GROUP 2

Philippine Opera
PHILIPPINE OPERA
• Opera is part of the Western classical
music form and tradition. It started in Italy
at the end of the 16th century and soon
spread throughout the rest of Europe.
While English, French, and Italian opera
were being presented, it was the italian
opera that captured the creative
imagination of composers, librettists, and
singers alike.
.•
The opera is an art musical form in which
singers and musicians perform a dramatic
work combining text(called libretto) and a
musical score, usually in an elaborate
theatrical setting. It incorporates many of
the elements of spoken theater, such as
acting, scenery, costumes, and sometimes
dance. The performances is typically given
in an opera house, cultural center, theater,
or auditorium. It is accompanied by an
orchestra or smaller musical ensemble,
and the dialogue is entirely sung and not
spoken.
• The emergence of the
Filipino opera started
during the middle part
of the 19th century.
Foreign performers,
including instrumental
virtuosi, as well as
opera singers and
Spanish zarzuela
performers came to ZORRILLA THEATER
the country to perform
for enthusiastic
audiences.
 • As the locals were being
exposed to Western art
and music, they were
also realizing their own
talents and passion for
the opera. That period in
Philippine history was
ripe for artist to voice
their own sentiments
about love of country
MANILA GRAND OPERA HOUSE
and longing for
independence from
colonial rule.
.
• The element of tragedy, emanating from
the popular themes of romance, deceit,
murder, vendetta, and othe elements of
human frailty, became a favorite story
pattern of the Filipino opera. Some
operatic works were based on previous
literary creations, such as Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The tragic
endings and unresolved conflicts made
them excellent choices for an operatic
production.
Local Theaters and Early Philippine Operas
• Local theaters, including the Teatro Zorrilla
or Zorrilla Theatre, also known as the
Dulaang Zorrilla sa Maynila was a
prominent theatre in the Philippines,
Principe Alfonso, Variedades, Quiapo, and
Tondo Theaters,were the choices venues
for the mainly Italian operas that came to
the country, such as Lucia Di
Lammermour, La Boheme, La Traviala,
and Aida;Later, other opera venues were
established, led by the Manila Grand
Opera House and the Metropolitan
.

• The first Filipino opera is said to have

been Sandugong Panaginip by Pedro
Paterno, a poet, novelist, musici been
sandugoan, governmentand official. This
was first presented at the Zorrilla Theater
on august 2, 1902. It was later translated
by the Englishman M. W. Loving with the
title The Dreamed Alliance.
LA LOBA NEGRA
• La Loba Negra (The Black She-Wolf) is a
three-act Filipino opera.Act 1 and 2 are
based on history,while act 3 is based on a
legal attributed to Fr.Jose Burgos.One of
the three martyred priest,Gomez,Burgos
and Zamora who were executed in
Bagumbayan(now Luneta)in 1872.The
music was composed by National Artist
Francisco Feliciano with Liberitto by
soprano Fides Cuyugan Asensio.
 . .

• The premiere of La Loba Negra was

presented by the Cultural Center of the
Philippines in cooperation with the Asian
Institute for Liturgy and Music at the CCP
Main Theater from August 16 to 25,1984
with Lamberto Avellana as director.In a
second season in 1985 it was directed by
Peque Gallaga and Jorge V. Ledesma.
. .
• Production design by Don
Escudero,costume design by
National Artist Salvador
Bernal.Lightning design by Dennis
Marasigan and choreography by
Rene C. Hinojales.
Background of the Opera

• The story of La Loba Negra takes

place in the 17th century,during the
time of Spanish rule in the
Philippines.It revolves around the
tragic assassination of Spanish
Governor-General Fernando
Bustamante,whose administration
was greatly admired for its planned
reforms in the colonial administration.
. .

