Nena’s Paris triumph; New York Philharmonic, P. Entrémont coming

Paris’ Musée de L’ Armee, ending its cultural season of international exhibitions, con-certs, conferences and cinema, featured acclaimed pianist Nena del Rosario Villanueva in a recital which made a tremendous impression on the audience.

Nena disclosed to this reviewer that the Musée de L’ Armée (at the Hotel des Invalides), which contains the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, is the most historic venue she has performed in thus far. Indeed, the entire Musée complex, surrounded by the Esplanade, the Arch of Triumph, etc. is a veritable monument to Napoleon.

With his portrait looking down on Nelia in the hugo salon overflowing with listeners, she interpreted Schumman’s Carnaval, Chopin’s Impromptu, and Liszt’s Transcedental Etude.

Music lovers will recall that Nena is the country’s first prodigy; at the age 10, she learned Mozart’s Concerto in A Major in only two weeks, playing it with the MSO under the baton of Herbert Zipper. At 11, she studied at Curtis, and later performed with the NY Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall, the CBS Symphony, the Japan Philharmonic under Watanabe, the NHK under Ozawa, etc. During post-graduate studies she became Horowitz’s favorite pupil.

At the Musée d L’ Armée likewise, young soprano Margarita Gomez, winner of the Rosa Ponselle international contest in NY, and graduate of Curtis, rendered songs by Canteloube, Massenet, Montselvatage and Verdi, with Nena assisting her on the piano.

Of Margarita, the visiting Metropolitan soprano Joan Grillo told me years back: "When I heard Margarita sing, she called to my mind Renata Tebaldi and Montserrat Caballe."

Ambassador Hector K. Villaroel was beaming with pride as members of the audience congratulated him after listening to the two outstanding Philippine artists, Nena and Margarita.

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The performance of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in October at the CCP Theater has been confirmed by a reliable source. Another exciting piece of news: the celebrated French pianist Philippe Entremont, who once played with our own Cecile Licad in the same venue, is performing Oct. 25 at the Meralco Theater this time as conductor of the Cadaques Orchestra.

Soloists will be our fast-rising tenor Leodigario "Gary" B. del Rosario and Spanish guitarist Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey. Gary will interpret arias from two Handel oratorios: "Sound an Alarm" from Judas Macabeus and "Thou Shalt Break Them" from The Messiah.

For his highly successful operatic debut last May with the Cleveland Operatic Company in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Gary was singled out by critic Donald Rosenberg for his "fresh" approach to the secondary role of Borsa.

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Young pianist Hiyas Hila maintained her scholarship at the SF Conservatory for a bachelor’s degree, winning the undergraduate awards "Best in Eastern Philosophy" and "Best in Harmony". At the New Millennium International Piano Festival in Guijon, Asturias, she played Beethoven’s Sonata in E Flat Major in the master Class of Beethoven specialist Blanca Uribo. Hiyas also had lessons with Boris Stutsky and Julian Martin of Peabody and Juilliard, respectively.

Tenor Nelson Caruncho, a U. of Illinois scholar, received a grant for summer classes sponsored by the Miami School of Music at Salzburg, Austria.