Rama at Sita

The soundtrack of the lavish musical Rama at Sita is finally out and this is one album which came to the stores one year late. But as the cliché goes, it is always better late than never and the music of one of the biggest events of local theater in 1999 is finally available.

Based on the ballet Rama Hari, which was in turn based on the Indian epic poem, Ramayana, it tells the story of King Rama, the famous demon killer. His father was Dasaratha who was childless for a long time but because of the goodness of his heart, the gods gave him Rama and three more sons. Rama won the love of the Princess Sita when he broke the bow that belonged to the god Shiva. But his happiness was short-lived as the second wife of his father sent him to exile so her son could become king and Sita was kidnapped by the demon Ravana. How Rama rescued her, regained his throne and killed the demons make up the story.

Rama at Sita was presented at the UP Theater last February. The P40 million production was the most spectacular ever seen on the local stage with dazzling sets and costumes, memorable songs and competent performances from the cast. Most of those who came to watch were looking for the soundtrack album and were disappointed to find out that it was not available. But at last Rama at Sita is now on sale and everybody can now listen to the music while awaiting news of the restaging.

The soundtrack combines the songs composed by Ryan Cayabyab and Bien Lumbera for the ballet like Magbalik Ka Na Mahal and Iisa ang Tibok/Awit ng Pagsinta and those by Daniel Tan and Roy Iglesias and Dodgie Simon for the musical like Ako'y Iyung-iyo and Sadyang Pinagtagpo. Featured performers are Ariel Rivera as Rama, Lani Misalucha as Sita, Mon David as Dasaratha, Pinky Marquez as Kaikeyi, Jaya as Soorphanaka, Robert Sena as Ravana, Franco Laurel as Bharata and others. It was produced by Daniel Tan and Willy Munji for SK Records.

Who deserves to be honored as the Man of the Century? If the website surfers of Time Magazine had their way it would have been Elvis Presley instead of Albert Einstein, the founder of the theory of relativity who ended up with the title. The departed King of Rock and Roll ranked number one in the international survey with 624,574 votes. He was followed by the assassinated Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, the infamous Adolph Hitler, evangelist Billy Graham and Einstein who was in fifth place.

There is no question that Einstein deserves to be the Man of the Century but the number of votes that Presley got is one more proof of the all-compassing reach of the entertainment media and the huge effect pop idols have on the masses. Einstein might have been responsible for one of the major discoveries of this century but to his loyal fans, Elvis and his music touched more lives.

The award-giving season has started in Hollywood and first to come up with its nominations is the Golden Globes of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Their choices in the race for the Best Original Song from a Motion Picture are Beautiful Stranger sang by Madonna and composed by Madonna and William Orbit from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me; Save Me sang and written by Aimee Mann from Magnolia, When She Loved Me by Randy Newman and sang by Sarah McLachlan from Toy Story 2; You'll be in My Heart sang and composed by Phil Collins from Tarzan; and How Can I Not Love You performed by newcomer Joy Enriquez and composed by Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, George Fenton and Robert Kraft from Anna and the King.

This is one interesting race as it involves pop music biggies like Madonna, Babyface, Randy Newman, Phil Collins and the not as well-known but no less interesting Aimee Mann. Watch out though for How Can I Not Love You. The song is as heart-wrenching as My Heart Will Go On and gets the career of the pretty and talented Joy Enriquez off to a fantastic start.