• As massive corruption and abuse by

the Spanish friars were prevalent,the
entry of Governor-General
Bustamante to institute reforms did
not sit well with the powerful
priest.Thus leading to his untimely
death.The story thus focuses on the
bitter reaction and planned revenge
by his wife Doña Luisa(La Loba
Negra)on the religious perpetrators.
Doña Luisa disguised
herself as La Loba
Negra(The Black She-
Wolf), commences her
revenge during the
elaborate ceremonies of
Palm Sunday.Together
with her sexually-abused
daughter,she
methodically slays the
friars she encounters.She
kills over 200 priest in a
span of two years.
. .

• Her infamous reputation spreads as

the religious clergy cower in
fear.Macatangay, who has also
become a rebel leader for different
cause of achieving independence
from Spain, joins forces with La Loba
Negra. they continue in their ritual
religious murders, singing the songs
O Poong Maykapal, Kayong Mga
Namumuno, and Hindi Na Malayo
Ang Araw.
NOLI ME TANGERE
• The three-act opera Noli Me Tangere was
composed by National Artist Felipe Padilla
de Leon, with libretto by National Artist
Guillermo Tolentino.It premiered in 1957 at
the Far Eastern University(FEU)
Auditorium.The cast included Juanita
Javier Torres as Maria Clara,Don David as
Ibarra,Fides Cuyugan Asensio as
Sisa,Milo Cristobal as Padre Damaso, and
Morli Daram as the director.
.
.
• Several other productions followed
the premiere performance. In 1987,
the Noli opera was re-staged at the
CCP Main Theater from September
18 to 20 in cooperation with the Music
Theatre Foundation of the
Philippines. Oscar C. Yatco
conducted the Philippine
Philharmonic Orchestra, and direction
was by Jonas Sebastian.
. • The cast major characters included Nolyn.
Cabahug and Sal Malaki alternating as
Ibarra, Andion Fernandez/Nanette
Moscardon-Maigue as Maria Clara,Fides
Cuyugan-Asensio/Luz Morete as
Sisa,Elmo Makil/Nomer Son as Elias, and
Nomer Son/Jonathan Velasco as Padre
Damaso.The production staff included
National Artist Salvador Bernal for Set and
Costume Design, Dennis Marasigan for
Lightning, and Sylvia Garcia-Nera for
Overall Production.
• The opera had its US production
premiere as Noli Me Tangere:The
Opera at Harris Theater in Chicago
on May 28, 2012. It was also staged
at The Kaye Playhouse, Hunter
College, New York City, USA in
October 2013, and at the Resorts
World in Manila in September 2014.
EL FILIBUSTERISMO
• The three-act opera El Filibusterismo was
composed by National Artist Felipe Padilla
de Leon in 1970, with libretto in Filipino by
Anthony Modi. The cast included Fides
Cuyugan Asensio as Paulita, Constancio
Bernardo as Simoun, and Irma Potenciano
as Juli. It was staged at the Cultural
Center of the Philippines.
The Novel Behind the Opera
• El Flibusterismo(The Filibusters) is a novel
by Dr. Jose Rizal, written as a sequel to
the earlier Noli Me Tangere. It tells the
continuing struggle of the Filipino people
to achieve freedom from Spanish rule.
Through the major characters involved,
the novel reflected the prevailing state of
the Philippine colonial government and
society that had become corrupt and
immoral.
.

• As a result, a revolution was seen as the

only hope for change. the novel was also
perceived as a warning from rizal, an
intellectual of the highest order. although
he favoreda peaceful way of instituting
reforms, the seemingly hopeless situation
to achieve this was pointing more and
more to armed rebellion as the only means
to gain independence.
The cast of El Filibusterismo, The Opera
•. Rizal considered this second novel as
more profound and mature than Noli Me
Tangere, revealling his less hopeful
outlook on the political and social situation
in the country. Written for the Filipinos and
not for the Spaniards, it was first
distributed to his friends in Europe.
However, the book was immediately
seized when it arrived in the Philippines.
.

• The Fili was later used as a major piece of

evidence in the subversion charges
against Rizal. Even after his death, it
became a source of inspiration for Filipino
revolutionaries that included Andres
Bonifacio.