Arts & Culture (02/18/26)

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3rd Tanghal Tertulia showcases UP’s homegrown talents

IN HONOR of National Artists Benedicto Cabrera, Resil Mojares, and Agnes Locsin, homegrown talents of the University of the Philippines (UP) will mount a performance on Feb. 21 at the Executive House Amphitheater in UP Diliman. Tanghal Tertulia is UP’s cultural program that celebrates the university’s homegrown National Artists. The UP Dance Company, the UP Rondalla, and the UP Filipiniana Dance Group will join forces to traverse the country’s rich and diverse dance and soundscapes. There will be performances by UP Tugtugang Musika Asyatika and the UP Diliman chapter of Paggawisan Tako Am-in featuring Althea Linelle Domngal. Other performers include soprano Pauline Therese Arejola, indigenous people’s rights advocate Bayang Barrios, and the KUL-Kulintangan ensemble. The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested attendees may RSVP here: https://tinyurl.com/5xp2n3ra.

2025 MADE awardees, Punlaan mount exhibit

THE 2025 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) competition recognized seven artists and sparked a lasting partnership among them. Michael Delmo, Jack de Castro, Benedict Simbulan, Ross Gadiana, Jao Eugene Pelaez, Rober Mark Liwanag, and Marc Allan Jose — in collaboration with Punlaan Art Space — have mounted an exhibition titled Man Made. It runs until Feb. 25 at the Alitaptap Artists Community in Amadeo, Cavite. The exhibition features new works of the awardees that showcase their commitment to growing together as a community.

Lisa Macuja Elizalde marks 40th homecoming celebration

FORTY years ago, Lisa Macuja Elizalde made the choice to leave behind a flourishing career at the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet) in Moscow and return to the Philippines. This year, it is the 40th anniversary of that homecoming milestone, celebrated through Ballet Manila’s PRIMA Performance Season. It features a special collaboration with Filipino band The Dawn, to be staged at Aliw Theater in Pasay City on Feb. 20 and 21, both at 8 p.m. This production links Ms. Macuja and The Dawn’s parallel 40-year journeys through a fusion of ballet and rock music. The performance will showcase some of The Dawn’s most popular and iconic songs reimagined through dance.

Kidlat Tahimik feted in MET Gallery’s National Artist exhibit

THE Metropolitan Theater (MET), in collaboration with the Order of National Artists, is presenting Portraits of a National Artist as Kultur Warrior, featuring works inspired by and dedicated to National Artist Kidlat Tahimik. The exhibition is the first installment of the MET’s National Artists Exhibit Series for the year and pays tribute to the life, advocacy, and enduring cultural influence of Kidlat Tahimik, as a filmmaker, storyteller, and passionate champion of indigenous identity and decolonization. It traces a 50-year visual narrative through portraits created by various artists, such as his wife, Katrin de Guia; cartoonist Nonoy Marcelo; cinematographer Boy Yñiguez; Ifugao carver Chris Atiwon; documentary shots by Tommy Hafalla; and even playful sketches by his grandchildren in 2025. It is on view until Feb. 28 at the Metropolitan Theater Gallery.

Verdi’s La traviata showing at Opus and NUSTAR

OPUS and NUSTAR Premier Cinemas are inviting audiences to experience the passion, elegance, and emotional depth of Verdi’s operatic masterpiece La traviata. Screening at 8 p.m. on all Tuesdays this February until March 3, La traviata offers moviegoers a rare opportunity to witness world-class opera in a luxurious cinematic setting. Tickets are priced at P900, with the production sung in Italian and presented with English subtitles. It is directed by Oliver Mears and stars acclaimed soprano Ermonela Jaho alongside Giovanni Sala. For tickets and screening details, visit https://bit.ly/RoyalOperaLaTraviataAtPremierCinemas or follow Opus Premier Cinemas and NUSTAR Premier Cinemas on their social media pages.

Kapitolyo Art Space presents an exhibit at McKinley West

IN PARTNERSHIP with First Oceanic Property Management (FOPM), MREIT, Inc., and Megaworld, Kapitolyo Art Space has mounted Alterations, an exhibition that is currently on view at the lobby of One Le Grand Tower in McKinley West, BGC. The exhibition explores coherence through differences, bringing together artists with distinct visual languages within a shared space: Chrisanto Aquino, Eric Young, Christian Regis, Ritche Yee, Caresty, Aaron Bautista, Joseph Domasian, Meh Villegas, Valen Valero, Micheal Pastorizo, Nicole Asares, Marlon Magbanua, Chai Soo, Rafa, Wynona Capistrano, Franxyz Paulo, Nanette Villanueva, Kerow, Julmard Vicente, Mark Tuason, Bea De Los Reyes, Valerie Teng, Hermisanto, Chris Sipat, Darwin Japat Guevarra, Cesar Arro, Nova Lucernas, JAOP, Jobvezh, Sonyboy Layba, Pauline Mar, Fheixz Orosco, and Eghai Roxas. It runs through February.

