Pop stars’ tribute to National Artists

The names of the newest additions to the list of National Artists have been announced and it is time once again for the people to pay tribute to these exemplary Filipinos. Hence, the Cultural Center of the Philippines has once more organized a concert that features the works of National Artists for Music and Theater with the country’s most popular stars as performers.

Titled Lagi Kitang Mamahalin, A Musical Tribute to National Artists, the gala musical celebration will also inaugurate the new batch of National Artists which includes Eddie Romero for Film, Virgilio Almario for Literature, Salvador Bernal for Theater and Design, Jose Joya for Visual Arts and Alejandro Roces also for Literature. The show will be held at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, the main theater of the CCP on the evening of Friday, July 11 and Saturday, 12.

It will be an evening that all of us can be truly proud of. Those who have doubts as about the capabilities of Filipino artists should treat themselves to this concert to marvel at what the likes of Lucio San Pedro, Ernani Cuenco, Levi Celerio, Atang de la Rama, Jovita Fuentes, Salvador Bernal and others have to offer. It will also be an opportunity for music lovers to check out their favorite pop stars as they perform classic Filipino compositions on the stage of the CCP. Take note too that all of the participants are doing the show to help the fund-raising efforts of the Cultural Center.

I do not know if this will be his first appearance at the CCP but the coffee house circuit favorite Paolo Santos will join Megastar Sharon Cuneta as she sings one of her biggest hits Kahit Konting Pagtingin. The lyrics to the popular theme from one of Sharon’s box-office blockbusters was written by Levi Celerio. New pop star Sarah Geronimo of To Love You More fame will show her versatility by performing the Awit ng Pabo at Loro from the zarzuela Dalagang Bukid. She will be joined by fellow Star for a Night finalist Mark Bautista. Young pop diva Roselle Nava will also do the zarzuela route with Anong Sarap from Paglipas ng Dilim.

Songbird Regine Velasquez will once more perform Lagi Kitang Naaalala, another Levi Celerio song that has become the Tribute’s theme. Singer-actress Jolina Magdangal will make like Nida Blanca and Sylvia la Torre with her own version of Waraywaray. Verni Varga will sing Nicanor Abelardo’s Bituing Marikit, one of the most beautiful Filipino songs ever written and which I just learned comes from the zarzuela Dakilang Punglo. Also making like zarzuela star and National Artist Atang de la Rama are Cris Villonco with Karayom from Walang Sugat and Ayen Munji with Nabasag ang Banga from Dalagang Bukid. Gary Valenciano is set to do the moving Ugoy ng Duyan, which was composed by two National Artists, Lucio San Pedro and Celerio.

Other artists participating in the event are visiting Broadway star Jose Llana who will do Bayan Ko, and who will solo in San Pedro’s Alamat ng Lahi with the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the UP College of Music Choir, flutist Jong Cuenco, son of National Artist Ernani Cuenco with his father’s composition Nahan, Eugene Villaluz with Kahit Na Magtiis, Wency Cornejo with Araw-Araw sa Maynila, Bituin Escalante and Sheila Francisco in a medley of Galawgaw and Alembong, with DJ Malek Lopez and DJ Noel de Brackinghe.

The new a cappella group Streamline will perform Bato Sa Buhangin, Calvin Millado and Karla Gutierrez in a duet of Estrella, Jason Velasquez and Tex Ordoñez with Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa, Cris Villonco and Dexter in Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Anna Fegi and Franco Laurel in Sapagkat Kami ay Tao Lamang and an energetic medley of Ang Pipit, Pitong Gatang, Kung Ako’y Mag-aasawa and Kalesa by JM Rodriguez, Carlo Orosa, Tonipet Gaba, Noel Rayos and Arnold Reyes.

Most of the numbers will be performed with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra with Chino Toledo as musical director and arranger. Other participating companies are the Tanghalang Pilipino, the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company and Ballet Philippines. The sets will be designed by new National Artist Salvador Bernal. Director is Cris Millado. Lagi Kitang Naaalala will be later shown as a musical special on GMA 7 with Louie Ignacio as director.

For the first time in the 21-year history of the selection of Filipino National Artists, the musical tribute will also be released by Viva Records on CD, VCD and DVD formats.