Three-day Performatura festival focuses on Philippine literature
A THREE-DAY literature festival filled with performances and activities will be open — free — to public at the end of the month
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents Performatura 2017: Performance Literature Festival on March 31 to April 2, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., in various venues around Metro Manila. There will be poetry readings, cultural performances, film showings, marathon readings, a book fair, and interviews with renowned artists and writers.
The festival will be bringing together performers, writers, actors, filmmakers, singers, spoken word artists, and dancers in celebration of Philippine arts and literature.
The name “Performatura” combines the words “performance” and “orature,” or oral literature. “Orature” itself was coined by Ugandan linguist Pio Zirimu who wanted to raise oral literature to the level of written literature.
National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chair Virgilio “Rio Alma” Almario will be gracing the opening ceremonies on March 31, 9 a.m., at the CCP Little Theater. On the same day, at 2 p.m., veteran film actress Nora Aunor will give an intimate into look into her practice as an actress at the MKP Hall of the CCP Main Building.
This will be followed by an opening show with guest National Artist F. Sionil Jose on April 1, 9 a.m., at the CCP Promenade.
Scriptwriter Ricky Lee will have a separate session to talk about his craft at Sev’s Café on April 2. Filmmakers Sari Dalena, Giancarlo Abrahan, and Jim Libiran will have lectures titled Peliteratura at 2 p.m. from March 31 to April 2.
Traditional music ensembles Kontra-GaPi and Sanghabi will perform music highlighting indigenous instruments on March 31, 9 a.m., while Filipino folk rock singer Heber Bartolome will perform in Park Poetry @ Sev’s Cafe on April 2.
LIT IN THE MARGINS
In a press release, festival director Victor Emmanuel Carlo “Vim” D. Nadera, Jr. noted that Performatura 2017 will not anchor itself solely on the presence of the popular artists. The festival, he said, is a great opportunity for other artists to capture an audience for their art.
“Not everyone can say they have performed at the CCP. It’s a privilege that National Artists and our best craftspersons share. Now, it is an honor we are giving to those who are practicing both new and ancient forms of performance literature in the margins,” he was quoted as saying in the release. “Filipinos may not have heard of them, but their work is just as important.”
Among the traditional performers who will be sharing the Performatura limelight are the T’boli chanters from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato; the Raji performers from Itbayat, Batanes; and Balitaw performers from Cebu.
Up-and-coming spoken word and performance artists like Juan Miguel Severo, Abra, Binibining Beats of Zamboanga, Tupada Action and Media Arts, and Nerisa Guevara are also joining the festival.
BALAGTAS TRIBUTE
Performatura 2017’s theme, “Sa Loob at Labas ng Bayan Kong Sawi” (Within and Without My Sorrowful Country) came from Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar’s masterpiece Florante at Laura.
A Balagtas tribute will be held on April 2, 7 a.m., at the Balagtas Shrine in Pandacan, Manila, to be headed by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, CCP officials, and Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) Director General Roberto Añonuevo. The Pandacan-based Teatro Balagtas and KWF’s Makata ng Taon winners will perform at the ceremony.
This year’s festival will also highlight the great poet’s works through a number of activities including a marathon reading of La India Elegante y el Negrito Amante by children from the Dagdag Dunong Reading Center; a performance of Orosman at Zafira by the Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books Club; and the braille reading of Florante at Laura by students from the Philippine National School for the Blind.
Keeping up the times, there will be a cosplay competition titled Franciscosplay where participants will dress up as Florante at Laura characters and recite at least three stanzas of the character they are portraying.
Although the Performature performances are free, audience members are requested to donate a book as the price for admission. These books will be given to the CCP’s partner libraries.
For details and the complete schedule of events, visit the CCP Intertextual Division Facebook page or contact Markus Aserit at ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com, 551-5959 or 0919-317-5708. —