'Sa Bunganga ng Pating' at UP Theater
MANILA, Philippines - Sa Bunganga ng Pating, one of the more popular Tagalog sarsuwelas of the early 20th century, will be staged at the UP University Theater from February 18 to 20 at 6 p.m.
Sa Bunganga ng Pating, like majority of the sarsuwelas of the first half of the 20th century uses the love story to introduce social messages and popular issues so as to define the play’s relevance. Sa Bunganga ng Pating tells of the love between Nita, daughter of the greedy Don Juan and Mario, son of a farmer who works in Don Juan’s land. Their story exposes social evils such as usury, greed, injustice and colonial mentality.
Playing the characters of Julian Cruz Balmaseda’s 1921 classic are members of the FEU Art Theatre Clinique (FEUATC), a group organized to train students in drama, particularly in subjects such as basic acting, direction and production under the tutelage of established and well-known practitioners in theater.
Accompanied by a live orchestra under the baton of Chino Toledo, FEUATC will interpret Leon Ignacio’s music for the sarsuwela. FEUATC performs under the artistic direction of its founder, Joey B. Ting.
Tickets to Sa Bunganga ng Pating are priced at P75. For group bookings or individual tickets, call 928-7508 and 981-8500 local 2105 or e-mail sarsuwelafestival2009@gmail.com. Visit http://kal.upd.edu.ph/sarsuwela/ for other festival events.
