Young Artists Series Presents Songs and Sonnets

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Catch Philippine Opera Company's Young Artists Series (YAS) Season opener "Songs and Sonnets" on September 10. Directed by Meynard Penalosa.

YAS is designed as an arts development program for the young, upcoming singers of the company to showcase their talents. The YAS Team decided to enhance the program by engaging the artists in more creative work and perform scenes from various Operas, as well as, Musical Theater pieces that have crossed over into the classical arena.

What initially was conceptualized as a recital, every third Wednesday of the month, grew into an out-of-the-box, innovative, and enticing program known as the Black Box Series, garnering not only an enthusiastic audience, but has also become a creative template for other groups to follow.

In the theater the term Black Box refers to a space devoted where daring experiments and new visions are tested through performance. Performers who choose to go and perform in a black box are usually the ones with most open hearts and sincere desire to hone their talent.

Gilas Pilipinas: Croatia, Greece, Argentina, Puerto Rico and We Need To Win This Time!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We went home with a heavy heart after our Gilas Pilipinas lost again to another team. Sill fresh from their losses from the basketball teams of Croatia, Greece and Argentina, the additional lost to Puerto Rico made everyone miserably lonely that night after realizing the few remaining seconds were no longer sufficient to expect a win.

While dining a sumptuous chicken dinner at Max's Restaurant Scout Tuazon at Quezon City, we cheered and jumped for joy with every shot that went in, and for every miss the opponent makes, but I guess it was not meant to be for Gilas Pilipinas to finally earn a win. I guess we need more training as a team to make it against these other teams that all made the game a worthy match.

Gilas Pilipinas! Go go go!!! You may have lost again, but still our heart belongs to you. Though it is unfortunate that we won't make it to the FIBA finals, our #PusoToTheMax still beats for you. Our pride towards the Gila Pilipinas team still reigns supreme above everything. After all, we gave it all, and that is what is more important.

“Giselle” Returns To Celebrate Ballet Philippines’ Sapphire Year On Sept. 19-21

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In a special repeat performance, Ballet Philippines’ highly celebrated restaging of “Giselle” returns this September 19-21 to the CCP Main Theater. The beloved romantic ballet is once again being restaged by the Philippines’ premier danseur, Nonoy Froilan to start off the Blue Moon Series, a two-week fundraising series celebrating the company’s sapphire milestone.

Stella Abrera and James Whiteside from the American Ballet Theatre will perform as Giselle and Albrecht on the fundraising gala on September 19. That evening’s performance will also feature live accompaniment by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Olivier Ochanine.

Ballet Philippines principal dancers Katherine Trofeo and Jean Marc Cordero, as well as newly promoted soloist Denise Parungao and junior principal dancer Earl John Arisola will reprise their roles of Giselle and Albrecht for the other 4 shows in the production’s one-weekend run.

The 2013 restaging of “Giselle” earned recognition at the Philstage Gawad Buhay awards, winning the trophies for Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Classical Dance, Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance for Jean Marc Cordero, and Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance for Rita Winder.