A ruby for the CCP

It’s going to rain rubies at the Cultural Center of the Philippines which marks its 40th year this coming September. As life begins at 40, CCP president Nes Jardin says: “We want the arts not only to focus on excellence and ‘art for art’s sake’ but also to serve as a medium for advocacy to help change the lives of Filipinos.”

September, the CCP’s founding month, will culminate a nine-month series of events and festivals which will begin in February. Here are some highlights. On Feb. 5 to 8, outstanding dance groups will perform folk, ballet, contemporary and street dance.

On Feb. 13, Agripino Diestro will conduct the PPO in works of Filipino National Artists F. de Leon, L. Kasilag, A. Buenaventura and L. San Pedro. Fittingly, the concert is titled “A rendezvous with National Artists”.

On Feb. 17, the best of CCP’s visual arts collection in the last four decades will be exhibited for the first time to the public in all the galleries and hallways. The show will last for a whole month.

Gems of Philippine music will be heard Feb. 27 and 28 in a concert of timeless compositions ranging from kundimans/haranas, sarswelas/musicales, operas and Original Pilipino Music (OPM) to be rendered by eminent artists whom the CCP has nurtured and supported in the last 40 years.

From May to June, there will be the twinbill performance of Pragres and Dong-Ao, two of the works of National Artist F. Sionil Jose on governance and anti-corruption. Produced by Tanghalang Pilipino with the Philippine High School for the Arts, the twinbill will tour government venues and schools.

On June 10/24, July 1 and 8, the spoken word series will feature new works in poetry, short story, essay and the novel — these intersecting with the festivals of music, theater, dance, film and the visual arts. Writers will perform their pieces with drawing, dancing, multi-media.

From June 24 to July 5, playwrights will collaborate with directors, actors and designers in mounting their untried, untested, unpublished dramatic works. Barebones production, staged readings, public dialogues will take place in “Virgin Labfest 5”. Nanding Josef will coordinate the various theatrical activities along with Chris Millado.

From June 24 to July 5, choreographers will collaborate with dancers, designers and multi-media artists in mounting new works. Activities include Omnibus productions, competition, forum, film screenings back to back with the Virgin Labest.

On July 15, new symphonic works will be premiered by the Metro Manila Community Orchestra under conductor Josefino “Chino” Toledo in “Musik Underkunstruktion”.

Jardin sums up the CCP’s achievements thusly: The CCP has helped discover, support, trained and encouraged Filipino artists. / Spurred the creation, through its various programs, of a body of original Filipino works that help us define ourselves as a people and a nation. / Sought to democratize the arts in terms of accessibility through its outreach programs and Arts for the People Program, covering through the past 40 years all the provinces. / Has been the leading artistic institution in utilizing the power of the arts for social transformation. Has been the catalyst for the creation of cutting edge works by young artists.

At the press conference announcing the CCP’s ruby celebration, press members were made to sit at the inner part of the CCP theater’s stage, finding the place rather cramped, dark and eerie. But the arrangement led to a wonderful surprise. The stage curtains went up to reveal Camille Lopez who rendered an aria, her back to the huge auditorium, followed Rosaham Prudenciano, Jr. who performed a modern dance to a percussion beat, and Leo Navarro Valdez who interpreted “Magsimula Ka” while standing in the middle of the theater, then slowly descending to join the audience. Each performer was excellent in his/her fashion.

All details went smoothly and efficiently, doubtless an augury of the 40th anniversary celebration’s resounding success.