Arthur, Andrew, Rachelle in glorious bel canto concert/Ingrid lives her music

Scenes from La Traviata, Romeo and Juliet, Rigoletto, Barber of Seville, The Pearl Fishers and L’Elisir D’Amore came vividly to life when three top internationally-awarded singers — tenor Arthur Espiritu, baritone Andrew Fernando, soprano Rachelle Gerodias — interpreted arias from these operas at the Philamlife Auditorium.

Espiritu instantly magnetized the audience, its interest deepening, as he portrayed the young, passionate, love-struck Romeo in the Aria Ah leve-toi Soleil (Rise, o Sun!) from Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet”. This was followed by Juliet’s own aria Ah, je veux vivre (The tender dream of youth) which Gerodias sang with ardor as Juliet being introduced in the ballroom to adult society.

La donna e mobile (Woman is fickle) was Espiritu’s plaint as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s “Rigoletto”, his sustained top notes increasing in volume as bursts of applause emanated from the audience. In the same opera, Gerodias as Gilda, dreaming of her lover, rendered Caro nome (Dear name) with the flute delicately accompanying her. She magnificently rose to the demands of the coloratura aria requiring extraordinary skill, its fioritura (embellishment of melodies) conveying grace and charm yet betraying no effort.

Taking his turn to shine, Andrew Fernando as Germont, Alfredo’s father in Verdi’s “Traviata”, admonishes his son to forget Violetta, albeit momentarily, and recall their home in fair Provence (Di Provenza il Mar). The voice of the full-throated baritone, reaching the rafters, admirably reflected nostalgic memories.

Espiritu impersonating Nemorino, the peasant in love with the wealthy Adina, keeps drinking wine which he mistakes for the elixir of love. The wine works on him as he sways and trips, alternately attracting and repelling Adina, here portrayed by Gerodias. Their highly realistic emoting created both a clever and amusing scene — Caro Elisir from Donizetti’s ”L’Elisir D’Amore”, eliciting chuckles.

Some years back, this reviewer saw Bizet’s opera “The Pearl Fishers” in Paris. As Espiritu and Fernando rendered the duet of friendship with utmost vigor and vibrancy, their voices soaring, they brought back to our mind the original scene in Paris with refreshing newness, their voices contrasting and melding together — the high lyric tenor of Espiritu and the booming bass-baritone of Fernando.

Scenes from Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” were spiritedly re-enacted by Fernando in Bartolo’s aria, by Gerodias in the Music Lesson Contro un Cor and by Espiritu in Count Almaviva’s aria Cessa di Piu resister its daunting pyro-technical passages flawlessly executed.

The three singers climaxed the “Viva Bel Canto Concert” with Ah qual colpe… Zitti, zitti from Act 3.

A standing ovation ensued, the audience exclaiming “More!” The singers obliged with “O Holy Night” in the spirit of the season, after which song there were still clamors for encores!

The Manila Symphony Orchestra under the brilliant Arturo Molina consistently extended solid support to the eminent opera stars. The excerpts from Bizet’s “Carmen”, the Overture from Verdi’s Il Vespri Siciliani, and Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” were outstandingly zestful, the tuttis overpowering. The young Moscow-trained Molina reiterated his position as a leading conductor who richly deserved the honor and privilege of assisting three of our best opera singers.

It has been a long time since this reviewer heard as glorious a vocal concert as that which featured Espiritu, Fernando and Gerodias.

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This Christmas again calls to mind the Biñan village home of distinguished pianist Ingrid Santamaria. With music for inspiration, it has angels and choirs singing on tree tops, a variety of musical instruments and a truck transporting a piano, this recalling the Romantic Journeys of Ingrid and Reynaldo Reyes to the remotest regions, with Ingrid playing the solo part of the romantic concertos, Rey, the orchestral.

In the Biñan home, the figures of President and Mrs. Obama are appreciative listeners as Ingrid rehearses Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 which she played recently with the Cebu Peace Philharmonic Orchestra (which she organized) under conductor Jeffrey Solares.

Ingrid remembers best her Christmas performance of Saint-Saens’ Concerto No. 2 with Japanese Hiroshi Moriya conducting the MSO. Afterwards, fireworks ensued in glittering fashion.