Philharmonic Orchestra to kick off 14th Bacolaodiat Festival on Feb. 1

THE Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra will kick off the 14th Bacolaodiat Festival, Bacolod City’s celebration of the Chinese New Year, with a free open-air concert at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds on February 1 at 7 p.m.

The al fresco concert is a partnership between the Bacolaodiat Festival Inc. and the City Government of Bacolod.

This year’s Bacolaodiat Festival will be held on February 1 to 4 at the BCGC grounds - the main site of the festival.

Before its February 1 concert, the 80-man Philharmonic Orchestra will also hold a concert at the SMX Convention Center on January 31.

The Philharmonic Orchestra, that celebrated its 45th anniversary recently, makes Bacolod as one of their concert venues for their 36th season under Maestro Yoshikazu Fukumura and associate conductor Herminigildo Ranera.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said: “Bacolod has to grow in all aspects, including culture.

“It will boost our efforts to revive our people’s interest in the performing arts,” he added.

Councilor Em Ang, project manager of the concert, said they started meeting with CCP president Arsenio Lizaso and other CCP officials since last year to make sure that the Bacolod concert is included in the 2019 concert calendar of the Philharmonic Orchestra./ PR