MULTIMEDIA FROMS

20TH AND 21ST CENTURY

PHILIPPINE OPERA

OPERA
 Is a dramatic story told through song
 .Considered as the most complete art form, combining all the elements of art; words, music,
drama and dance.
 OPERA HOUSE & Cultural Center of the Philippines

ORCHESTRA
 A group of musicians who play usually classical music together and who are led by a conductor.
BRIEF HISTORY OF OPERA
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OPERA-It started in Italy more than 400 years ago at the end of the 16 century and soon spread
throughout the rest of Europe.
PHILIPPINE OPERA-
 Started during the middle part of 19th century.
 First introduced in the Philippines in 1878 through the Zarzuela.

LOCAL THEATERS
THEATRO ZORILLA

 A prominent theatre in the philippines

 Also known as “Dulaang Zorilla” sa Maynila.
 The theater where the First Filipino Opera “Sandugong Panaginip” was presented
MANILA GRAND OPERA HOUSE

 The country’s most popular theater in the 1900’s.

METROPOLITAN THEATRE

 It is where “Lakambini” by Patricio Mariano was staged

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20TH AND 21ST CENTURY

NOTABLE PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHILIPPINE OPERA

BONIFACIO ABDON

 Fist Filipino opera conductor

 Composer, conductor, and violinist.
DR. RAMON JAVIER

 The first Filipino “IMPRESARIO” who promoted local talents to participate in foreign
productions.
IMPRESARIO

 A person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays, or operas, performing a role in stage
arts that is similar to that of a film or television producer.
IMELDA MARCOS

 Established the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1969.

CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES

 Paved the way for other operas to be staged at a legitimate venue of International Standard.
PHILIPPINE OPERAS
LA LOBA NEGRA
• Also known as “The Black She-Wolf”.
• A three-act Filipino Opera.
• Acts I and II are based on history.
• Act III is based on a legend attributed to Fr. Burgos, one of the three martyred priests.
• The music was composed by Francisco Feliciano (National Artist) with libretto by Soprano Fides.
• The premier was presented at CCP in cooperation with the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music
at the CCP Main Theater from August 16-25, 1984 with Lamberto Avellana as director.

BACKGROUND

• 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.
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• The story of La Loba Negra took place in the 17 century, during the time of Spanish
Rule in the Philippines.

NOLI ME TANGERE; THE OPERA

• A three-act opera
• Composed by National Artist Felipe de Leon, with libretto by National Artist Guillermo
Tolentino.
• Re-staged at CCP Main Theater from September 18-20 1987 in connection with the Music
Theatre Foundation of the Philippines.
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• Had it’s US production premiere as Noli Me Tangere: The Opera at Harris Theater in Chicago on
May 28, 2012.
• Also staged at the Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College, New York City, USA in October 2013.
• Also presented at the Resorts World Manila in September 2014.
THE NOVEL BEHIND THE OPERA

• The title of Rizal’s Novel Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) is said to have originated from the
Latin Version of the words from the Bible Verse John 20:17.
• It was spoken by Jesus to Mary Magdalene who recognized Him after His Resurrection,
reasoning to her “for I am not yet ascended to the Father”.
• The novel was written to expose ills of the Spanish Catholic friars and the ruling colonial
government and was completed in 1886.
• Rizal initially found it difficult to solicit moral and financial support for his novel from his friends
until Maximo Viola helped him with the printing which was done in Berlin, Germany.
• The book was banned in the Philippines by the Spanish authorities for its supposedly subversive
elements.
• This led to Rizal’s Exile, imprisonment and eventual execution.

EL FILIBUSTERISMO
• The three-act opera El Filibusterismo was composed by National Artist Felipe de Leon in 1970,
with libretto in Filipino by Anthony Morli.
• Staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

THE NOVEL BEHIND THE OPERA

• El Filibusterismo also known as The Filibuster 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.

• Reflects 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.
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20TH AND 21ST CENTURY