That word ‘repertoire’! / ‘Never bore the hell out of any audience’

The word ‘repertoire’ is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the body of pieces known or regularly performed by a performer or company". Thus, repertoire refers to the works a pianist, violinist, cellist, orchestra, etc. has learned through the years, some of which works he/she/it only play on any occasion given sufficient time to rehearse them.

If a performer interprets a ‘repertoire’ – as a printed program of a local concert often reads – the concert could last a week, a month or even a year depending on how gifted or talented he/she is! A musical artist simply performs a number of works for a concert, thus his/her program, not repertoire, names the compositions to be rendered.

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A young playwright gave a special invitation to a highly regarded critic to watch his new play. The critic came to the play but slept through the second and third acts.

The young playwright was indignant and said, "How could you sleep when you know how much I wanted your opinion?"

"Young man," said the critic, "sleep is an opinion."

I wager that no local critic will ever dare write that he fell asleep during a performance – even if he actually did! Filipinos are acutely sensitive by nature, especially artists. In this country, it is very difficult to write reviews for this reason, and also because reviewers and their subjects fraternize at social gatherings, luncheon press conferences and the like.

Critics abroad hardly know the performers personally. If they choose, critics can be brutally abrasive. I once read of an actress in New York who was cruelly panned by a critic. When she saw this critic at a restaurant she poured a glass of wine on his head as she left the place.

Foreign critics write exclusively on music, or on theater or on dance. Here, there is no dichotomy, no dividing line. A reviewer can or does write on the three disciplines. Decades ago, I did begin as a performing arts reviewer, and this piece being a year-end confession, I shall put down my credentials herewith. I studied piano under graduates of Sr. Baptista Battig, the German Benedictine nun who introduced formal education in Western music in this country. Every note of Western music goes back to her. Further, one of my teachers, Marcela Agoncillo, asked a graduate of hers to teach me composition, music history and appreciation. As for dance, I studied ballet under Lilia Lopez, Luva Adameit and Leonor – later National Artist for Dance – who actually started to prepare me for a solo dance recital. I studied theater (Shakespeare, et al) at the UP, and was momentarily involved in actual performance. I took up modern or contemporary theater in Harvard U.

When I started writing on the performing arts – music, theater and dance – professional performances in each were few and far between. These days, there are many more of them; accordingly, I have decided to concentrate on music though occasionally, I still write on dance and theater performances.

In any case, credibility and integrity are the reviewer’s guiding lights. He must maintain these at all costs. However, because of the aforementioned general sensitivity of artists, the reviewer praises as much as is warranted, but tries to be as gentle and diplomatic whenever he makes negative observations while maintaining his credibility.

Nevertheless, there are times when he inevitably incurs the ire of an artist or group. Let me give instances.

Musical artists often invite the formidable, internationally acclaimed concert pianist Raul Sunico to perform with them because Sunico adds prestige to their concerts and elevates the quality of their performances. This is God’s truth yet artists who invite Sunico to play with them are offended by my observation.

For another instance, a musical production staged this year projected little dramatic appeal. Emotions were internalized; consequently, there were long static scenes onstage. This I commented on in my review, thus offending most of those involved in the production, particularly its organizer(s), despite the fact that I had considerably helped to publicize the show before it went onstage.

Human nature being what it is, past help or praise, no matter how much of it has been given, is totally obliterated by a single negative observation.

Yet I had to write my honest opinion – an opinion many knowledgeable people in the audience shared – or lose my credibility. In this regard, Noel Coward remarked: "Make an audience cry, make it laugh, make it angry, make it sad, make it glad, but never never bore the living hell out of it."

Although it is impossible for a reviewer to please everyone, there are rewards to writing critiques. Let me cite a few. Countless outstanding artists write to thank me for my "encouragement and support." When Zeneida "Bibot" Amador and Carmen Barredo co-founded Repertory Philippines, my sister Leonor and I started reviewing its productions. Shortly thereafter, Bibot told us "You sisters seem to be the only ones who understand theater." That was years ago. Many reviewers now show a tight grip on theater. More recently, Mrs. Rosario Licad, Cecile’s mother, called me by phone to say, as she singled out a particular concert, "Of all the reviews written on Cecile’s concert, I liked yours the best," adding, "and not because you praised Cecile."

But perhaps the highest compliment I received came from Elsa Buddenbruck, wife of German Ambassador Baron Buddenbruck who served here in the ’70s. As I was leaving the Cultural Center after a concert, Mrs. Buddenbruck, who regularly read my reviews, said: "You surprise me. Whatever performing art you write on, you appear to know your subject."

Yes, reviewing does have its compensation and this piece being a candid year-end confession, I trust I shall be forgiven for putting modesty aside, and citing some of the compliments.