Philippine theater gets funding support from ‘Music, Movies, Magic’

Gracing the presscon launching the ‘Music, Movies, Magic’ fundraiser are (standing, from left) Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc (PPOSI) vice president Nes Jardin, chairman Anton Huang, Dio Saraza Jr., and ‘Music, Movies, Magic’ director Alex Cortez. Seated are (from left) PPOSI president Margie Moran Floirendo, CCP president Kaye Tinga and Camille Lopez-Molina.

Charmie Joy Pagulong - The Philippine Star 

MANILA, Philippines — Funding is the “greatest challenge” that the theater landscape is facing today, according to Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc. (PPOSI) president Margie Moran Floirendo.

“It’s always funding,” Floirendo remarked during the “Music, Movies, Magic” presscon. Slated on Nov. 22 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City, the fundraising show is presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the PPOSI.

“In the case of the CCP, our building is not yet finished. It’s still under construction and we need more funding to finish it. And so, we need help, of course, from the government and the private sector to finish it,” she continued.

“And then also, I speak about other theaters in the country that are funded by LGUs (local government units). They also need more funding to maintain (them) and to have content so that performers can perform in those theaters as well.”

Floirendo also stressed the importance of audience education. “Because we’re losing the young generation to watch theater. One, because in the past, I remember that the Department of Education (DepEd) would send students and pay for their tickets and fill up our theaters. There’s so many restrictions now with DepEd. So, that doesn’t happen anymore. So, they come on their own, with their parents. But you don’t see the masses of students watching the performances,” she explained.

“And then also, marketing budgets,” she pointed out. “We need to announce what’s happening. Many people don’t realize there are good shows in Quezon City or in Pasay or in Makati. So, things like that, aside from traffic.”

Amidst such challenges, the country still has a lot of talents to offer here and abroad, cited Floirendo. “If you watch the PPO, there were 100 musicians on stage. It was really a delight to watch them. Those performing in ‘Music, Movies, Magic’ are top performers as well. So, there are a lot of talents in the state and the country. And you have a lot of talents in the world who are performing.”

Kaye Tinga, president of CCP, echoed Floirendo, stating: “As a lot of you might know, PPO (Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra) is actually the resident orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. And like Margie was saying, the problem is funding. And as a government institution, we’re always lacking funds.

“And we would like to grow our orchestra. Presently, we have 40 regular players. We would like to grow it to 70. And this production will go a long way in helping us raise funds, provide instruments to make sure that we have the PPO that the Philippines deserves.”

Moreover, the “Music, Movies, Magic” show will transport audiences to worlds created by iconic songs and melodies that have defined many timeless films cherished throughout generations and will also feature both international and local hits.

The event will highlight Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus Overture, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations: IX to be performed by PPO; Umberto Giordano’s La Mamma Morta to be staged by opera singer Camille Lopez-Molina; Jules Massenet’s Thaïs: Meditation to be mounted by concert violinist Diomedes Saraza Jr.; and Mozart’s The Magic Flute: Queen of the Night to be played by award-winning soprano Lara Maigue.

The other performers also include Arman Ferrer, Cris Villonco, Jonathan Velasco, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Philippine Madrigal Singers, among others. The show’s music director and conductor is Gerard Salonga with Alexander Cortez as the director.

The “Music, Movies, Magic” aims to support the growth and development of the PPO and its various initiatives, including the training and development of orchestra members, the promotion of international performances, and the expansion of outreach programs to build a supportive national audience. It is made possible by SSI Group, Inc., LCS Group of Companies, Sta. Elena Construction & Development Corporation, Megaworld Corporation, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Rustan Coffee Corporation, and San Miguel Corporation.

(Tickets start at P8,000 for Orchestra Center seats; P6,000 for Orchestra Side; P4,000 for Loge Center; P3,000 for Loge Side; P2,000 for Balcony 1; and P500 for Balcony 2. Secure your spot via TicketWorld at ticketworld.com.ph or 0917-5506997, the CCP TIG Box Office (0931-0330880), or through Lulu Casas (0917-5708301).

