Grand concert at CCP / Carolina Montero, artist

Whoever conceptualized the grand benefit concert at the CCP featuring a dozen pianists, two full-sized orchestras and two conductors came up with a presentation of the widest appeal. It consisted of thoroughly familiar works, mostly arias of operas we have been hearing since childhood, and equally familiar masterpieces: romantic (e.g., Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C. Minor), contemporary (e.g., Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Buencamino’s Mayon Fantasy) and modern (e.g., Cayabyab’s Salidummay and Kay Ganda ng OPM).

The initial piece, Mozart’s Concerto in E Flat Major for Two Pianos and Orchestra was played by pianists with a 30-year age gap between them: international concertist Raul Sunico and 12-year old Ma. Regina Montesclaros. Despite the immense age difference, both displayed a unity of approach to style and substance, their performance combining lyricism, elegance and grace with technical agility. Eugene Castillo conducted the PPO in a manner consistent with the charming pianistic interpretation.

Greg Zuniega and Rudolf Golez rendered Bizet’s Carmen Suite (arranged by R. Simm) with dispatch, elan and sensitivity. Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, a song without words, was interpreted by pianists Mary Anne Espina and Fr. Manuel Maramba, with attractive soprano Jennifer Uy singing beautifully though she seemed rather wanting in power and nuance, while Rachmaninoff’s characteristically thick textures for the piano surfaced.

With virtuosic skill, the legendary Nena R. Villanueva came up with the Andante finale from Conezetti’s opera, Lucia di Lammermoor as arranged by T. Leschetizky for the left hand alone. The superb mastery was vintage Villanueva.

Cellist Renato Lucas likewise demonstrated mastery of his instrument in A. Piazzolla’s Le Grand Tango, his luminous tones resonating with (or against) the rhythmic, vigorous tones of pianists Delia Besa and Annamaria de Guzman. In the dimly-lit stage, Ballet Philippines’ Mark Angel Gabriel, Biag Gaongen, Camille Ordinario Joson and Hanedy Sala appeared like fleeing and flitting shadows in the dark as they performed instead of a modern tango, a dance in the modern idiom.

The technical challenges in Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody were distributed among four pianists and consequently, became much less daunting for Besa, De Guzman, Najib Ismail and Peter Porticos. However, each contributed his/her share to generating the excitement that a single virtuoso pianist would have created.

Their over-all impact at the concert was diminished because the piano lids were closed, as they were, in fact, throughout the program.

Liebestod from Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isoldo again reflected the virtuosity of Villanueva as well as that of Fr. Maramba, with the former playing the melody, and the latter the harmony, his bass chords thunderous.

Buencamino’s Mayon Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra was an overpowering rendition by Espina, Maramba, Sunico and Zuniega, and by the PPO under the formidable direction of Castillo, with the "explosion" of the volcano eloquently delineated.

A delightful avant-garde interlude was provided by composer-pianist Ryan Cayabyab who interpreted his own arrangement of the Igorot melody Salidummay and Kay Ganda ng OPM (Original Pilipino Music) – an ingenious, innovative medley of ’70s hits by several composers. Sparkling and spirited accompaniment was given by the San Miguel Philharmonic under Arnel Feliciano.

The towering climax, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – as played by all 12 pianists (led by Sunico to whom Rhapsody is a signature piece), two orchestras and two conductors – was imaginably more impressive than the original version of Paul Whiteman’s jazz band and Gershwin as piano soloist himself. Again, the finale would have been even more overwhelming had the piano lids been kept open. Nevertheless, the concert, doubtless a resounding success, earned a standing ovation.

* * *

An exhibition of sculptures by Chilean artist Carolina Montero Stegen opened at the Ayala Museum, March 7 and will close March 17.

The exciting young artist commenced her love affair with the human figure at an early age, graduating from High School with an International Baccalaureate in Art from Sir Isaac Newton College in Peru at 16. She attended a series of workshops in painting, drawing and sculpture both in Lima and Santiago, and studied under renowned Chilean painter Eduardo de la Sierra in 1994.

In 1996, she joined the Universidad Catolica de Chile where she obtained a Diploma in Sculpture in 1999, while working with artists Maria Sonia Noguera, Luz Maria Soriano Consuelo Aninat, and Claudio Vidal, obtaining practical experience with the human figure in cast iron and engraving.

It was then her deep commitment to sculpture became evident. She was only 21!

In 2000, she joined the Margarita Checa studio, deepening her knowledge of human figure drawing, and also took courses at the National School of Fine Arts of Peru for the next four years.

In 2005, she joined the Vitrofusion studio workshop of Victor Silva’s Tierra Viva in Lima where she acquired knowledge and experience in glass sculpture.

Carolina has exhibited in Chile and Peru, with shows in 2001 at the San Isidro Cultural Center, Lima Peru and in 2003 at the Municipality of Lince, Lima Peru, and the Visual Arts Museum in Santiago, Chile. Some of her works can also be seen at the Forbes Park residence of Chilean Ambassador Jorge Montero.

Carolina’s love of art extends not only to her own creations but also to the works of classic and contemporary artists which she has restored for the Municipality of Lima using clay, resin and plaster.