Archive - Arts & Culture

WHERE once there were only cries of anguish and despair, the voices heard from “Balay ni Datu Lubay” these days are expressions of fun and admiration. Balay ni Datu Lubay (House of Datu Lubay) in San Jose, Antique houses Alex de los Santos’ collection of more than 1,000 dolls and figurines, some of them made by potters in the province.

APART from its three leading symphony orchestras and three ballet companies, Manila is potpourri of stage talents with its vibrant theater companies offering assorted theater fare year in and year out. Interestingly, some of the country’s finest artists have passed on their acting genes to their children.

ACTOR-COMEDIAN Dolphy made history by winning two awards from two different film entries in the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival. He won Best Actor for “Jejemon” and Best Supporting Actor for “Rosario,” which only got the second best picture citation although winning the Antonio Villegas Cultural Award.

SO exciting is this rediscovered dance form pangalay, which translates to "a gift offering," that it is being performed to songs interpreted by Josh Groban, Jacqui Magno, the inimitable Sylvia la Torre, among others.

BLOGGER Danilo Garcia Jacob had lived the most part of his growing up years without a mother who had to leave them when he was young to work abroad as caregiver. The cycle is being repeated today: He works in Kuwait, his younger sister in Dubai and his elder brother in Saudi Arabia.

ALL that gloom and rain for days at Fontana Leisure Park in Clark, Pampanga did not dampen the enthusiasm of child representatives from 10 countries who participated at the recent first Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Children’s Forum.

“IF you have a dream, go after it...wrestle with destiny to make it happen.” This advice came from Ella del Rosario who, at the height of her singing career as Manila sound diva of the 1980s, left the country 22 years ago to reinvent herself and pursue the American dream.

MUSIC lovers will have a bonus treat at the concert of Swiss-based tenor Arthur Espiritu with soprano Rachelle Gerodias and the Manila Symphony Orchestra at the Philamlife theater on Dec. 14. They will have U.S.-based baritone Andrew Fernando as special guest.

IF you open your Facebook account and start seeing thumbnail photos of Dragon Ball, Garfield, cartoon characters from Disney or anime as your friends' profile pictures instead of their actual portraits, do not fret. It’s the latest Internet meme that has swept the popular social networking site.

INSPIRED by the success of his first homecoming concert last August, Switzerland-based Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu will be home before Christmas for a special engagement at the Philamlife Theater with soprano Rachelle Gerodias and the Manila Symphony Orchestra on Dec. 14.

THERE are new figures in pianist Ingrid Santamaria’s Christmas Village in her Binan. Laguna vacation house. They are no less than United States President Barack Obama with wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha.

THE Philippines can take pride in having three active ballet companies that keep the dance scene alive in Metro Manila throughout the year.

COMEDIENNE-SOPRANO Sylvia La Torre and distinguished baritone Andrew Fernando will share the stage with pop idol Sarah Geronimo in a rare musical event that will combine three generations of Filipino artists on Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

WITH upbeat tunes like "Feels So Good" and "What a Wonderful World" played at the launch of Margarita Go-Singco Holmes' Down to 1: Depression Stories, a guest wondered aloud if the condition discussed in the book is being trivialized.

THE country’s three leading orchestras, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and the FILharmonika--resume their concert seasons this month with assorted musical menu for music lovers of all ages

THE coming concert of violinist Joseph Esmilla with the Manila Symphony Orchestra in Cebu City on Nov. 12 is as good a time as any to reflect on the golden age of violin music in the country.

FOR Julie Lluch, one of the Philippines’ top sculptors, home truly works as proven by her and her three daughters in their first family exhibition at Alliance Francaise in Makati City.

A partially covered burnay (earthen jar) placed in a corner of the veranda catches the eye while the smell of a decaying chick inside a red plastic hang at the doorway greets visitors at the wake of Concepcion Bag-ayan-Balansi in Barangay Damayco in Peñarrubia, Abra.