After 79 years, another Pinoy sings at La Scala

MANILA, Philippines - The first Filipino to make it to the La Scala Opera House in Milan, Italy, was bass-baritone Jose Mossesgeld Santiago Font who, in 1928, portrayed the role of Sparafucile in Verdi’s Rigoletto. Almost 80 years later, tenor Arthur Espiritu of Morong, Rizal, succeeds Santiago as the second Filipino in La Scala, appearing in 2007 as Fernando in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutti.

In Friday’s press conference at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the modest, unassuming Espiritu surprisingly belittled his La Scala engagement, saying, “It doesn’t take much to get into La Scala. You send your resumé, your CD and if they like your voice, you’re in.”

Yet when Espiritu, loaded with international awards, sang for the press, his brilliant performance - voice rising and ringing resonantly - was undeniable proof that only the finest vocal artists make it to the sacrosanct halls of La Scala - the counterpart of New York’s prestigious Metropolitan Opera House.

When La Scala invited Espiritu to audition, he had already portrayed the same role for the Pittsburgh Opera but he had to buy the score in Vienna all over again because the iconic judges - divas Mirella Freni, Teresa Berganza and Luigi Avila - keenly wanted to hear him sing some of the arias and recitatives. Again this belied Espiritu’s assertion that it takes very little to get into La Scala.

Indeed, the cast’s preparation for Cosi Fan Tutti took two months of daily rehearsals for hours on end.

How did the Filipino tenor feel at his operatic debut? “It was scary. All those huge chandeliers! I kept asking myself: ‘What am I doing here?’” Milan’s demanding opera freaks are known to throw things onstage. But everything went smoothly. The cast was very supportive and Espiritu gained friends and admirers.

Before his La Scala engagement in 2007, Espiritu was already keeping a full opera schedule since receiving an Artist Diploma from Oberlin Conservator of Music in 2004. He sang as Ormindo in Cavalli’s L’Ormindo, was Tybalt in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, Beppo (a clown) in Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, and Maintop in Pittsburg Opera’s highly acclaimed presentation of Britten’s Billy Budd. In the same season, he rendered the tenor’s role in Mozart’s “Coronation Mass,” performed in Vienna’s Belvedere’s Winners Concert, and the Marlboro Music Festival.

Is the lack of height an impediment for Orientals? It may be logical for a Filipina (like the four feet, nine inches diva Jovita Fuentes) to portray the Japanese Madama Butterfly. But it would be awkward for a petite Filipino soprano to sing with a towering Caucasian tenor or for a towering European or American vocal artist to be looking down on a tiny Oriental lover onstage.

Espiritu did suggest that lack of height can be an impediment. He was once refused a role not for lack of vocal talent; the role went to a six-foot tenor instead!

From whom did Espiritu inherit his gifts? His answer: “I really don’t know. Probably from an uncle.” Espiritu comes from humble beginnings. His father sold fire extinguishers; his mother served the Philippine Constabulary as secretary.

Espiritu, a lyric tenor like the late Luciano Pavarotti, genuinely admires the lyrico/spinto tenor Otoniel Gonzaga who has sung in 30 major opera houses in Germany and has made a name for himself in the US. Espiritu says, “I admire Otoniel because firstly, he is a Filipino; secondly, because he is a very fine singer. I hope to become like him someday.” (This wish was aired although the modest Espiritu has already gained a coveted place in the international scene.)

Having appeared in several roles in France in 2008 and in the US, Espiritu looks forward to portraying Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute with the Israel Opera Tel Aviv, Elvino in Bellini’s La Sonambula, and Oronte in Handel’s Alcina with Stadt Theater in Switzerland, among many others, for the season 2011 and 2012, as well as the tenor in Donizetti’s Requiem Mass.

Espiritu makes his not-to-be-missed Manila debut on Aug. 14 (8 p.m.) at the Philamlife Theater, with leading, much sought-after soprano Rachelle Gerodias. Each will interpret operatic arias and Filipino songs; they will also render duets with equally in-demand pianist Najib Ismail as assisting artist.

Entitled “Viva Bel Canto (Long Live Beautiful Song),” the classic concert will be the very first to be sponsored by the Klassikal Music Foundation chaired by George Yang, incidentally, a lyric tenor like Espiritu.