Paramount Pictures Presents A Marc Platt / Wild Chickens / Organism Pictures Production A Damien Chazelle Film BABYLON.
From Damien Chazelle, BABYLON is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, produced by Marc Platt, Matthew Plouffe, Olivia Hamilton, executive produced by Michael Beugg, Tobey Maguire, Wyck Godfrey, Helen Estabrook, Adam Siegel
Starring Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P.J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Tobey Maguire, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Eric Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Samara Weaving, Olivia Wilde
Babylon is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Connect with #BabylonMovie and tag @paramountpicsph
Photo & Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International”
Solane has been a trusted companion of Filipino households when it comes to cooking for over 50 years, may it be simple #LutongSolane meals at home or grand and festive celebrations and get-togethers. This Christmas, Solane wants to make sure that more Filipinos enjoy their meals and celebrations without breaking the bank, even if they want to enjoy festive meals outside the house.
Chef Marky unveils the content of the mystery box he received from Solane
Solane is unveiling Solane Sakto, its mini-LPG tank holding 1.4 kilograms of kitchen fuel, perfect for budget-conscious households, students, small families, and small businesses. For the more adventurous types, Solane Sakto is also a great addition to cooking equipment to bring – no more canned food for camping!
It’s the same safe, sustainable, and quality kitchen fuel Filipinos have known, but in a sakto size!
“We have long cultivated Filipinos’ passion for cooking and celebration by providing safe and quality kitchen fuel over the decades through Solane LPG,” said Jose Antonio Gonzalez, CEO of Isla LPG, the company behind Solane. “Through the ‘tingi’ version of our trusted Solane LPG, we want more Filipinos to have access to affordable and quality kitchen fuel without compromising safety.”
To show how Solane Sakto is the perfect companion for celebrating food outside the house, Solane hosted the ‘Saktong Salu-salo with Solane’ event. Guests were treated to mouthwatering dishes while enjoying an energetic chitchat with cooking enthusiast and proud long-time Solane user Suzi Entrata-Abrera.
Guests took turns guessing the weight of Solane Sakto’s LPG content.
Chef Mark Joseph Bartolome, known as Chef Marky on Tiktok, demonstrated how to cook simple yet filling chicken fajitas, showing how the Solane Sakto is easy to install on existing LPG or canister-fed cooking stoves.
Guests also sampled best-selling dishes from some of the trendiest small businesses in the metro: Kahatea, Airballs 320, and Hungry Homies.
Solane Marketing Manager Kathy Mendez Cabisada and Solane Product Manager Gilbert Roque join Suzi and Chef Marky in exploring the new Solane Sakto LPG
Swak Benefits in a Sakto Size
Solane Sakto’s saktong laki and saktong gaan makes it perfect for limited spaces and kitchens, such as condominium units, student dormitories and compact apartments.
Designed with a collar handle for better grip, Solane Sakto is also portable enough to take anywhere, and can be used outdoors, perfect for out-of-town vacations, picnics, and camping.
Priced at PHP 150 per refill, Solane Sakto is affordable and is a safer alternative than charcoal fuel wood and other dangerous fuel sources such as LPG-refilled butane canisters. It is the only small LPG SKU that is safe and compliant with the Department of Energy for indoor use.
One Solane Sakto tank can last up to a week of cooking for the typical family of five. During unforeseen situations or emergencies, it can be used as a backup LPG tank, lasting up to 3-4 days for heavy cooking.
Like Solane 11 kilogram AS and POL tanks, authentic Solane Sakto cylinders also carry the important markings that certify their registration, the specific standards used, the date the cylinder was tested, as well as the tare weight in kilograms which is around 4.1 kg. Genuine Solane Sakto LPG tanks also come with a white biodegradable seal.
To order Verified Solane LPG, customers may call the Solane Hatid Bahay Hotline +63 2 8887 5555 (Metro Manila) or place their orders through the Solane mobile app or through the Web Ordering Platform. For inquiries, they may also text or call +63 918 8875555 or +63 917 8977555 or send a message to Solane’s Facebook Messenger account.
