Archive - Arts & Culture

By PABLO A. TARIMAN
THE most visible Filipino soprano these days is Rachelle Gerodias and so far, she is one of the few local singers with international exposure.

Text and photos by ELIZABETH LOLARGA
FOG, chill, almost non-stop rain--it's that time of the year in Baguio City when hotels and inns offer off-season prices. For some it's a good time for an R & R without the lowland crowd of holiday seekers jostling you at the usual tourist spots. For the foodie undaunted by dour weather forecasts, any time is reason for a trip north.

By PABLO A. TARIMAN
CONDUCTOR Gerard Salonga was in his usual high spirits when he announced the formation of the ABS CBN Philharmonic Orchestra.

By ELLEN TORDESILLAS
Video by MARIO IGNACIO and MARIO ESPINOSA
YOU will know it’s Zumba time at Fitness First Southmall every morning of Monday and Tuesday because women are in their stylish gym attires as if they are going to a party. And, it’s not just any party. Usually it is a themed party.

Text and photos by ELIZABETH LOLARGA
WHEN one reaches the seventh decade, there is much to look back on but visual artist Junyee would rather look forward and beyond. Born Luis E. Yee Jr. and raised in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte, he found himself at Grade One with several "Junior" namesakes so to make him stand out from the others, a classmate contracted his nickname to Junyee, and it stuck.

BY PABLO A. TARIMAN
VICE-PRESIDENT Jejomar Binay called for more opera diplomacy to improve and sustain friendly ties between the Philippines and Italy.

By MYLAH R. ROQUE
EVEN as the country reels from the killing of Dutch aid worker Wilhelmus JJ Lutz Geertman, a gSwiss couple who has lived and worked among Manila’s urban slum dwellers for over 10 years returns to share their story.

  Text and photos by ELIZABETH LOLARGA “GIFTED” is an understatement in describing the scope of Joy T. Dayrit’s works. She was a writer of short stories and poetry, a painter, a children’s art teacher and friend to many writers and artists. She was an admirable woman for whom a disability was no cause for

By PABLO A. TARIMAN
A full-length Barber of Seville by Rossini opens at the CCP Friday night until Saturday with opera lovers focused on the Count Almaviva of Arthur Espiritu who is the first Filipino tenor to sing at La Scala di Milan.

By YOLANDA L. PUNSALAN
THERE is nothing excessive about Guimaras, except of course the world renowned sweetness of its mangoes. Being one of the Philippines’ smallest island provinces, many things about Guimaras seem to be reduced to bonsai proportions. It has earned the reputation in the Guinness World Record of having the world’s smallest plaza---an area with an elevation of five small steps, a mini monument of Jose Rizal in his boyhood, and a mini stage.

By EIMOR SANTOS
WHILE other consumers haggle for the cheapest veggies in the nearest market, soon-to-be parents Keren and James Chu go the extra mile to bring healthy organic vegetables to their table.

By PABLO A. TARIMAN
THE Ilocos roots of Joyce Vasquez-Kasparian in her native Paoay town played a big part in her present role as wife to American pianist Raffi Kasparian and mother to another budding pianist, Roman Kasparian, 13, who are performing in Laoag City on July 14.

By PABLO A. TARIMAN
THE moribund opera climate in the country brightened up anew with the recent staging of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the CCP with a fairly good international cast.

By ELIZABETH LOLARGA
CALLED “the heroic generation,” these are baby boomers who forsook their parents’ post-war dreams for them to finish a college education, find a stable job and settle down but instead took tremendous risks in defying the state’s force to fight for seemingly abstract rights that today’s youth take for granted, freedom of expression and being able to vote for the President of one’s choice, among others.

Text by ARTHA KIRA PAREDES
Photos and Video by VINCENT GO
RODALLIE Mosende was a homeless girl who appeared destined to be one of many poor people prowling the streets of Quiapo. That is, until documentary photographer Rick Rocamora chanced upon her and took her picture.

