Ballet Philippines presents Crisostomo Ibarra
BALLET PHILIPPINES (BP) will be screening Paul Alexander Morales’ ballet Crisostomo Ibarra on its BP OnStream platform. The stream ballet will be available on Aug. 15. The ballet company is also showing a regular monthly feature called BP OnStream Centrestage which is dedicated to its dancers and how to strive to perfect their art. This month, the show is Jemima Reyes — In Her Element. The full video will start streaming on Aug. 12. Also found on BP OnStream are two videos targeting children and focusing on etiquette. Etiquette while watching the ballet and Etiquette at the dinner table are part of the BP Tales, Tutus and Tots — “Manners Do Matter” series. They will be streamed starting Aug. 15. Finally, a free masterclass will be conducted on BP OnStream by Angelica Generosa of Pacific Northwest Ballet on Aug. 13, 10:30 a.m.
Cinemalaya presents virtual exhibits
TO supplement the ongoing Cinemalaya 2020 experience, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Visual Arts and Museum Division (VAMD) holds two virtual exhibitions — The Cinemalaya: Stream Consciousness and The Gawad Alt 2.0: Ligalig — for this year’s edition of the country’s biggest independent film festival. The Cinemalaya: Stream Consciousness exhibition room features film posters, behind-the-scenes photos, filmmakers’ portraits and exclusive video clips of the iconic objects from the Short Feature, Indie Nation, and Tribute sections of Cinemalaya 16. Meanwhile, The Gawad Alt 2.0: Ligalig exhibition room exhibits over 50 posters from Gawad’s animation, documentary, experimental, and short feature categories, as well as the posters and character designs from the inaugural emergent media category. The virtual gallery is at https://www.facebook.com/100529615008612/posts/151241463270760/?sfnsn=mo or visit the CCP, Cinemalaya, and/or VAMD social media pages for direct access to the rooms.
Experimental quarantine music
ARTISTS have produced a collaborative piece of experimental music created during quarantine. Experimental Noise/Drone artist, Blank Vacuum/Vincent Jose has released an independent EP album, Before you go into the Light. The compositions are about stories of horror and fear inside the hospital. It was digitally posted at www.bandcamp.com on May 24 and there are a limited number of physical copies available at www.blankvacuum.eq. The EP can also be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and other similar music platforms. Blank Vacuum has also collaborated with blackholeprisoner/Bobby Legaspi, a dark ambient musician based in the Philippines to create two five-track albums with different textures. One is Requiem for Dying Light, inspired by Danny Boyle’s Sunshine. It was published at www.bandcamp.com on July 17. The other work of art is a dark ambient orchestration blended with noise and horror themed guitar drones called Musings from the Morgue, released in France under Kalamine Records on Aug. 2. Both works produced by the two artists are available on streaming services like iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Deezer, and will also be available on Spotify by the end of next week.
TP’s online productions for Buwan ng Wika
THE beauty of the Filipino language takes centerstage as Tanghalang Pilipino (TP) releases performances that are based on Philippine literary works in celebration of Buwan ng Wika in August. These performances will be streamed online under PansamanTanghalan, found at the official TP Youtube channel. Pamanang Pahina consists of dramatic readings of Filipino children’s books from OMF Library-Hiyas, which will be performed by members of the Actors Company, with the Anino Shadowplay Collective providing the striking visuals. Starting off the storytelling series is “Ang Bagong Kaibigan ni Bing Butiki” written by Yna Reyes (with illustration by Jason Moss) and adapted for this performance by Nono Pardalis. This episode, about an encompassing friendship between unlikely characters, is now available online. Meanwhile, CCP Online is featuring TP’s play Nang Dalawin ng Pag-Ibig si Juan Tamad. Adapted for stage by Rody Vera, with direction by Jonathan Tadioan and featuring the TP Actors Company Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad was originally performed at the CCP in February 2018 as part of TP’s 31st Season. It was also the Philippine entry in the 7th World Theater Congress in Moscow, Russia in 2018. Nang Dalawin ng Pag-ibig si Juan Tamad can now be streamed at the official CCP YouTube channel. TP also has the new Bagong Tagpo productions which provides an opportunity for the audiences to see how a TP production is developed. The first is Heneral Rizal, a monologue written by Floro Quibuyen, featuring a performance by TP Artistic Director Nanding Josef, under the direction of Chuck Gutierrez. This little-known tale of National Hero Jose Rizal’s brother Paciano will be premiering in Cinemalaya 16: Stream Consciousness. This marks the first collaboration between TP and the largest Philippine Independent Film Festival. Heneral Rizal will be streamed in PangsamanTanghalan starting Aug. 16. Finally, the second installment of Handa, Awit features inspiring songs from two landmark musicals from TP. Mark Bautista, Gian Magdangal, Cris Villonco, Arman Ferrer, and Noel Rayos reunite to perform songs from Noli Me Tangere: The Musical and Walang Sugat for this online concert which streams on Aug. 30. To help TP continue its artistic presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic, donate via the fundraising Pantawid Ng Tanghalan at KTX via https://bit.ly/KTXPantawidNgTanghalan.
PPO Instrument Petting Zoo features the trumpet
THE Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s (PPO) Instrument Petting Zoo continues with its live online program with featured trumpet player Glober C. Calambro on Aug. 16, 4 p.m., via the PPO Facebook page. Glober will talk about the trumpet and demonstrate how it is played in the instrument petting zoo session. He will also perform classical pieces suited for the instrument. A project of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the instrument petting zoo aims to promote appreciation for musical instruments of the orchestra and its music among children and families. It is held every Sunday at 4 p.m., and runs for several months. Catch the Musical Instruments Appreciation Series on the official PPO Facebook page.