After a hiatus of two years, one of Metro Manila’s most enduring holiday traditions – The Peninsula Manila’s “Christmas Concert at The Pen” – is back! On December 4th, Sunday, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, The Lobby of The Peninsula Manila will once again resound with the joyous sounds of Christmas as it is transformed into a grand concert hall.
The famed “Christmas Concert at The Pen” concert – now on its 37th season – has always been regarded as The Peninsula Manila’s Christmas gift to the community. And this year, the hotel has put together a memorable musical repertoire (one with many firsts) that is sure to get festive spirits rightly tuned for the days of celebration ahead.
Wielding the baton and directing the much-loved musical extravanganza for the very first time in its long history is National Artist for Music Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.
Maestro Ryan Cayabyab
Maestro Ryan Cayabyab will be teaming up at the concert with the Manila SymphonyOrchestra (MSO) which, coincidentally, was the first orchestra to play at the annual holiday concert when it debuted in 1983 with (future) National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro conducting. Since then, “Christmas Concert at The Pen” has stayed true to its hallmark philosophy – the promotion of Philippine art and culture and a showcase of local talent where Filipino artists are accompanied by a Filipino orchestra.
Manila Symphony Orchestra
The 2022 “Christmas Concert at The Pen” artist’s line-up also stars soprano Jade Rubis Riccio and “The Voice Philippines” alumnus Poppert Bernadas.
Poppert Bernadas
The featured choir this year is the critically-acclaimed French children’s choir – Les Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois – whose performance is one of the highlights of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Filipino-French diplomatic relations.
Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo
Another first is the guest appearance of Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, widely considered to be the “first lady” of Philippine musical theatre. She will be the host of this year’s concert.
“Christmas Concert at The Pen” will open with the MSO accompanying Jade Rubis Riccio and Poppert Bernadas in “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” one of the Top 10 Christmas songs of all time that’s been described as “a celebration of the Christmas season, and of friends and families.”
Jade Rubis Riccio
Maestro Ryan Cayabyab says this year’s concert will be “a love song to music and musicians” after years of lockdown.
“We all feel like it’s a new beginning,” adds Masahisa Oba, The Peninsula Manila General Manager.“There’s so much hope. The whole program is a celebration of music and our love for it. We are also very excited and honored to have Maestro Ryan Cayabyab at the helm along with a raft of very talented artists.”
In closing, General Manager Masahisa Oba has one last bit of advice to all those who want to catch the concert: “Book and reserve your tables ahead of time or come early because seats are on a first-come basis!”
The 37th season of “Christmas Concert at The Pen” will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2022, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at The Lobby of The Peninsula Manila.
For The Lobby patrons, confirmed seating will be provided at P20,000 for a table of 4 (with a deluxe set festive merienda) or P50,000 for a table of 10 (with a deluxe set festive merienda and two bottles of Champagne).
Seating at The Upper Lobby will be on first-come, first serve basis with a P3,000 consumable feeper person (with a set festive merienda).
Prices are in Philippine Pesos which include VAT, a 10% service charge, and applicable local taxes.
Get in the festive spirit with the best Christmas carols, Broadway love songs, and Gershwin classics with “Christmas Concert at The Pen.”
For inquiries or reservations, please call +63 (2) 887-2888, extensions 6691 or 6694 (Restaurant Reservations) or email DiningPMN@peninsula.com. You may also visit peninsula.com, like The Peninsula Manila on Facebook and follow @thepeninsulamanila on Instagram.
Glimmering with elegance, Dusit Thani Manila just added a sparkle to the season with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony held last November 17 to officially mark the start of the festive celebrations in the hotel.
