Dawn & Richard together again

You sit in front of Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta and you are mesmerized by their beauty. You are somehow jealous of how the years have not scarred their faces and spirits and instead, added sparkle to their natural splendor. Both are excellent students of life, eager to learn from everything that happens.

Obviously, both take good care of themselves diligently. Strengthened and polished by life’s joys and pains, both survived to become mature actors and people that they are today. When they laugh and tease each other, you know it’s real. When they say good words about each other, you know they are friends. It’s refreshing to be in the company of Richard and Dawn.

Even at his most controversial, I have always liked Richard. I didn’t always agree with him but he had an opinion and that mattered. He never pandered. And he was not obnoxious. Dawn has always been a quick learner. Extremely smart, she wears her craft/artistry on her sleeve. She was always inquisitive. And she learned well. As an actor, nobody ever doubted her brilliance. As a woman, her beauty is legendary while Richard has been the benchmark of the drop-dead gorgeous Filipino man. 

Dawn and Richard are reunited in ABS-CBN’s Walang Hanggan, a teleserye that is sure to seduce us to fall in love with love again. While lovers off screen, Dawn and Richard starred together as onscreen lovers in Saan Ka Man Naroroon in 1993 and Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit in 1991.

Today, Dawn and Richard who are both happily married — she to Rep. Anton Lagdameo of Davao and he to Rep. Lucy Torres of Ormoc — relish to remember the good times. They are happy looking back to the good old times. Yes, the chemistry is still there, thus their reunion in the TV series Walang Hanggan is highly anticipated.

Jerry Sineneng, who gets to direct the two, said, “I have always been a fan of the two. Ngayon ko napatunayan na kaya sila nagtagal sa industry is because na-translate sa audience ang passion, love and commitment nila sa craft. Their chemistry is incomparable. Unang-unang scene palang gumugulong na kami sa kilig.”

John Estrada, Richard’s good friend, said, “One thing that I admire about them is respect. Let’s say si Lucy, may gagawin siya, hindi pwedeng mang istorbo si Goma. On the other hand, Lucy respects his sports.”

Aiko Melendez, who is a close friend of both Anton and Dawn, said that she has seen how the couple are with each other. “Very maselan si Ate Dawn sa pag-bubuntis. There was a time nung buntis si Ate Dawn sa first baby nila and Ate Dawn had been an actress all her life at para mapirme siya sa bahay, Kuya Anton assured her that whatever happens, he will be there for her.”

Prominent Japanese trombonist at the CCP

Japan’s prominent trombonist Takahiro Ono ushers in the New Year’s presentation of Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s fifth concert series with Rimsky-Korsakov’s Trombone Concerto on Jan. 20, 8 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater). PPO’s music director Olivier Ochanine conducts.

The program dubbed as The Inextinguishable, the PPO will also perform Dvrák’s Czech Suite and one of the signature works of Denmark’s most celebrated composer, Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 4 Inextinguishable.

Ono has performed with many renowned artists, including Branimir Slokar, Jacques Mauger and Andre Henry. His other activities include instructing trombone for the National Cultural Festival as well as participating in several prestigious music festivals such as the Shiga Music Festival, the Kitakai Music Festival, the Hida Trombone Festival and the Yatsugatake Music Festival. He is often invited to perform as soloist in the Trombone Concerto with different orchestras including the Tokyo New City Orchestra, the Philharmonia Burleske Orchestra, the Orchestre Chanteclair and the Orchestre Philharmonique Ritae.

At present, Ono is a professor at the Yamaguchi College of Arts, an administrator for the Association Franco-Japonaise des Amis de la Musique and a director of the Japan National Music Competition of Trombone.

For inquiries, call the CCP Marketing Department (tel. no. 832-1125 loc. 1806), the CCP Box Office (832-3704) or Ticketworld at National Bookstore (891-9999).