MANILA, Philippines - The Peninsula Manila welcomed the Christmas season with an afternoon filled with beautiful classical and holiday music with Celebrations: 32 Years of Christmas Concert at The Pen, a fund-raising concert where part of the proceeds benefited the continuing efforts of The Peninsula Hotels’ “Hope for the Philippines” fund.
It was an evening filled with the music of the season by some of the world’s greatest composers like Handel, Verdi and Tchaikovsky, as well as from the Philippines.
Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture”, “Strauss”, “Radetzsky March” and Shostakovich’s “Festive Overture” were on the program. Christmas selections from Handel’s ever-popular oratorio “Messiah” – including the “Hallelujah Chorus” – were performed by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the 50-voice University of Santo Tomas Singers also rendered the premier performance of Zadok the Priest in commemoration of the hotel’s 40th anniversary.
To ensure a landmark fund-raising concert, the hotel assembled a stellar cast and put together a memorable musical repertoire performed by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Ruggego Barbieri, Rachelle Gerodias (soprano), Brigitte Van Hagen (soprano), Byeong-In Park (baritone) and a 50-voice choir composed of the internationally renowned University of Santo Tomas Singers. Freddie Santos was the concert director.