The event commenced with the tree lighting led by general manager Stanley Lo and joined by Dusit Thani Philippines Inc., president and vice chairman Evelyn Singson, vice mayor of Makati Monique Lagdameo, designer Jerry Sibal and Department of Tourism NCR director Sharlene Batin. One of the country’s musical treasures Kuh Ledesma also graced the evening and serenaded the guests with classical favorites and heart-warming Christmas hymns. The annual tradition was graced by corporate partners, industry partners, media and representatives from diplomatic corps. To give a sparkly holiday twist on a classic tradition, Dusit has once again commissioned the New York-based and Filipino premier events designer, Jerry Sibal. Taking the non-traditional route, Sibal dressed up the lobby with a unique structural art piece composed of Christmas tree adorned with brilliant lights and crystal ornaments, and a majestic shiny reindeer to bring a Yuletide glow to the iconic hotel lobby.
The ceremony also showcased the joyous Christmas treats in store for the hotel’s patron and clientele. You can count on Dusit Thani Manila to make your holiday sparkle with joy as you create memorable moments with your family or friends. From Christmas Rush room package, dining offers, Christmas hampers, to food and beverage vouchers and Devarana Spa vouchers, Dusit Thani Manila dazzles with special moments.
Celebrate the holidays that sparkle as you enjoy the magic of time spent with loved ones. To know more about our holiday offerings, call 7238 8888.
This Yuletide season, the Cultural Center of the Philippines offers a wide variety of engaging performances and programs – from classical concert to contemporary dance production, and other traditional Paskong Pinoy activities – for just about every artistic preference, with festivities taking place throughout December.
The holiday cheers at the CCP kick off with Puso ng Pasko, an all-Filipino Christmas ballet, slated on December 2 to 4, 8pm, with matinee shows at 3pm, at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). The dance production is an expansion of the dance film production Tuloy Ang Pasko, which premiered in 2020.
This year, Lolo Val, the main protagonist who now lives in California, reminisces about how he and his barkada would celebrate Christmas in the most Filipino way in the 1970s. Puso ng Pasko puts the spotlight on the Yuletide festivities and traditions from the different regions of the Philippines.
A ground-breaking work, Ronelson Yadao, artistic director of Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP) choreographs the Filipino version of Nutcracker, with musical arrangements by National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab.
Live opera returns at the CCP Main Theater after more than two years with Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot on December 9 at 8pm and December 11, at 3pm.
Directed by Maestro Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini (who also directed Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor in 2020), Turandot is a timeless tale about the daughter of an emperor who decrees that she will marry if a noble suitor can answer three riddles. Her most recent suitor, the Prince of Persia, is to be executed at the moon’s rising. Set in ancient China, the opera is known for Nessun Dorma, arguably the world’s most famous tenor aria.
The opera stars Korean singers soprano Lilla Lee and bass Jinsu Lee as Princess Turandot and exiled Tartar king Timur, respectively. Completing the cast are Filipino soprano Rachelle Gerodias as Liu, Byeong In Park as Ping the Grand Chancellor, tenor Ivan Nery as Pong the Grand Intendant; tenor Nomher Nival as Emperor Altoum, and baritone Greg de Leon as Mandarino. Maestro Valentino Favoino conducts the PPO, along with distinguished choral ensembles of the Viva Voce Voice Lab.
Watch selected films that feature family-oriented stories that inspire and give hope in Cinema Under the Stars (CUTS) on December 14 to 16, at the CCP Front Lawn. CUTS is an open-air, hybrid outdoor cinema to encourage moviegoers to walk-in, bike-in or drive-in. This is free to the public.
The annual CCP Light and Sound show returns on a grander scale, featuring the Christmas façade décor dubbed Binurda, to be launched on December 15, 7pm, at the CCP Façade and Front Lawn. The CCP holiday decorations are inspired by the Callado embroidery on piña jusi textile with Sampaguita design. A light and sound show compliments the façade décor.
During the launch, the Bayanihan National Dance Company, The Nightingales, Male Ensemble of the Philippines (MEP), and surprise performers bring the magic of the season and instill the warmth spirit that Paskong Pinoy is known for.
On December 16, 8pm, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra presents Handel’s Messiah, the greatest classical musical treat. Under the baton of conductor Mark Anthony Carpio, the PPO will perform alongside a 200-member grand chorus, composed of current members and alumni of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, Sing Philippines Youth Choir, Male Ensemble Philippines, and Musika Filipina. Completing the grand chorus are Coro Cantabile, DLSU Chorale, Lighter Side Movement, Novo Concertante Manila, Pansol Choir, Philippine Vocal Ensemble, and Song Weavers Philippines. Featured soloists are soprano Stefanie Quintin, tenor Ervin Lumauag, bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca, and mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariel Mariposa.
