The romance of movie love songs

MANILA, Philippines — Has there ever been a movie without a musical soundtrack or a theme song? It’s hard to think of Blake Edwards’ Breakfast at Tiffany’s without seeing Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly strumming a guitar while singing Moon River. Or The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Thomas Crown Affair or Summer of ’42 without remembering the recently deceased composer Michel Legrand.

In this spirit the Cultural Arts Events Organizer and Guacamole Productions are bringing up the show Love Me! Love Me Not! Songs from the Silver Screen to Baguio’s Canto guesthouse (32 Kisad Road) and the University of the Philippines Baguio’s Teatro Amianan on Feb. 14 and 15, respectively.

Sponsored by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, Smart Communications, Inc., Genesis Transport Service, Inc. and Mother’s Garden and Restaurant, the twin concerts feature beloved songs from such films as Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, The Student Prince, Kismet, Two for the Road, A Man and A Woman, Funny Girl, Yentl, the Edith Piaf biopic La Vie En Rose, Casablanca, Cinema Paradiso, Il Postino, An Affair to Remember, My Best Friend’s Wedding, among others.

It helps that the interpreters, all classically trained singers, are themselves movie-goers.

Tenor Nomher Nival, a National Music Competitions for Young Artists first prize winner, Encouragement Prize recipient in the Marcello Giordani International Vocal Competition in Vero Beach, Florida, and two-time Philippine representative to the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido, grew up watching Jackie Chan and other kung fu movies.

He recalled the Disney musical, Aladdin: “The song A Whole New World was one I’ll never forget. It always gives me a nostalgic feeling. Since the song surfaced again last year after Lea Salonga sang it on Good Morning America with the original voice of Aladdin, Brad Kane, I want to be in that moment again, a child with no worries.” 

For soprano Myramae Meneses, who recently graduated with her masters from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, the music that has become her favorite is from Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Legend of 1900. 

She said, “The music is written by Ennio Morricone. The tune played by the lead role, a pianist, is entitled ‘Playing Love.’ The beginning of the tune is like the mind of the pianist — his mind is thinking playfully and wittily, but when he sees this beautiful lady, he suddenly plays a tune that is as beautiful and as soft as the woman’s features. He is lovestruck!” 

Nerissa de Juan, the second soprano featured in the concerts and a student of music, major in voice, from the New Era University College of Music, said she used to watch a lot of Korean movies with her sisters in their youth. Her favorites were Windstruck and My Sassy Girl while her favorite songs from these movies were Knocking on Heaven’s Door and I Believe.

Although their voices are all conservatory trained, they do not have reservations about interpreting movie love themes.

Nival said, “I was neither born an opera singer nor exposed to opera when I was young. I listened to Matt Monro, Frank Sinatra, Trios Los Panchos, Engelbert Humperdinck, Air Supply, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, Rivermaya and many other non-operatic singers. I still sing pop until now. This was part of my life. I’m not boxed. I still prefer singing opera than all these songs that we will be singing, but I can’t deny that there was a moment in my life when opera did not exist. I’m still happy with the genre of music that we’ll be singing.”

De Juan, a scholar of the Original Pilipino Performing Arts Foundation preparing for her junior recital. agreed, saying, “Music is still music regardless of genre. As musicians, we must give our best in whatever genre we are performing. I have nothing against operatic voices doing crossovers as long as it sounds good and the audiences like it. Doing so is also good way of letting people hear and appreciate classical singing.” 

Meneses, whose dream is to sing in a film, said she doesn’t mind doing crossover singing “as long as it fits the style of the song. I like to experiment with my voice with different genres as long as it is appropriate. I don’t see it as a step below. It may be very tricky, but I find it helpful in stretching the capacity of my voice technically.” 

Nival, who will star as Crisostomo Ibarra in the opera Noli Me Tangere in March at the Cultural Center, is a believer in the importance of film in allowing an escape from, or an understanding of, reality. “We do not have the luxury to fully control what happens in our lives. Movies provide that alternate universe, an alternate life that we get to enjoy. They help us cope with our reality, even inspire us, motivate us and comfort us.” 

To De Juan, who will reprise the role of Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere, “Film is an effective avenue to express ideas because of its ability to affect our emotions and our intellect. Besides being a form of entertainment, a film, when done well, can change the way we think and the way we feel in an instant.” 

Meneses said, “Film is such a huge deal, especially among our generation. People in general are very visual. We like to experience things that others have experienced. We like to see and feel things that are relatable. Films are also a diversion — to distract ourselves from stress or sadness. Some people like to watch for entertainment, some for relaxation, some for education.” 

On the role of a music soundtrack she said, “Music will always be important in movies and TV series. Accidental music is as important as the theme of every film. The mood of the scene comes to life because of the colors of the music. Without music, the scenes will just be dull and will lose their momentum.” 

Tickets to the Canto cocktail concert on Feb. 14 are available at Mt. Cloud Bookshop at Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio, or call/text 0927-986-7188 to reserve a table. For the Feb. 15 concert, it is free admission for UPB students, faculty and personnel. Outsiders pay P200 a ticket at the gate.