Martin on Sharon: Dedicated, thoughtful

MANILA, Philippines - Megastar Sharon Cuneta and Concert King Martin Nievera will share the stage for the first time in the music event of this year’s Valentine season. The concert Once In A Lifetime is a co-production between Viva Concerts & Events and Mega Productions, Inc., which will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Feb. 11.

Sharon has been one of the country’s foremost singing stars ever since she broke into the big time in 1978 with Mr. DJ at the age of 13. The Rey Valera composition became the start of a long list of hit songs that eventually led to her being proclaimed the Megastar. Sharon reigned supreme at the box-office Maging Sino Ka Man, Kahit Konting Pagtingin, Bituing Walang Ningning and others; on television the long-running The Sharon Cuneta Show, in concert and recordings and as a celebrity endorser.

The son of balladeer Bert Nievera, Martin’s big break came when he recorded the Vehnee Saturno composition Be My Lady. Since then, he has also notched one big hit song after another, Each Day With You, You Are My Song, Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, Forever, Ikaw Ang Aking Pangarap and others; starred in the highly-rated TV talk shows Penthouse Live and Martin After Dark; and became the Concert King with one blockbuster concert after another.

Here, also for the first time, Martin talks about Sharon, the Megastar, friend and colleague:

“One of the many things I admire most about Sharon is her life-long dedication to her craft. Never mind that she is probably one of the smartest people I know. Not to mention also thoughtful and talented. Never mind all that.

 “What I noticed and admired most about her from the first time I met her to this very day is how much of her life she puts in her every song, her every movie, her every ‘everything.’ Not too many people know it but Sharon Cuneta didn’t even have time to have a childhood. Not a normal one anyway, with her commitment to her craft and to her fans, Sharon has been Mega!

“When I used to watch her from a distance during a rehearsal for a TV special or concert, I’ve often wondered what is inside that strong exterior. Is she happy or sad? Is she content or is it pretend? What does she do when she is not Mega for us? I think this is why when Sharon has reached the peak of her patience and ‘showbiz’ understanding, she lets us have it with a strong opinion or a piece of her real not reel mind.

“Sharon is a pillar of strength and has the emotion you won’t find in anyone in this business. Yet she doesn’t complain nor does she blame. She is and will always be in a class all her own. For me, Sharon is more than Mega. She is real. I am proud to be her friend.

“Sharing the stage with someone I admire as much as I admire Sharon will be a once in a lifetime thrill! Unforgettable!”

Both Sharon and Martin are also major concert draws abroad with well-received performances in the US, Canada and Europe. Sharon was in New Zealand a few weeks ago, while Martin performed in Ireland for the first time. Sharon comes to Once In A Lifetime after nearly two years away from the local concert stage, while Martin will cap one of his most successful years as a performer with the Valentine show. He topbilled What Love Is at the Big Dome with Sarah Geronimo in February 2011 and later took the show on the road to major cities around the Philippines. He also did two nights at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila and was at the Araneta with Side A last November.

(Tickets are priced at VIP P5,000; Patron A P4,500; Patron B P3,500; Lower Box P3,500; Upper Box A P1,500; and Upper Box B P800. For details, call Viva Concerts 687-7236 or Ticketnet 911-5555.)