Italian affair at The Podium

MANILA, Philippines - It’s amore at The Podium as mallgoers will be swept into an Italian Carnevale this month. The mall’s Atrium will be transformed into a set-up inspired by the famous Piazza di San Marco in Venice as well-loved Italian music fills the air.

Tenor Lemuel de la Cruz, a resident performer of the Singapore Lyric Opera as a member of the Arioso Trio will showcase Italian and Neapolitan love songs and arias from famous Italian operas tomorrow, Feb. 13, 5 p.m.. These include romantic classics like O Sole Mio, Torna Sorrento, and La Donna e Mobile.

A street theater of performing arts will dazzle shoppers as they bring their unique presentation to the mall’s atrium on Valentine’s Day at 6 p.m. Be spellbound as a magician performs his illusion acts, and get into a carnevale mood as a ventriloquist makes his puppets talk, an Italian poet speaks words of love, and a gondolieri makes you visualize a romantic gondola ride in Venice. Mime artists, violinists, and dancers will make this carnevale event more festive.

Jonathan Badon (left) and soprano Lena McKenzie will serenade shoppers on Feb. 15 with Italian love songs and duets. These include Libiamo from La Traviata, Mattinata, Gira con Me, and the wonderful Con Te Partiro or Time to Say Goodbye.

There’s still a lot of love in the mall on Feb. 20 as soprano Joscephine Gomez (right), pianist Carlos Perion, and tenor Nonong Badon perform classical songs of love in Canzoni de Amore at 6 p.m.

The Valentine special is a joint project of The Podium and Music Artes, Inc.