Ballet Philippines brings back the well-loved Christmas classic ballet, The Nutcracker, on December 17, 8pm, and December 18, 2pm and 6pm, at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. The ballet production follows the adventures and misadventures of a young girl on Christmas Eve, in a magical land where every child’s dream comes true.
The CCP Arts Education Department will launch Vamos A Belen: Sama Samang Paggunita and Pagdiriwang, a Pastores dance competition, on December 21. This event is a platform for dancers and dance groups to showcase their skills in interpreting dance literature focusing on Pastores piece. This is in preparation for the 50th anniversary production of the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group in September 2023.
CCP continues its long-established tradition of Simbang Gabi, in partnership with Our Lady of Sorrows Parish and other hermanas, with on-site celebrations on December 16 to 24, 5am, at the CCP Main Ramp. The Misa de Aguinaldo will be held on December 24, 8pm, at the CCP Main Theater, with a pre-mass program featuring the Panunuluyan.
For the third year, the CCP will also have a virtual Simbang Gabi, in partnership with various parishes from the different regions of the country to celebrate anticipated masses. The Anticipated Mass from the Regions runs from December 15 to 23, 9pm, and will be streamed simultaneously on the CCP Facebook Page.
Celebrate the happiest season at the CCP with these heartwarming and amazing activities.
Follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok for the latest happenings this December.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines celebrates Filipino Christmas traditions with PUSO NG PASKO as it lights up the CCP Main Theater on December 2 (8:00 pm), Dec. 3 (3:00 pm & 8:00 pm), and Dec. 4, 2022 (3:00 pm & 8:00 pm).
The first all-Filipino Christmas ballet, PUSO NG PASKO captures the true spirit of the Pinoy Pasko as Lolo Val, now living abroad in California, recalls to his young granddaughter Angelita, the magical Christmases of his youth in Tres Reyes with his barkada.
This production, conceptualized by Ronelson Yadao, and musical arrangements by National Artist for Music, Ryan Cayabyab, features beloved scenes of the Simbang Gabi, eating bibingka and puto bumbong, plazas decorated with big parols, and beautiful Christmas decorations. It also features different fiestas across the Philippine islands in celebration of regional festivities.
Alice Reyes Dance Philippines’ Artistic Director, Ronelson Yadao, works with an amazingly talented array of collaborators to bring this Flipino Christmas story to life. Joining him with the feat of choreographing this full-length Christmas dance celebration are Erl Sorilla, John Ababon, AL Abraham, Dan Dayo, Bonnie Guerrero, and Lester Reguindin. These creative staples in the company’s roster of young and acclaimed choreographers each have a beautifully distinct style of movement that somehow wonderfully compliments each moment in the story.
Erl Sorilla is an accomplished dancer with the CCP’s resident dance company and has choreographed notable pieces including Langit Lupa and The Weight on Our Toes. His works have received recognition including the Trudl Dubsky Award in the first CCP Ballet Competition in 2014. In 2020, he danced and choreographed with the faculty of the CCP Dance Workshop, creating two pieces in the Christmas offering Tuloy Ang Pasko! He became a grantee of the CCP’s 2021 Professional Dance Support Program where he choreographed Musa for its Culminating Program. Erl currently dances, teaches, and choreographs with Alice Reyes Dance Philippines.
John Ababon has been dancing with CCP companies since 2012 and has ventured into choreography. Among his works are Happy Thoughts, which won the Trudl Dubsky Zipper Award for outstanding choreography in the 2018 CCP Ballet Competition Junior Category. In 2020, John was part of the faculty of the CCP Dance Workshop and in 2021, he became a grantee of the CCP Professional Dance Support Program. He performed in several pieces of its culminating showcase, the Dance On! Online dance series, and choreographed a solo, Inlababo, and a pas de deux, In the Midst of Overcoming. Today, John focuses on choreographing.
