Arts & Culture (12/10/25)
Final week of Wawi Navarroza exhibit
THE Museum at De La Salle University (DLSU) has an exhibit nearing its end: WAWI NAVARROZA: Self & Surrounding, a solo exhibition by visual artist and DLSU alumna Wawi Navarroza, which opened last June. Mounted in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the DLSU Department of Communication, the exhibition brings together Ms. Navarroza’s self-portraits and landscape photographs in a deeply personal yet globally resonant exploration of identity, environment, and representation. Her works are curated alongside selected works from Filipino National Artists and prominent Filipino artists from The Museum’s Wili and Doreen Fernandez and University art collections. The exhibit ends on Dec. 11. DLSU students, faculty, staff and alumni are granted free admission, while non-DLSU students and visitors have a minimal fee of P25.
UP Symphony Orchestra rings in the holiday season
THE University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) celebrates the holiday season with a performance of George Frideric Handel’s timeless oratorio Messiah. It is set to take place on Dec. 12, 7 p.m., at the University Theater (Villamor Hall) in UP Diliman, Quezon City. Under the baton of its musical director, Professor Emeritus Josefino Chino Toledo, UPSO will retell the Nativity story via excerpts from Handel’s masterpiece. Four voice majors from the UP College of Music will be debuting as lead soloists: Krisleen Andya Bareng, soprano; Andrey Sto. Domingo, countertenor; Mark Nicholson Jaluag, tenor; and Jhon Michael Mauricio, bass. Admission is free but online reservation is required. For details, visit UPSO’s social media pages.
Silverlens releases holiday gift guide
THE Silverlens Den, a new concept space shaped around the quiet pleasures of looking, browsing, and discovering, is now available for art lovers’ perusal. The initiative reimagines the gallery experience by presenting a cohesive environment of curated interiors, art and design objects, publications, collaborative projects, and a café program. The holiday gift guide for visitors has been released and is available in this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SMRQlZrqDs_q0ebdvc7Og9Jd9aIuNg2n/view. The Silverlens Den is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Silverlens gallery, 2263 Don Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati.
CCP offers Christmas harmonies for Intramuros Evenings
PRESENTED by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in partnership with the Intramuros Administration, the final installment of Intramuros Evenings this year will celebrate the season with select winners of the Andrea O. Veneracion International Choir Festival. The participating choirs are the Eastern Chamber Singers, the FEU Chorale, Koro Ilustrado, and the Letran Singing Ambassadors. Set on Dec. 16, 6 p.m., the concert will feature timeless carols and beloved Filipino Christmas classics. It takes place at Foro De Intramuros, Calle Arzobispo, Intramuros, Manila. Admission is free.
Lantern display to celebrate Korean-Philippine friendship
THE Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) are presenting Light the Season: A Korea-Philippines Lantern Display for the entire month of December. The display blends traditional parol and Jinju silk lanterns, illustrating the craftsmanship of each country’s artisans and the cross-cultural potential between the two nations. It runs until Jan. 6, 2026, at the NCCA in Intramuros, Manila, and at the KCC in Bayani Road, Taguig.
BenCab Museum showcases 46 artists in RE:VIEW
THE BenCab Museum is capping the year with RE:VIEW 2025, a group exhibition by 46 artists, including young emerging painters and established artists, working in diverse styles from figurative to non-figurative. The show offers a wide range of subject matter and techniques, including works by Antipas Delotavo, Dexter Sy, Elmer Borlongan, Emmanuel Garibay, Henrielle Baltazar Pagkaliwangan, Jason Montinola, Lee Paje, Lynyrd Paras, Renato Habulan, Yeo Kaa, and National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera himself, among many others. RE:VIEW 2025 is on view until Feb. 8, 2026, at the BenCab Museum, Asin Road, Baguio City.
Concert and cinema to converge at MiraNila
ON Feb. 5, 2026, the gates of the MiraNila Heritage House will open for another evening of memory and music. Inclusive of a tour of the 1929 home, the event involves watching a concert centered on a film score, taking place at the front lawn. Violinist Alessio Benvenuti and pianist Mariel Ilusorio together will perform the music of Ennio and Andrea Morricone from the timeless film Cinema Paradiso. Early bird tickets are priced at P1,000 for adults and P800 for seniors and students with IDs. After Dec. 20, the ticket prices will increase to P1,200 for adults and P1,000 for seniors and students with IDs. Tickets can be booked through Bern on Viber via 0906-547-8268.
Art Fair Philippines moves to Circuit Makati
ART FAIR PHILIPPINES has announced that it is moving to Circuit Makati for its 2026 edition. The 13th edition of the art fair will be held from Feb. 6 to 8. The tickets for the art fair are now available for purchase via https://artfairph.synergyph.com/tickets. For more information about the fair, stay tuned to Art Fair Philippines’ social media pages.
Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular unveils initial cast
CAMERON MACKINTOSH, in association with Nick Grace Management and GMG Productions, has announced initial cast for Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular. Its Manila leg is set to take place from Jan. 20 to March 1, 2026. The West End and Broadway performers taking the stage for the show are led by Gerónimo Rauch as Jean Valjean, Jeremy Secomb as Javert, and Filipino talents Lea Salonga as Madame Thénardier, Rachelle Ann Go as Fantine, Red Concepción as Thénardier, and Emily Bautista as Éponine. Other Filipinos in the cast will be revealed soon, including the role of Little Cosette, for which auditions were held earlier this year.
Klook opens ticket sales for Bluey’s Big Play in Manila
BLUEY’S BIG PLAY is coming to Manila. The theatrical adaptation for the Emmy award-winning children’s TV series is set to run from July 31 to Aug. 9, 2026, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Newport World Resorts, Pasay City. The show aims to bring Bluey’s world to life with puppetry and original music, to make kids feel as if they’ve stepped right into their favorite TV show. Tickets are now available to order on Klook, priced from P1,800 to P6,500. The top tier includes an exclusive meet-and-greet with Bluey.
