MANILA, Philippines - Soprano Joscephine Gomez, baritone Lawrence Jatayna, pianist Carlos Perion, and cultural entrepreneur Dickie Aguado pay tribute to the late President Corazon Aquino and Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. in a concert titled Alab at the Atrium, second floor, The Podium on Aug. 21 at 6 p.m.
“The concert is our way of marking the 26th anniversary of Ninoy Aquino’s martyrdom and our little way of thanking Ninoy and Cory for how their lives positively impacted Philippine society and the rest of the world,” said Joscephine Gomez, who co-conceptualized the event, with music director Carlos Perion.
In the program are songs that fan the fervor of love for country and intense love and devotion between man and woman as exemplified by the two heroes.
Gomez will open the concert with Francisco Santiago’s Ave Maria, in remembrance of Cory’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She will then sing Lucio San Pedro’s Ugoy ng Duyan, Constancio de Guzman’s Ang tangi Kong Pag-ibig, George Canseco’s Ikaw, Charo Unite’s May Bukas pa, Nicanor Abelardo’s Nasaan Ka Irog and Angel Pena’s Iyo Kailan Pa Man.
Jatayna will render I Fell in Love with the Same Woman Three Times, a poem by the late Sen. Aquino set to music and first recorded by Jose Mari Chan.
He will also sing The Impossible Dream, known to be Ninoy’s favorite, Willy Cruz’s Sana’y Wala ng Wakas and Abelardo’s Magbalik ka Hirang.
The two singers’ voices will merge in Constancio de Guzman’s Namumukod na Bituin, Francisco Santiago’s Anak Dalita and San Pedro’s Sa Mahal kong Bayan.
Gomez caps the program with Felipe Padilla de Leon’s Ako’y Pilipino and De Guzman’s Bayan ko.
MagnaKultura founder-president Aguado hosts.
The concert is sponsored by The Corporate Mind, Arya Persian Restaurant and REVLON.