AL Abraham pursued his professional dance career at the CCP. AL has created many pieces like Kada Paningkamot, a solo choreographed for the Young Choreographer Showcase. In 2020, he was one of the dancers and choreographers for the CCP Christmas offering Tuloy Ang Pasko! which was featured in the 2021 live Christmas show, A Christmas Celebration. With Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, AL continues to dance and choreograph. His Kada Paningkamot was restaged and included in the Visayan Suite of Dances.
Danilo Dayo holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts Degree with a major in Dance from the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde. As a company member of CCP’s Resident Dance Company, he has been featured in many of its productions. A budding choreographer, he has created pieces for the junior company among his works are Torpe, Belle DonneandMalamanyika, and Danse Macabre. A member of the faculty of CCP Dance Workshop, he performed and created the dance piece Kumukutikutitap in CCP’s 2020 Christmas offering Tuloy ang Pasko. He is currently a grantee in the 2022 Professional Artist Support Program.
Bonnie Guerrero is a professional dancer, choreographer, dance teacher, and Pilates instructor. A former company member of CCP’s Resident Dance Company, Bonnie has choreographed many pieces. His choreographies have been featured in the CCP Resident Dance Company shows such as Hugot sa Rosas and Bagong Sayaw. With Alice Reyes, National Artist for Dance, as his mentor for choreography, he created works such as his Magdalena presented in the 2018 Young Choreographers Showcase. His latest choreographic work was to the music arranged by Ryan Cayabyab, Anong Gagawin Mo Ngayon Pasko, for Tuloy Ang Pasko!, a 2020 Christmas dance film production of the Artists of the CCP Dance Workshop.
Lester Reguindin participated in the CCP Resident Dance Company’s Young Choreographer’s Showcase in 2019 where he choreographed We Men, which was later performed in the production of Alice & Friends and more recently in the CCP Dance Series’ Pulso Pilipinas I. In 2020, Lester choreographed and danced for CCP’s online Christmas Offering, The Nutcracker and Tuloy Ang Pasko. As a creative grantee of the CCP’s 2021 Professional Artist Support Program, his piece NOW was featured in the CCP’s online dance series, Dance On! With Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Lester continues to choreograph, one of his recent works, GomBurZa, was a culminating choreographic study for the PASP in 2022. It was later commissioned by UP Arts and Culture Festival under the direction of Josefina Estrella.
Ronelson is a dance artist with 16 years of professional experience in dance theaters in Asia, the US, Canada, and Europe. Among his works as a choreographer are Sama-Sama, with the music of National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, as well as Ang Kabaligtaran ng Gunaw, a dance film produced by the CCP with music and film direction by Jerold Tarrog. In 2020, he became a grantee, choreographer, and Modern Dance ballet master of the CCP Professional Dance Support Program. Ronelson is currently the artistic director of the Alice Reyes Dance Philippines. His 2019 piece, Maupay is the latest addition to the collection of dances in Visayan Suite of Dances.
Behind this talented array of choreographers are collaborators whose significant contributions give life to the story and choreography. These include National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes, as Mentor and Artistic Consultant and National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, for his musical arrangements of timeless Filipino Christmas Songs performed and recorded by the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and the San Miguel Master Chorale.
Alice Reyes was declared a National Artist for Dance by President Benigno S. Aquino III through Proclamation No. 807 and was conferred at the Malacañang Palace on April 14, 2016. Her extensive body of choreographic works is a powerful expression of the Philippines’ unique history, art, and heritage, including Amada, Itim Asu, Tales of the Manuvu, Rama, Hari, and Bungkos Suite, among many others. She is currently the artistic consultant for the Professional Artist Support Program and the chairman emeritus of Alice Reyes Dance Philippines. She has collaborated with the CCP and its Arts Education Department in its educational thrusts, audience development, and regional outreach, as part of their Professional Artist Support Program.
