Carmen undergoes 'Being' approach under direk Laurice

MANILA, Philippines - We arrive at director Laurice Guillen’s home at Horseshoe Village and find her at a workshop session utilizing the Eric Morris “Being” technique. We have watched her and her late husband Johnny Delgado in the past, and now she is introducing it to opera singers.

They were rehearsing for Carmen, the most famous opera in the world, to be presented in Manila after 20 long years. The last time a full version was produced was by Irma Potenciano, we are told, although Ana Feleo in the title role tells us it has been staged in excerpts numerous times here in the Philippines. Being board member of LyrOpera, one of the producers, Ana says, “It’s very difficult to mount a grand opera such as this because you need the right voices for Carmen.” Also, it is financially difficult with such requirements as huge choruses, full orchestra, large sets and costume changes.

After a few minutes, the director announces the scene they will rehearse. It involves Micaela (Kay Balajadia) who arrives in Seville, Spain, looking for Don Jose (Randy Gilongo), and instead finds the guard Morales (Greg de Leon) who starts enticing her to stay. Not happy with the scene, direk Laurice explains to Morales she wants from him a lighter more teasing interpretation. They repeat the scene and the result has everyone clapping their hands.

During the break, we ask Kay if they had felt differently with Laurice directing, if they had doubts, if they had ever had acting workshops in their other operas. She says they have not and wish they did. “I was excited because I had seen her work, and though she had not done Opera before, this only made it more exciting for me because I knew the approach would be fresh and different.” The lawyer/opera singer since age 10 shares her feelings of “excitement, apprehension, and a certain feeling of joy because my experience is coming to a very gratifying conclusion.”

When  LyrOpera asked Laurice for a production approach that would attract not just music and opera lovers but the general public who have never watched opera before, Laurice thought to herself,  “A tall order for me, and a challenge to this fledgling company whose vision reminded me of Cinemalaya when it was just a dream.”

Ana herself feels, “She has the perfect balance of reverence and irreverence to opera and the material.”

As for her playing Carmen, Ana is thrilled since its story is one people of today can relate to. “The music of Bizet encapsulates the essence and emotion of each character and scene so powerfully. Some people might even say, Carmen is like one hit song after another. Even those who have not seen an opera before will find themselves enjoying the show.” We ourselves could say we are familiar with the Prelude song, Habanera, and the Toreador’s song.

The small size of St. Cecilia’s Auditorium at St. Scholastica’s College couldn’t contain multiple sets. With the stage/production designer Gino Gonzalez, Laurice agreed on one basic set suggestive of a bullring, and a basic costume for all. Staging would be stylized through evocative lighting and projection. However, while staging of Bizet’s Carmen is faithful to the composer’s Realism, the Verismo that he introduced in Carmen, and the performance is character-driven.

The schedule of Laurice from July began with auditions, music rehearsals, French lessons, choreography, acting, blocking and craft workshops. Kay appreciates the fact that, “She made it a point that we mastered the music before she would step in to stage the opera. In that regard, in my opinion, she understood and respected that in opera, the music is a priority. This also made it easier for us to get into the staging as we would not be hampered by not knowing the music.”

The character of Don Jose (Randy Gilongo) is the most interesting of all, being the love interest of both Carmen and Micaela, and transforming from soldier to bandit and murderer. Sherwin Sozon points out that “his character has the largest emotional range…  Carmen’s alternative title could be The Tragedy of Don Jose.”

Margarita Gomez-Giannealli, Noel Azcona

Among the best Filipino opera singers make up the cast of Carmen including sopranos Ana Feleo and Camille Lopez-Molina (Carmen); tenors Abdul Candao and Randy Gilongo (Don Jose); sopranos Margarita Gomez-Giannelli and Kay Balajadia-Liggayu (Micaela); and baritone Noel Azcona as Escamillo who has no alternate. Conductor is Prof. Arturo Molina. Co-produced by the Lyric Opera of the Philippines, Manila Downtown YMCA, and the Manila Symphony Orchestra. Line producer Sherwin Sozon. Playdates are Oct. 26, 27 and 28, 7:30 p.m. at St. Scholastica’s. For details, call Ticketworld (891-9999), Alliance Francaise de Manille (895-7585/895-7441) or Manila Downtown YMCA (244-1995/244-1977).

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