The Sandbox Collective stages Spring Awakening

ONGOING until March 22 at the Proscenium Blackbox Theater in Rockwell, Makati City, is The Sandbox Collective’s season opener, the Tony Award-winning rock musical Spring Awakening. With book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik, the production is based on the Frank Wedekind play of the same name. Set in 19th century Germany, it tells the stories of teenagers exploring their burgeoning sexualities and rapidly-changing bodies. This version is directed by Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, with musical direction by Ejay Yatco. It also marks The Sandbox Collective’s first production under the leadership of its new artistic director, Sab Jose. Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Ana Abad Santos share the role of Adult Woman while Audie Gemora plays the Adult Man. Alongside them are Nacho Tambunting and Alex Diaz who share the role of Melchior Gabor; Nic Chien and Omar Uddin who alternate as Moritz Stiefel; and Sheena Belarmino who plays Wendla Bergmann. Spring Awakening is the inaugural show of The Black Box at The Proscenium Theater. Tickets are available via Ticket2Me (tinyurl.com/SandboxSpring2026).

Gateway Gallery celebrates Chinese-Filipino art

THE exhibit Beyond Tradition: Evolving Chinese-Filipino Visions is ongoing at the Gateway Gallery until March 15. In line with National Arts Month and Chinese New Year, it celebrates the vibrant culture of Chinese-Filipino communities by showcasing the differences and similarities in traditions, arts, and history of Chinese-Filipinos. The exhibition is located at the Small Room of Gateway Gallery in Araneta City, Quezon City.

Nihongo Fiesta 2026 set for the end of February

THE Japan Foundation, Manila is slated to put up Nihongo Fiesta 2026 on Feb. 28 at Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City. This annual event offers the public an opportunity to experience and appreciate the Japanese language, arts, and culture through a variety of engaging activities. A highlight will be the Nihongo Speech Contest, featuring seven presenters from across the Philippines who will share their heartfelt messages with the audience. It will be followed by the 3rd Kobanashi Festival, which includes a rakugo (storytelling) performance by Master Ryūtei Saryū and a demonstration with remarks from Associate Professor Yonemoto Kazuhiro of Tokyo Gakugei University. Festivities will conclude with cultural performances of toramai (tiger dance) and shishiodori (deer dance), two distinct but related dances from Japan’s Tohoku region performed to pray for peace, ward off evil spirits, and ensure bountiful harvests.

Exhibit highlights toys, paintings centered on urbanization

EMERGING visual artist Jadon Kilayko has returned to his surrealist background to examine the rapid urbanization everywhere in his solo exhibition SERO. It features a collection of his recent works — 10 art toys and 11 paintings of acrylic on canvas — all encapsulating observations of ongoing development both in cities and provinces. Born in 2004 with roots from Bacolod, the self-taught contemporary visual artist’s pieces revolve on pop surrealism infused with abstraction. The word “sero” comes from tapasero, the Hiligaynon and Ilonggo term for sugarcane cutters in Negros. The show is on view from Feb. 21 to March 7 at Ysobel Art Gallery on the 2nd Floor Shops at Serendra, 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

Sama-Bajau Weaving and Cultural Center opens in Basilan

THE Claret Samal Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, has opened the Sama-Bajau Weaving and Cultural Center in Sitio Teheman, Maluso, Basilan. It is a community space designed to empower Sama-Bajau women weavers, strengthen sustainable livelihoods, and safeguard the community’s rich cultural heritage. There, weavers can prepare materials and create, showcase, and sell their traditional pandan-woven crafts known as tepo. It was conceived in response to long-standing challenges faced by families in the community, like poverty, limited access to resources, and restricted market opportunities. The new center directly addresses these needs by providing dedicated spaces for weaving, product development, exhibitions, and retail. Conveniently accessible from the main highway and the Maluso town center, the Sama-Bajau Weaving and Cultural Center is open every Monday to Friday from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Philippine classic Noli Me Tangere set for Arabic translation

THE National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, and the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad have signed a memorandum of agreement for the Noli Me Tangere Modern Standard Arabic Translation Project. The project seeks to make Dr. José Rizal’s classic 1887 novel accessible to Arabic-speaking audiences. Originally written in Spanish, Noli Me Tangere is widely regarded as a foundational work of Philippine literature and nationalism, portraying the social injustices experienced by Filipinos during the Spanish colonial period.