National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, a.k.a, Mr. C is the most accomplished composer, arranger, and musical director in the Philippine music industry since the early 1970s. His learned, skillful, and versatile musical style spans a wide range of genres: from conservatory or art compositions such as concert religious music, symphonic work, art song, opera, and concerto to mainstream popular idioms in the music industry and in live contemporary multimedia shows (musical theater, dance, and film). Being very visible in the national media (once a TV host of a long-running arts and culture series and recently a judge in reality TV singing competitions), Cayabyab is a household name. His compositions reflect a perspective of music that extols the exuberance of life and human happiness, thus capturing the very essence of our Filipino soul.
Included on the list of brilliant collaborators are Eric Cruz (production design), Barbara Tan-Tiongco (lighting design), Dennis Maristany (Costume Consultant), and Eljay Castro Deldoc, who worked with Yadao on the script and story as co-librettist with inputs from Film Director Carlos Siguion-Reyna for the filmed scenes.
Joining the cast is acclaimed theater actor Audie Gemora, who will be taking on the role of “Lolo Val.” A terpsichore who has played a variety of roles both in English and Filipino musicals, Audie has been dubbed “King of Philippine Musical Theater.” He has co-founded one of the leading theater companies in the country, TRUMPETS which has produced musical hits including the long-running JOSEPH THE DREAMER. He won an award for “Best Performance as Male Lead in a Musical” at the 2010 Gawad Philstage for his performance in SWEENEY TODD, and in 2014 as “Best Performance as featured male in a Musical” for his performance as the flamboyant director Roger De Bris in “THE PRODUCERS.” His portrayal of Albin/Zaza in 9 Works 2015 production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES garnered rave reviews and won him the “Outstanding Performance in Musical by a Male Lead” trophy in the 2016 Philstage Gawad Buhay. His latest acting recognition was for Best Actor in a Play as Norman in Repertory Philippines’ production of THE DRESSER at the 2019 Aliw Awards.
As the Cultural Center of the Philippines prepares to shut its doors for renovation, these performances will be one of the last to be staged in the CCP Main Theater.
Tickets are available through the following contacts: CCP Box Office (tel. no. 8832-3704), Bonnie Guerrero (Viber: 09154122152), and TicketWorld (+63.917.550.6997, +63.999.954.5922)
The devastating tragedy about a young woman who joins the Carmelite nuns to escape the terrors of the French Revolution closes the 2022 offering of CCP Met Opera in HD, slated on December 6, 2022, 5:30 pm, at Greenbelt 3, Ayala Malls Cinemas in Makati City.
Composed by French composer Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc, Dialogues des Carmelites follows the aristocratic Blanche de la Force who joined the Order of Carmelite to escape the reign of terror.
First premiered at Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1957, the opera is a quasi-historical opera based on the martyrdom of 16 Carmelite nuns and lay sisters from Compiegne who sacrificed themselves for peace during the revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799.
Poulenc wrote the Carmelites libretto himself based on an unproduced screenplay by French author Georges Bernanos. In turn, Bernanos based his screenplay on the 1931 novela Die Letzte am Schafott (The Song at the Scaffold), written by German writer Gertrud von Le Fort.
Poulenc’s three-act opera has become a favorite among the Metropolitan Theater’s audiences because of its striking production values and timeless staging, complemented by a remarkable cast.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the music director of The Met’s Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer, leads an accomplished ensemble in Poulenc’s devastating modern piece on faith and martyrdom. Mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard is the young Blanche de La Force, opposite Met legend Karita Mattila as the First Prioress.
Now on its seventh season, the CCP Met Opera in HD is a special program of the CCP Film, Broadcast and New Media Division, under the Production and Exhibition Department, in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Filipinas Opera Society Foundation, Inc., and Ayala Malls Cinemas. The series showcases operatic productions through the high-definition (HD) digital video technology and Dolby sound, recreating the experience of watching an opera production at the Met “live.”
For tickets and other inquiries, call the CCP Box Office: 8832-3704 / 8832-1125 local 1409. Visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) for more information. Follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok for the latest updates.
