Darling Philippines staged free at the Rizal Park

MANILA, Philippines - She was called the Steel Butterfly and Iron Butterfly, but former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, widow of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, is being identified as Darling Philippines in an opera/rock musical that will be held on May 16 at the Rizal Park.

Francis Tanseco (photo), 44, the producer, director, and writer-composer-librettist, wants to depict Imelda’s rise and fall and rise again to power in the musical.

He first titled it Imeldarella, and several other names about the woman.  But Tanseco’s notion as Darling Philippines would encourage her theory — on her right or wrong — during Marcos and herself during their regime and martial law for about 14 years.

Tanseco conducted a survey among his friends as to what title fits his work and finally Darling Philippines proved to be the most apt.

“It is public knowledge that she has always been a lover of beautiful things,” Tanseco said, who is a nurse to concentrate on the project. “I know that Madam Imelda still believes in the art as a tool for improving the national economy and changing its political landscape” he added.

“She has grieved when the many edifices built here during their era were not taken care of,” continued Tanseco, “like the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center for Asia, Folk Arts Theater, Film Center, among others.” 

Tanseco is a graduate of Concordia College as a nurse and moved to London in 2000. Apart from nursing, he has also become a painter and has done several arts exhibits there and also in the Philippines.

But still in college in 1991, he adapted and directed Himala, from a screenplay of Ricky Lee and starring Nora Aunor, the stage play by Concordia College. In 1993, he played as Pepe or Jose Rizal in a musical called Tanging Ikaw, also produced by Concordia and by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. He also played St. Vincent De Paul in a musical directed by the late Fr. James Reuter.

Tanseco also wrote the music and lyrics with a friend, Marites Anino, for a musical by Nora Aunor which they gave her sometime in the ‘90s titled Awit ng Buhay Ko.

“Nora did not respond, but she is still my favorite singer and actress,” he said. “I also made a lot of paintings about her in London.”

In 1997, Tanseco played Jose Rizal in Bulwagang Gantimpala summer workshop under the late Tony Espejo. But what he considers his most ambitious project is Darling Philippines.

He claimed that this is the only musical on Imelda that is written by a Filipino who does not condemn, parodize or judge. He will also hold here a free workshop for musically gifted young Pinoys who hopefully might become performers for the musical. Consequently, the musical might be launched in London and the US.

The production in Manila will be under the Association of Merkaba Arts Philippines, Inc, or AMAPI in cooperation with the Golden Gay Rainbow Association, Inc. and the Pinoy International Bloggers Association, Inc.

Darling Philippines is part of the National Park’s Development Committee program Weekends at Six, which is free to the public. 

For details, visit www.facebook/darlingphilippines or www.darlingphilippines.com.