FEU presents Hades Ladies/Mexico marks centennial/Espina in Schumann concert

The FEU’s determined aim to broaden the cultural background of its studentry has led the President’s Committee on Culture to present, for the last 20 years, art exhibits, music, theater and dance performances.

These go back to the ’50s and ’60s when the FEU auditorium, concededly Manila’s cultural center then, served as venue for major productions. In 1957, Leonor Orosa Goquingco, later named National Artist in Dance, staged a full-length program which garnered glowing praise from Carmen Guerrero Nakpil and Seattle Museum Art Curator Allen C. Wilcox. FEU also featured celebrated foreign artists, e.g., Met’s Helen Traubel and Ballet Russe ballerina Alexandra Danilova.

Last Monday, the FEU, headed by president-chairman Lourdes R. Montinola, through its cultural committee, staged “Hades Ladies”, a decomposed opera in two acts. Before the curtains opened, PCOC executive director Martin Lopez charmed the audience with his introduction, his devil’s horns (in orange!) drawing hearty laughter.

Top sopranos sang arias from some best-loved, most familiar operas: Bizet’s Carmen, Verdi’s Traviata, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Tosca, and the lesser-known Turandot by Puccini, Romeo and Juliet by Gounod and Hamlet by Thomas.

Librettist Fides Cuyugan Asensio gathered operatic heroines who die or commit suicide; e.g., Madama Butterfly and Liu plunge daggers into their bosoms; Tosca leaps to her death; Lakme eats a poisoned flower; Ophelia jumps into a watery grave.

The clever, imaginative libretto ends with all the tragic heroines in Hades. In a surprise episode, however, they all sing “I Want to be in America” (from Miss Saigon) the arias being innovatively combined with Broadway songs.

The sopranos arrested attention, each in her own fashion: Ma. Cristina Joaquin in Habanera/Seguidilla from Carmen, Jeanelle Roldan was impressive in Vissi d’Arte from Tosca except for a rather metallic ending — Emelyn Olfindo Santos, as Ophela, sang La, La, La acapella. Meliza Reyes belonged to a different category altogether, wrenching in “I Give My Life for You” from Miss Saigon.

With her firm, rounded, ringing voice, Jennifer Uy sang Un Bel Di and Tu Tu Piccolo from Madama Butterfly most convincingly.

Lena McKenzie was a vivacious, enchanting Juliet in Je Veux Vivre aria.

Rachelle Gerodias as Liu in Turandot, Camille Lopez Molina as Sor Angelica and Joy Abalon-Tamayo as Lakme seemed a few notches above the rest. Gerodias displayed all the qualities that validly make her our most sought-after soprano today: extraordinarily versatile technique, a glorious voice, sensitive, refined emotional reserves and artistry. Lopez-Molina doubtless demonstrated tremendous, unmatched power, her voice solid and secure, her vocal skill admirable.

Joy Abalon Tamayo’s role as Leo Delibes’ Lakme, has been portrayed by such divas as Meliza Korjus and Lily Pons at NY’s Met. The “Bell Song”, the glory of coloratura arias, has challenging virtuoso passages: staccato flourishes soaring up or plunging down in swift succession. Tamayo hurdled all these daunting intricacies with startling agility and poise.

Jon Joven rendered the pop songs “Portrait of My Love” and “Beautiful Girl”, and the tenor aria Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s Turandot. His voice, unwaveringly firm and expressive, was rather lacking in volume. Marion Gayramon sang vigorously and vibrantly while conveying the Toreador’s arrogant airs in Carmen.

The UST Symphony Orchestra, under the authoritative Herminigildo Ranera, accompanied the singers. Director Michael William expertly kept audience interest alive. The program ended with a rousing “Drinking Song” from Traviata by the cast.

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The Mexican Embassy under Ambassador Tomas Clavillo Unna marks the Mexican Revolution Centennial at the Podium with an exhibit Nov. 18-21; performances of the Ballet Folkloric Group, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m., Nov. 21 at 3 pm; a commemorative workshop conducted by eminent artist Manuel Baldemor.

The first concert series at the GSIS Museum ends when the Philippine HS for the Arts and the Ibarang Alumni Association present pianist Mary Ann Espina in the country’s first All-Schumann concert “Carnival Scenes” on Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. to mark the composer’s 200th birth anniversary. The German Embassy co-sponsors the event coordinated by Jonathan Coo and Minerva Tanseco.