Uso pa ba ang Harana – are serenades still in style?
Yes they are, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
I’ve hinted at a very busy week coming up, and no kidding. This is one of the things I’ve been occupied with, aside from my teaching jobs. My hands are very full but I am thankful for the work, especially for something I’m very passionate about.
Don’t let the ad fool you into thinking this is going to be just another cultural event. The songs showcased in ‘Harana’ might have been done over a thousand times over, but Philippine Opera Company, in their thrust to take opera to the next level, gives it a whole new spin. Fans and familiars of Filipino music old and new will find something to hum along to, be it the tribal or folk songs, or the contemporary classics. As someone who is familiar with more than a song or two in their program, trust me when I say this is one of the best arrangements I’ve heard of them. I especially love the Muslim suite and their covers of Freddie Aguilar’s ‘Anak’ and Basil Valdez’s ‘Nais Ko’.
No blog entry can do them justice, they really have to been seen and heard to be believed.
For those wondering what part I have in all this, I’m their tech baby, pushing the usual buttons and/or chasing their lapels. It’s how I always (and very gladly) spend my summer vacation.
So for those in the Philippines, help support the local arts scene! Watch ‘Harana’! For those outside of the Philippines, you can catch them in Amsterdam from June 8-15.
HARANA runs from MAY 28-30, 2009, 8pm at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in RCBC Tower, Makati. Ring up for tickets at 8928786 or Ticketworld at 8919999.
Pictures taken by Jojit Lorenzo, borrowed from Ana Feleo.
I'm looking for my missing piece
The best kinds of literature, or art for that matter, are the kinds that have so much more to say as time goes by.
I read ‘The Missing Piece’ by Shel Silverstein to my students today. It was cute enough for them, but they were puzzled by the message. “Why did it let the piece go when it found it? Why can’t it make up its mind?” They asked.
Not wanting to complicate their world just yet, I only smiled and just translated that to a broader idea, “What are things that make you feel complete? Have you found your missing piece? Or are you looking for it?”
For those unfamiliar with the book, there is a youtube vid that ‘animated’ the book to some pretty cheesy music. But you can just mute it and watch the video – the story and words are strong enough to stand on it’s own.
So for those who feel incomplete – in life, in love, or who just keep rolling along, pick up the book or watch the vid below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=744JBwjrlKk]
I’m looking for my missing piece
The best kinds of literature, or art for that matter, are the kinds that have so much more to say as time goes by.
I read ‘The Missing Piece’ by Shel Silverstein to my students today. It was cute enough for them, but they were puzzled by the message. “Why did it let the piece go when it found it? Why can’t it make up its mind?” They asked.
Not wanting to complicate their world just yet, I only smiled and just translated that to a broader idea, “What are things that make you feel complete? Have you found your missing piece? Or are you looking for it?”
For those unfamiliar with the book, there is a youtube vid that ‘animated’ the book to some pretty cheesy music. But you can just mute it and watch the video – the story and words are strong enough to stand on it’s own.
So for those who feel incomplete – in life, in love, or who just keep rolling along, pick up the book or watch the vid below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=744JBwjrlKk]
A moment of noise, please
Yes, I know. It’s almost been a month. No excuses: my priorities shifted and it also takes a lot out of me to make a more coherent public entry. The continuation of my night out with the Top Chefs will follow, in time. Not right now, maybe not for a very long time, but in time, definitely!
To make the most out of your time here, here’s some mindcandy:
Persona!
I am baffled and amused by how easily I can compartmentalize online. I have this wordpress for the sake of having an online writing portfolio, but I also have a locked blog for my more personal thoughts. I’ve also taken measures to have different social network pages, which is pretty tough to maintain as I work in circles that are tight-knit, personally and professionally. I’m a little embarrassed about asking them to add a colder, no-nonsense online profile when some of them have already seen me at my silliest. This is for the benefit of the jobs I hold that aren’t as tight though, and I do think of the children.
An active online presence has also proven to further complicate things. A “complicated” marital status adds a new dimension to the rise and fall of relationships. As someone once said, it really isn’t over until Facebook says so. If you’re online long enough, you’ll have to tinker with messenger settings, social network profiles, filtered blog entries, and all the rest. And heaven help your next few public entries, you can say no right or wrong. Even if you end up blogging about something as insignificant as cheese or water.
Thank God for Work
I was called in as a last-minute usher for 9Works’ production of Songs for a New World. I loved working with the people of 9Works Again, even if I was only posted at the front of house. After a good run, we celebrated the show’s closing with a cast party at Pontis and some Rock Band 2.
I have been juggling classes between my ESL program and the Creative Writing program, and I’m working on an upcoming production with Philippine Opera Company. Also, watch out for the next issue of Playground magazine for my feature article on XBX Katipunan!
The Filipino Takeover with Food: Take 1 of 2
When Neil Gaiman first toured the Philippines, I gave him his first swig of calamansi juice. Seeing the effect it had on him and his fandom, I theorized that Filipinos will slowly but surely take over the world with food.
My next chance to prove this came in the form of the AyalaMall event, Top Chefs in Manila. Top Chef season 2 champion, Ilan Hall, and season 4 favorite Dale Talde gave cooking demos at different malls around Metro Manila and got a little R&R in Boracay.
I had missed their first two demos days due to schedule conflicts, and was about to accept the fact that I might not be able to see them in action. Then one of the organizer’s invited me to their send-off, so I knew I had to show up for at least one demo. I trekked all the way to Alabang Town Center to see them in action, and was not disappointed.
The cooking demo was set up ala Iron Chef more than Top Chef, with a theme ingredient that the chefs were free to work around. Dale Talde made a beef barbecue sauce out of soy sauce, rock candy, and dried mango and served it up with a hearty salad and a spin on the halo-halo. llan Hall made beef with local chili leaves and tamarind, served up with a salad and fried bay leaves for dessert.
I was able to ask them during the open forum if I could get a copy of their recipes, but they said that I’d have to wait until the cookbook of their tours come out.
The food smelled great, but since I was in the general admission area, I wasn’t able to taste it. Arg!
How were they? As if the mouth-watering testimony didn’t say enough? They were both easy to talk to, had a keen eye for ingredients, and Ilan is as playful in real life as he was on the show.
I was more disappointed in the audience that afternoon, but must be because of my age. I’m still young and have enough lungs to cheer the chefs on, and in my head they weren’t just chefs, they were reality TV stars. An “OHMYGODILAAAAAN” would be in order.
But being the twenty-something surrounded by the adult housewives and oldbies, I felt a little silly at whooping through key parts of the show. It didn’t help that I was next to Ye Olde Miss Live-DVD commentary for the Hearing Impaired.
“Yeah you are too young for that audience,” My Mum mused when I told her about it. “But you know? They need types like you.”
Funny enough, all that energy in the demo, didn’t quite come out when I attended their send-off…
To be continued!