Cecile Licad returns in September

Celebrated worldwide as one of the finest pianists of her generation, Cecile Licad returns to the Manila Metropolitan Theater for a landmark concert with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) under the baton of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak on Wednesday, 24 September, at 6:30 p.m.

Licad will perform live the two concertos from her award-winning recordings of Chopin and Saint-Saëns with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under André Previn. Her recording of Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 won the Grand Prix du Disque from the Chopin Society of Warsaw.

Presented by Rustan’s, The Pianist’s Pianist stands as both a tribute to Filipino excellence in the arts and a continuation of the late Zenaida ‘Nedy’ Tantoco’s enduring vision to champion culture and music. Carrying forward her vision, Anton T. Huang, president and CEO of Rustan’s and SSI Group, and chairman of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society, Inc. (PPOSI), leads the initiative as a meaningful fundraiser for the PPO’s continued excellence.

Joining Rustan’s as sponsors are Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Megaworld Corporation, Philippine Airlines (PAL) as the Official Airline Partner, Rustan Coffee Corporation and Sta. Elena Construction & Development Corporation — coming together in support of Philippine music and artistry.

Licad, hailed as a once-in-a-century talent and lauded as “a pianist’s pianist” by The New Yorker, first stunned Manila audiences at age nine under the baton of Filipino composer, conductor and teacher Antonino Buenaventura, who declared, “A talent like her comes only once in 100 years.”

She went on to make history as the first Filipina to win the prestigious Leventritt Gold Medal in 1981, joining the ranks of piano legends Van Cliburn and Gary Graffman. Her artistry has since earned her the Presidential Medal of Merit (1991), and the Pamana ng Lahi Award (2016).

Most recently, her Carnegie Hall recital in December 2024 drew glowing reviews. “This was the kind of performance that was less about pianistic display than about ideas and meaning,” wrote George Grella of the New York Classical Review, praising Licad’s rare ability to combine virtuosity with deep musical insight.

For her September concerto at the Metropolitan Theater, Cecile Licad will interpret Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22, with the PPO. With her unparalleled artistry and emotional depth, Cecile Licad promises an unforgettable evening — one that both honors the Filipino spirit and celebrates the universal language of music.

Tickets are now available through Lulu Casas (0917 570 8301) or Nancy Sones (0994 715 6582) and at Ticketmelon https://www.ticketmelon.com/rustans/cecile-licad-concert/