Opera in the 19th Century

- Filipino opera emerged in the Philippines when foreign performers, including

instrumental virtuosi, as well as opera singers and Spanish zarzuela performers came to
the country to perform for enthusiastic audiences.

Opera
- An art and music form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text
(called a libretto) and a musical score.
- It is accompanied by an orchestra or smaller musical ensemble.
- The dialogue is entirely sung and not spoken.

Theather
- Zorrilla Theater, 1817-1893
- Principe Alfonso Theatre (1862-1876)
- Variedades Theatre (1847)
- Quiapo theaters
- Manila Grand Opera House
- Metropolitan Theater

Early Philippines Opera

- "Sandugong Panaginip" by Ladislao Bonus, "Father of Philippine Opera," said to be the FIRST
FILIPINO OPERA by Pedro Paterno, (poet, novelist, musician, and government official,La
Alianza Soñada).
- Zorilla Theater on August 2, 1902.
- Englishman M.W. Loving = "The Dreamed Alliance."

- Bonifacio Abdon, first Filipino Opera Conductor

- Dr. Ramon Javier, first Filipino Impresario
- Patricio Mariano, "Lakangbini" - Metropolitan Theater December 19, 1933.

Popular Singers
- Nelia Manalo as Violetta in La Traviata
- Mercedes Matias Santiago as Lucia in Lucia di Lamemoor
- Jovita Fuentes as Mimi in La Boheme

CCP
- First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos in 1969 paved the way for other Filipino operas to be
staged at a legitimate venue of international standard.
- Felipe Padilla de Leon, composed Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, presented at the
CCP Main Theater in 1970 and 1975.

Famous Filipino Operas

- "La Loba Negra" - The Black She-Wolf, a three-act Filipino Opera, music composed by
Francisco Feliciano with libretto by soprano Fides Cuyugan Asensio.

- "Noli Me Tangere" - The three-act opera composed by National Artist Felipe Padilla de Leon,
with libretto by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino. 1957 FEU Auditorium.

- "El Filibusterismo" - four years after Noli Me Tangere.Three acts, written in Tagalog (with
Libretto by Anthony Morli).
Ballet In The Philippines
- The Filipino ballet presents folktales based on local fables and epics from neighboring regions.

-"Lola Basyang" - A ballet adaptation of Severino Reyes’ folktales Mga Kuwento ni Lola
Basyang. Meant to instill and rekindle the interest of the Filipino youth in the beauty, richness,
and heritage of Philippine literature.

- "Rama Hari" - Translated as King Rama, is the Philippine adaptation of the Indian epic
Ramayana set to music, dance, and drama.

Musical Plays In The Philippines

- In the Philippines, the musical play relies mostly on adaptations from novels, literary works, or
biographical sketches of famous artists.

Musical Play
- Musical play is a lighter form than opera. Themes are usually contemporary. Acting is less
intense and dramatic.

Broadway Musicals
- "Showboat" was the first Broadway musical which featured the popular mode of transport in
the American frontier.

Andres Bonifacio: Ang Dakilang Anak-Pawis

- It is a five-act work commissioned by Alfonso Puyat in 1979, depicting the life of revolutionary
hero Andres Bonifacio. Music was by Jerry Dadap.

Atang: Dulang May Musika

- It is a musical based on the life of the first superstar of the Philippines, Atang Dela Rama,
written by Floy Quintos and directed by Alexander Cortes, was shown at UP Diliman in 2008 as
part of the Zarzuela Festival organized by the UP College of Arts and Letters.

Florente At Laura
- It was presented in celebration of the 200th birth anniversary of the author Francisco Balagtas
Baltazar.

Magsimula Ka
- It is the story of young dreamers whose ambitions begin to fade in life’s realities. They are part
of the graduating class filled with hope but end up compromising their idealism for their own
survival, by Gines Tan, staged at the CCP Main Theater from April 7 to 24, 1988, one of the
longest-running musicals at the CCP.