’s prestigious Juilliard School; Menchu obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from SSC Music Department.

The group has given twin-piano concerts abroad for over two decades. At its recent SF and NY engagements, the Damas de Marfil interpreted works by Brahms, Milhaud, Piazzolla, Lecuona, Albeniz, Liszt and Filipino composers Ryan Cayabyab, Dick Zamora and Ernie Cuenco.

SF Mayor Willie Brown, Jr. and Philippine Consul General Delia Menez Rosal organized the SF concerts assisted by Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara. According to Lupita, camaraderie and passion for music have kept the Damas performing together on stage despite oceans separating them.