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the Yuletide Season with Handel’s Messiah at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) on December 16, 2022, 8pm.
The classical concert features a mammoth choral ensemble composed of 200 singers from various Philippine choirs, performing the complete movement of the English oratorio which traces the story of Jesus Christ, under the baton of PPO guest conductor Mark Anthony Carpio.
“It is a tribute to George Frideric Handel’s genius. Even after 280 years since it was first heard in 1742 in Dublin, music lovers all over the world are still in awe when they hear this magnificent choral piece. This music which has transcended time should be experienced first-hand by Filipinos as interpreted by Filipino musicians,” said CCP president Margie Moran-Floirendo.
Floirendo shared that the idea for a grand Handel’s Messiah came from the late CCP president Baltazar Endriga some years back. “It is just timely that we are finally mounting this masterwork as our way of celebrating the return of live music at the CCP. It is also a fitting musical offering to thank the Messiah that we all survived the challenges brought about by the pandemic.”
Messiah has been described as a “grand musical entertainment” during its first few performances during Handel’s time. But the composer said entertainment was not what he had in mind when he composed it. “I want listeners to feel my message and become better people.”
Considered one of the greatest Christmas classical music ever composed, Messiah is naturally a big challenge for conductor Carpio. He has conducted selected movements from the choral piece mostly the first part, the Advent and Christmas portion ending with the Hallelujah Chorus before, but this will be the first time Carpio is doing the complete movements with an orchestra lasting more than two hours with him as the only conductor.
“I believe the challenge in this massive work lies not only in its duration (more than two hours) but in making sure the choir and orchestra understand this magnificent and probably one of the world’s most popular choral works,” said Carpio.
The 200-member grand chorus will be composed of current members and alumni of the Philippine Madrigal Singers, Sing Philippines Youth Choir, Male Ensemble Philippines, and Musika Filipina. Completing the grand chorus are: Coro Cantabile, DLSU Chorale, Lighter Side Movement, Novo Concertante Manila, Pansol Choir, Philippine Vocal Ensemble and Song Weavers Philippines.
Featured soloists for December 16 Handel’s Messiah are soprano Stefanie Quintin, tenor Ervin Lumauag, bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca and mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariel Mariposa.
This December, Handel’s Messiah will once more re-assert itself as the greatest classical treat ever composed for the Christmas season. The concert is one of the grand events that the CCP is mounting before it closes the Main Building for rehabilitation in 2023.
For ticket inquiries, call the CCP Box Office: 8832-3704/8832-1125 local 1409, or check out Ticketworld (https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph), or visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph). Follow the official CCP social media accounts in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok for latest updates.
In celebration of the 2022 National Children’s Month and National Indigenous Peoples’ Month, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) through its Cultural Exchange Department (CED) in partnership with the Marikina Culture and Arts Council – Marikina Dance Guild will hold a week-long arts camp under the annual program entitled Kutitap: Isang Piging ng Kabataang Makasining from November 24-28, 2022.
After two years of conducting the camp virtually, Kutitap will finally be implemented face-to-face again but still following the minimum health protocols. One hundred children and their adult leaders representing various cultural communities all over the country will be gathered for a celebration of arts, culture and traditions. Now on its 13th year, Kutitap pursues its goals of instilling among the Filipino children and youth a deep sense of understanding, appreciation and pride for Philippine indigenous arts and culture, as well as promote creativity and positive social values. Kutitap will conduct interactive activities to include mini-workshops and showcases (in dance, drama, music, rituals, visual arts, etc.), storytelling, crafting, traditional games, film viewing, group discussions, creative collaboration, among others.