By NORMAN SISON
MOJITO and Piña Colada, move over. Here comes the Manila Sunshine. In mid-May, one of the top hotels in Manila unveiled an alcoholic bright yellow cocktail, precisely designed to be the Philippine capital’s signature drink. That brought plenty of cheer to Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, who concocted the idea. However, there is more to just making it in the universe of mixology.

Text and photos by ELIZABETH LOLARGA
BACK in the years when dynamic cultural administrators produced free outdoor performances, from poetry readings to full orchestra concerts,Paco Park was a destination for the culturati and the hoi polloi.

By PATRICK KING PASCUAL
Coming to terms with one’s self is not easy for homosexuals in a society where gender is limited to either male or female. Raymond Alikpala, 46, a lawyer and formerly a seminarian, knows very well the anguish of living in the shadows having done so in the first 38 years of his life.

It’s June 12, Independence Day, and for some Filipinos, it meant a trip to the birthplace of the Philippine Republic in Kawit, Cavite, a lesson in geography, and even photo opportunities with the country’s first president, Emilio Aguinaldo.

By ELLEN TORDESILLAS
Photos and video by MARIO IGNACIO
PEOPLE go to the gym for a variety of reasons. One overweight male journalist thought it was the best place to ogle at shapely beauties. He later realized, as he was sweating and panting, that there are less strenuous ways to indulge in girl-watching.

By ELIZABETH LOLARGA
THE weather bureau released in alphabetical order the names of typhoons that may hit the country this year, a sign that the dry season is officially over. That shouldn’t discourage those with adventurous palates to squeeze the most out of weekends and holidays and eat their way to a satisfactory burp in the provinces or towns nearest home base.

By ELLEN TORDESILLAS
THE real beauty of Ballet Manila’s latest project bringing together eleven international ballet stars in a once-in-a-lifetime production is that it will benefit talented Filipino students in public schools who dream of becoming ballet dancers.

By YOLANDA L. PUNSALAN
THIS is one most meaningful fashion statement from Sen. Loren Legarda. The National Museum recently inaugurated two of its permanent textile galleries enhanced by loans from the collection of Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities.

By YOLANDA L. PUNSALAN
Susan V. Entong was 11 years old when her drunken father threw a kerosene lamp at her, burning her face and body. For three years, she suffered from festering wounds because hospitals in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental where she lived refused to give her complete medical treatment. She was given a new lease of life when the International Care Ministries (ICM) took her in their custody.

By ELIZABETH LOLARGA
AFTER decades of doing editorial illustrations and cartoons. Dario Noche is setting his sights higher as a visual artist. In his show at the Conspiracy Bar on Visayas Ave., Quezon City, he reminds viewers of the body of works he has come up with in his long years in journalism. He has roughly 40 black and white illustrations and 15 in color in the exhibit, including original artwork from his Asiaweek stint.

Text and photos by SHIELA MAY ABALLA
THE first rain in the month of May is believed to be a blessing. That is why people of Gapan City considered the heavy downpour last May 1 as an additional blessing for their successful Tsinelas (Slipper) Festival celebrated that same day.

By EIMOR SANTOS
MANG Ruben’s humble home resembles the Bahay Kubo in the popular folksong by Felipe de Leon. It is surrounded by eggplants, tomatoes, string beans and other small fruits and vegetables. Every morning he wakes up to tend beds and pots of these veggies and some herbs like tarragon and oregano.

BY HOMER TEODORO
SUMMER vacation in the Philippines is something young boys look forward to --- some of them with excitement, while others with fear and anxiety.

By XIANNE S. ARCANGEL
THE disposable bedroom slippers of a five-star hotel in Manila may be going straight to the black garbage bag after being worn by guests, but they are not headed for the dumpsite just yet.

Text by XIANNE S. ARCANGEL, Photos by MARIO IGNACIO IV
RESTORING the Pasig River back to life might be a daunting task, but the Sagip Ilog Pilipinas Movement (SIPM) believes young and old boy scouts and fraternity members are up for the challenge.