2012: Music and Dance A partial view
(Second of two parts)
Ballet Manila, headed by artistic-director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and associate Osias Barroso, dominated the dance scene with Don Quixote, Giselle, Carmen, Alamat and Sinderela.
In these, Lisa conveyed superb technical skill and emotive artistry; the ensemble, unmatched precision, discipline and grace. Deservedly, Lisa was Aliw’s “entertainer of the year”.
With soprano Karla Gutierrez as artistic director, the Philippine Opera Co.’s “Ang Bagong Harana” fascinated music lovers with its innovative, imaginative, original program of Filipino songs – indeed “a musical journey” – that revealed our history, traditions and culture. In brief, our identity.
Other singers were Jack Salud, Nazer Salcedo, Charlene Magalit, Janine Santos, Lawrence Jatayna, Al Gatmaitan, Aizel Prietos, Marian Santiago and Marvin Gayramon. Youngster Anton Carlos was guest artist; Floy Quintos, director.
Stephen and Ruth Medel are both doctors of medicine yet their 17-year old son Lorenzo is a virtuoso pianist who has been amazing audiences playing fulllength concertos. His latest was Rachmaninoff’s challenging No. 2 in C Minor.
Caitlin Coyuito, brilliant teen-aged flutist who often performs with her eminent concert pianist mother Cristine, has done excellent work at Wellesley College. She has been invited to join the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra, as first flutist, and continues to make remarkable progress in her flute studies in school with Kathy Boyd and in private lessons with Linda Toole of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.