The formidable Baldoria in a formidable program / Dolor exhibit, D'Or recital

Charisse Baldoria, who has a doctorate degree in piano, combined the standard, and conventional — two Sonatas by Scarlatti, Debussy’s Pagodes, Albeniz’s Iberia (five selections) and Buencamino’s Harana — with hitherto relatively unknown compositions: Danzas Cubanas by Ignacio Cervantes and Asian music: Ramon Santos’ K’lintang (gong) and Gareth Farr’s Tentang Cara Gamelan based on music played on the Javanese gamelan. Incidentally, Debussy’s Pagodes has oriental overtones.

Traffic was so congested that late-comers (myself included) heard the opening Scarlatti sonatas outside the CCP Little Theater, entrance having been allowed only after the pieces were over.

Baldoria evinced an affinity for exotic Asian music which she rendered with obvious gusto.

Tremendous energy and verve characterized Cervantes’ Danzas Cubanas, the petite, frail-looking Baldoria exhibiting surprising, indeed electrifying power.

Some of the other pieces were similarly daunting, requiring not only considerable skill but also virtuosity which surfaced repeatedly in Baldoria’s performance.

Iberia’s five selections were the intensely lyrical El Corpus en Sevilla, a procession with all its pomp and ceremony amidst the tolling of church bells and a ringing song; Almeria with the rhythm of a jota; El Abaicin, an alternately melancholy and gay Gypsy song; Malaga which is a disguised accompaniment to Malagueña, a dance of Malaga.

Except for its Evocacion, Iberia is one of the most technically daunting in piano literature, and Baldoria masterfully interpreted what portrayed the soul of Spain, conveying rhythmic precision, arresting accents, prodigious chordal passages and swift runs that called for strong, nimble fingers to dramatized the descriptive piece.

With Baldoria’s predilection for Latin-influenced works, she played Francisco Buencamino’s Harana whose inspiration is the Cuban dance Habanera. The melody, however, is distinctly Filipino. One of the two encore pieces, Buencamino’s Mayon, began with a quiet village fiesta interrupted by the eruption of Mayon Volcano, its tumultuous fury so palpably captured by Baldoria. The piece ended with the village resuming its tranquil rustic life.

Baldoria’s recital indubitably asserted her place among our fast increasing highly distinguished pianists. Having lived for so many years abroad without interruption garnering many awards in prestigious international festivals and competitions, she is not as well-known in her own country as she deserves to be. Otherwise, she would have drawn a bigger audience. However, the hearty, thunderous applause made up for the many empty seats.

Her other encore, a Chopin piece which has been converted into the popular hit “No other Love” pointed up Chopin as the incomparable composer for the piano. The striking and startling rendition further proved the pianist’s all around versatility.

The formidable Baldoria in a formidable program was presented in the CCP Special Concert Series which features “outstanding young Filipino artists in solo concerts, local and international prizewinners in vocal and instrumental music, and artists with performing careers abroad.” Doubtless Baldoria qualifies in each category.

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The Cinemalaya Foundation and the Cultural Center of the Philippines will present on July 20 at 2:30 p.m. — “Alitaptap (Kikilapkilap),” a photo exhibit of movie ads from “The First Golden Years of Philippine Cinema 1936-1941” from the collection of Danny Dolor.

Dolor, banker and avid art patron, has been sharing all these years his photo collection of Philippine film actors and actresses with the Entertainment Section edited by Ricky Lo. The exhibit at the CCP theater lobby will be a wonderful way of acquainting Filipinos with old movies, particularly those who do not patronize local films.

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The Embassy of Israel headed by Ambassador Menashe Bar-On will present tenor David D’Or in a benefit song recital on July 24, 7 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Theater In Resorts World.