Nine actors who learned to play a musical instrument for films ...

... and one who definitely didn’t!

Ryan Gosling in La La Land. Picture: Rex

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

Among the annals of actors who have made uncomfortable attempts to mime playing an instrument (we’re looking at you, Jeremy Irons), here are a few who did it for themselves…

1. Ryan Gosling – La La Land

   It’s a huge compliment to Gosling that most people assume his piano close-ups were played by a jazz double – but it was all him.
   He said: “I had to play ‘City of Stars’ for six months, for hours every day. It’s a lot of time alone, and you become a bit anti-social. Every time I tried to have a conversation with someone during that rehearsal period, I felt like Bambi on ice.”

2. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon – Walk the Line

   Joaquin and Reese's performance as country-singing duo Johnny Cash and June Carter was ridiculously impressive. Trained by Roger Love, the actors were rumoured to have nearly quit over the difficulty of learning to sing and play the guitar at the same time. But just watch them together in ‘Time’s a Wastin’’ – their musicality is perfect, and their chemistry? Through the roof.

3. Adrien Brody – The Pianist

   To prepare for his role as Chopin virtuoso Szpilman, Roman Polanski forced Adrien Brody to practise piano for a gruelling four hours a day. Plus, in order to truly inhabit a man who had lost everything, Brody also left his girlfriend, gave up his apartment, sold his car, starved himself and lived in solitary confinement in Europe. Yay acting!
   It all (sort of) paid off in 2003, when Brody became the youngest person to win an Oscar for Best actor in a leading role. Here he is, playing Chopin’s beautiful Ballade in G minor with no dubbing whatsoever:

4. Matt Damon and Jude Law – The Talented Mr Ripley

   Damon and Law learned to play piano and saxophone respectively to create this memorable jazz club scene. However, although Damon’s piano training enabled him to play all the proper fingering, the music we hear is actually played by pianist Sally Heath and Gabriel Yared, who composed The Talented Mr Ripley soundtrack.

5. Robert Downey Jr – Chaplin

   To channel Charlie Chaplin, the silent film legend who always carried his violin with him, Downey Jr learned to play the violin (and tennis, for that matter) with his left hand – just as Chaplin did. 10/10 for effort.

6. Bill Murray – Groundhog Day

   Despite using a double for the close-ups, Bill Murray learned just enough piano to play some of Rachmaninov’s ‘Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini’. Some of the miming looks a tad questionable, but in the wider shots, it was apparently all Bill.

7. Hugh Grant – About a Boy

   Grant had guitar lessons from British composer Paul Englishby to create this cringey scene from About a Boy. Sure, the actor’s playing and singing are musically questionable, but we want this scene to be horribly awkward – and that’s exactly what Grant gives us.

8. Rachel Weisz – The Brothers Bloom

   Weisz’s role in The Brothers Bloom required her to play accordion, violin, guitar and banjo in the space of 10 seconds – so she had lessons in all four instruments. It isn’t totally clear whether the music we hear in the film is actually played by Weisz, but the accuracy of her fingering certainly gives a good impression of it.

9. Nicholas Cage – Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

   Before Paul Englishby taught guitar to Hugh Grant, he was busy making sure Nicholas Cage’s mandolin skills were in ship-shape for Captain Corelli’s Mandolin.
   “Cage actually played it and there is lots of footage of him doing that. It was incredible,” said Englishby. “He really is very talented. Nicolas used to go away for the weekend. He had a private jet and one weekend he asked me to go to Venice with him so he could have his music lessons.”

But not all actors have braved the real deal…

Christopher Walken – A Late Quartet

Despite his loveability, there’s no way Walken could have passed off this illogical bowing action as authentic. We’d suggest a direct line to Yo-Yo Ma for the sequel…

The Romantic Piano Battle, by Edoardo Brotto

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