An Opera composed by a Filipino? Staged in a casino amphitheater?
Yet despite its unlikely flavors, NOLI ME TANGERE THE OPERA, restaged in the Newport Theatre of Resorts World turned out to be a poignant and pleasant surprise, an experience no Filipino should miss, and a musical adventure that, to borrow the lines of John Legend, was "perfect in its imperfections"!
It is definitely a gentle way to introduce one to opera...the libretto was translated into English and projected atop the exquisite, Art Deco proscenium that framed the stage; the length of the opera was manageable at a little over two hours; the language was comprehensible, almost conversational Pilipino; the orchestra was quite professional yet unobtrusive.
There was just a hint of the basic melody that permeated the acts, though it was not an unforgettable, unmistakable line of music. The production design was sparse yet efficient...with little touches of authentic brilliance, such as the headdresses worn by the ladies, and the antique ivory cross encased in glass. The costume design by Jerry Sibal for the ladies was headturning...though the men's outfits were a little bland. The direction of Freddie Santos was inspired in its simplicity of blocking and effective use of otherwise sparse props and limited stage space. The sound design was outstanding, with the voices projected so well, neither being drowned out by nor drowning out the orchestra which was competently conducted by Maestro Rodel Colmenar.
But the voices...oh the voices...were alternately magnificent, alternately spellbinding, alternately lyrical! From the voice of the child who stood at attention and sang the national anthem as though in a rapture, to the masterful and haunting tones of the alternate cast, to the stirring choruses of the ensemble, to the voice of the other child who sang a pitiful dirge as his mother Sisa lay dying...the quality of the voices was uniformly and consistently clear, full, and unforgettable.
Some voices deserve special mention:
Myramae Meneses as Maria Clara was youthful and beautiful of face, and sang like a nightingale, a perfect representation of the virginal Maria Clara. Ivan Nery has a most amiable voice...and pleasant face, yet one feels that Crisostomo Ibarra should probably have been more dashing and elegant? Jonathan Velasco's Padre Damaso, Methuselah in friar's robes, was a most convincing and menacing baritone! But the star of this show was most assuredly Sisa, the hapless woman who lost her mind and then her life, when she thought she lost her sons...and her honor. Jean Judith Javier's Sisa started out unremarkably, but evolved into a tragic heroine whose plight evoked compassion. When she sang no words but only notes as she slowly but surely went out of her mind, one realizes that the best instrument in the world is still the human voice.
Perhaps the most dramatic realization of the performance lay in the rich tapestry of metaphors that made this satire of nineteenth century such a compelling portrait of an infant country ready to explode from its colonial cocoon and claim its rightful sovereignty to rule and fend for itself, and be master of its own destiny. This thinly disguised work of fiction proved to be a revealing narrative of the hypocrisy of a nearly theocratic rule. This turn of the century work proved to be just as current and as contemporary as a soap opera with its twists of plots and turns of fate of its characters!
Like the other classical operas of music lore, Noli Me Tangere was in its simplest form a love story, with a twist for its ending. Like other classical operas, it is a showcase for the beauty of the human voice as truly THE most exquisite sound ever made by God. Like other classical operas, the acting was secondary to the emotion in and projection of the voice.
All told, it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon steeped in music and art in a country where culture is suffering a drought of sorts.
It was a proud moment to love music, and be Filipino...and it was remarkable that a book entitled Touch Me Not would so unerringly touch the heart of this proud Filipina.
