The eternal Libera

I believe that if archangels could sing, they would sound like the three tenors, you know Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti. Celestial creatures like Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, when not off fighting battles against evil or running errands can only sing like the best.

Now, I believe I have also found out how cherubs sound when they sing. You know cherubs, they have the heads of babies and little wings to flap and nothing else but unlike manananggals, they never look scary. I read somewhere that cherubs are actually very powerful, but people now commonly see them as the cutest of angels, who will of course make a heavenly sound when they sing.

Well, I do not have any doubt that a number of cherubs singing sound like Libera. The choir from Britain is made up of boys aged seven to 14 or until they make that crucial voice change that says they are turning into men. Hopefully when that time comes, they will sound like archangels. But until that then, they are the cute little angels called Libera, the newest darlings of the classical crossover charts.

Manila will get its first taste of Libera in concert when the choir comes to town as Ambassadors of Goodwill from the UK later this month. The boys will perform at the Philippine International Convention Center on Roxas Blvd. on Oct. 25 as the highlight of the observance of the RP-UK Friendship Week.

Boy choirs are nothing new. The enduring Vienna Boys Choir is the best example of the sort. Libera though is in some ways different. Creator, and I suppose also choirmaster, arranger and at times, composer Robert Prize, not only made sure they do the classics well, he also put a pop spin in the arrangements and repertoire. Take note too that while we never knew the name of any kid from the Vienna Boys, the credits to Libera mention the names of the soloists so that fans can take note of those and choose their favorites.

The result of this strategy is the group’s classical to pop crossover genre in the charts. This gives Libera a wider choice of materials, makes the oldies sound new again and opens the boys to a younger pop following. That is why they sing Enya. The kids do an excellent version of her Orinoco Flow. They also sing Beach Boy Brian Wilson’s exquisite Love and Mercy. Alongside tunes like these are the usual Bach, Pachelbel and other boy choir songs.

Find out how this formula works with Eternal, The Best Of Libera. This is a two-disc set that should make a very good introduction to this phenomenal choir. It compiles songs from previous albums and is proof why the group is now reaping success all over the world.

The event is a fund-raiser by the British Alumni Association (BAA) in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce, the British Council and the British Embassy in Manila to raise funds for the BAA’s Foundation for Disadvantaged Children and for the Children’s Hour. The group will also perform at the Waterfront Lahug in Cebu on Oct. 28.

Among the best cuts in the CD are You Were There, the main theme from Nobody To Watch Over Me; Sanctus based on Pachelbel’s Canon; Mother Of God; Salva Me; Sancte; Do Not Stand; Coccini’s Ave Maria; Gaudete; Bach’s Air On A G String; Gloria based on Sant-Saens’ Organ Symphony; I Am The Day; and We Are The Lost adapted from the immortal poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrea and O God Our Help In Ages Past by Isaac Watts.

Aside from the Libera performance, the other activities during the RP-UK Friendship Week will be the UK Ambassador’s Cup, an equestrian event at the Manila Polo Club on Oct. 18 with a Royal Doulton trophy at stake and a fashion presentation at Club Ascend in Fort Bonifacio High Street on Oct. 23.

The Libera Philippine Tour is another Concertus Production. Tickets to the concert at PICC are priced at P3,850, P3,000, P2,500, P2,000, P1,500, P800; and P500 are available at Ticketworld with tel. no. 891-9999. Call BAA Secretariat 0918-9181367 or 568-0638 for VIP tickets. Call the Arts Council at 233-0452 or 0917-3287917 for tickets to the Cebu show.