Since the first gathering in 2009, Kutitap has already reached over 3,164 children from 164 local communities nationwide. In 2011, the project was redesigned for the benefit of the children in Northern Luzon who were badly affected by typhoons Pedring and Quiel. For the first time in 2015, Kutitap was brought out of the CCP and was hosted by the City of Batangas. For the first time too, the program was filmed and presented as part of the Children of Asia research project under the Asian Culture Institute (ACI) in Gwangju, South Korea. The film made by Kevin K. Park was shown during the opening of the Asia Culture Center (ACC) in Korea. In 2016, Kutitap was brought to the Visayas under the hosting of the Province of Capiz, in 2017 in Tagum City, in 2018 in Los Baños-Laguna and in 2019 in Koronadal City.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the project migrated online last 2020 and 2021 which adopted the theme “Mga Batang Makasining Para sa Isang Malusog, Mapagmahal, Mapagmalasakit at Masaganang Buhay” (Creative Children for a Healthy, Independent and Progressive Future). From November 24-27, Kutitap will engage the kids in educational, cultural, creative and other participative activities designed to enable them to learn, understand, and appreciate better the indigenous life, traditions and practices while emphasizing the values of good health, love, compassion and perseverance. It will also include sessions on indigenous food, games, folktales, music, dance, medicinal plants, film and crafts.
This year’s participants will be 100 IP children ages 7-13 years old with their adult leaders from 11 cultural communities: Mindanao: Manobo-Agusan del Sur, Subanen-Zamboanga del Sur, Maranao-Lanao del Sur, Visayas: Panay-Bukidnon – Iloilo, and Ormoc City; Luzon: Muñoz-Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, La Union NCR: Valenzuela and Marikina.
KUTITAP 2022 is also supported by the City of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan, Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple in Pablo Ocampo St., Manila and the National Book Development Board (NBDB). For more information, check out the CCP Cultural Exchange Department FB account and/or email at ccp.ced2014@gmail.com.
From 87North, the producers of non-stop action thrills with groundbreaking fight sequences such as John Wick and Bullet Train comes “Violent Night”, where Santa is pitted against bad guys on Christmas day and shows them what Christmas is like for the naughty ones.
Violent Night’s Santa Claus is the real Santa, but in a way that we’ve never seen him before. This Santa is a protector and a warrior with some seriously bad-ass skills, but when we meet him in the film, he’s become slightly bitter and tired about the otherwise merry holiday. “He’s lost faith in humanity, and he feels the spirit of Christmas disappearing, which has made him into a shell of a man,” director Tommy Wirkola says.
Santa is at a crossroads. “Santa is having a bit of an existential crisis and he’s lost his Christmas spirit,” producer Kelly McCormick says. “Christmas has been overtaken by consumerism and greed, and he’s ready to hang up his boots until he enters the Lightstone home and realizes a little girl Trudy and her family are in danger.”
It turns out, that before Santa donned the jolly red suit and hitched up the reindeer, he had a very different life—a history that’s about to make him the ideal protector for this exact moment. “Santa was a greedy, violent Norwegian Viking who traveled the Scandinavian countries in search of treasure, killing anyone who got in his way,” Wirkola says. “It was the elves and the magic of Christmas that he discovered. This was the moment that he was offered some redemption and he found that in giving back, he could redeem who he was born to be, rather than a violent murderer. So, when we meet him in the film, he hasn’t thought about that life or been close to that life for hundreds of years, but over the course of the events of the film, he’s forced to put some of his skills from the past into practice.”
Finding the ideal actor to play Santa was essential. “It needed to be someone with the natural gravitas of Santa Claus and his sense of kindness and generosity, but there also needed to be some mystery in him beneath the surface,” Wirkola says. “He also had to be able to not only kick ass, but also be able to sell the emotional moments, too. David Harbour (Stranger Things) was the first person we reached out to because he had a combination of all those things.”
Harbour also had the benefit of being a bit of a mystery himself to the public. For his part, Harbour wasn’t initially sure about the role when the idea of the film was first explained to him. “I first heard the pitch from my agent, who told me, ‘It’s a violent Santa Claus movie,’” Harbour says. “My initial response was, ‘What are you talking about?’ But then, they told me the filmmakers wanted to talk to me about it. So, they called me up and told me the general idea, and it sounded so hilarious, fresh and different, but in my mind, it was still a big risk because it was like two movies smashed into one. That’s what was so unique about it.”
An R-16 holiday film from Universal Pictures International, “Violent Night” will open in cinemas on November 30.
