Yap’s autumn musical/ Sta. Maria’s new genre

For gourmets, the sumptuous menu was the high point of the Chaines des Rotisseurs Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival; for art lovers, however, it was the fascinating program conceptualized by prominent businessman, music patron and chargé de mission Eduardo H. Yap. He proved not only his conversance with the performing arts but also his flair for public speaking in his welcome address at the Mandarin.

Glimpses of the East came first with the colorful, dynamic Lion dance, the exotic Guzheng (Chinese harp) rendition by Chen Chai Hong, and the Salinlahi Dance Troupe’s dazzling manipulation of scarves and fans.

The tall, svelte, beautiful and impressively talented soprano Elaine Lee sang “The Moon Is My Heart” and “The Moon Reminds of Home”. Came the Western portion, with her fluid, fervid interpretation Signore Ascolta from Puccini’s Turandot, her voice full, resonant and firm.

Leading soprano Rachelle Gerodias, who was present, must have felt particularly proud of tenor George Yang. Having taken voice lessons under her but recently, Yang is now singing with the likes of formidable tenor Otoniel Gonzaga in concerts. That night, Yang wittily commented that if the Germans in the audience were puzzled about a Chinese singing in German — Dein ist mein Ganzes Herz (Yours Is My Heart Alone) and Von Apfelbluten Einen Kranz  (From Apple Blossoms a Crown) by Lehar — all they had to do was imagine a German singing in Chinese!

Yang was fully confident and assured, his top notes solid and unwavering, his expression moving. Austrian GM Helmut Gaisberger, impressed with the clearly enunciated words, gave Yang a standing ovation!

Yap’s tribute to the great Pavarotti consisted of Panis Angelicus sung by tenor Sherwin Sozon and Lee, “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” and the aria E lucevan le stelle  (The Stars Were Shining) from Tosca sung by Sozon. Hearing the young, personable tenor for the first time, I regarded him a revelation. His voice — fresh, forceful and rich — soared with grace, sweep and verve while sustaining the top register long and firmly.

Lee’s spontaneous remark that it seemed a Puccini night was proved further by Musetta’s aria Quando me’n vo soletta per la via (How they stare as I walk down the street) from La Boheme and O Mio Babbino Caro (Oh, My Beloved Daddy) from Gianni Schicchi. Earlier Lee’s voice tended to be rather metallic but after warming up, it grew pleasantly rounded.

The evening of Puccini had Pavarotti on the giant screen topping it with Nessum Dorma from Turandot. His magnificent, thunderous, “heavenly” rendition alone would have made the entire evening worthwhile. (Rosemarie Arenas was specially cited for having enabled Filipinos to hear Pavarotti live.) UK Ambassador Peter and Jill Beckingham graced our table along with STAR executive v-p Grace Glory Go and CCP president Nes Jardin.

I deeply regret having missed the concert of outstanding pianist Ingrid Santamaria at the dinner hosted by Ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco last Sept. 20. That night, a new musical genre emerged: Ingrid as soloist performed with a string quartet selected from Cebu’s Peace Philharmonic Orchestra members: Brian Cimafranca, Violin 1; Sara Gonzalez, Violin 2; Jeffrey Solares, Viola, and Jef-Gerry Gonzalez, Cello.

The new genre evolved when Ingrid commissioned PPP’s Prof. Solares to transcribe the orchestral accompaniment — a second piano reduction of several concertos into the unique form.

Ingrid and the Quartet will perform Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 in C Minor and Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor, and the Quartet will play Abelardo’s Cavatina and a Cebuano Medley on Oct. 21, 4 p.m. at Tagaytay Highlands and Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m. at the Molina Hall, Makati.

“Cesare and the Electric Underground Collective” with poetry and music by special friends will be heard live at the Ateneo Art Gallery, Sept. 27, 4:30 p.m. Host: Trix Syjuco; curator: Jean Marie Syjuco. Free admission!