A night of world-class music lit up Antique as Senator Loren Legarda partnered with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to bring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) back to her home province for a special concert at the University of Antique Sibalom campus on Friday, 15 August.

“As the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra fills this space with world-class music, we celebrate something far deeper than notes and rhythms. It is an invitation for our people to celebrate, to dream, to remember that Antique is an important and colorful part of the Philippines,” Legarda said in her keynote message.

This marked the seventh time the PPO performed in Antique, following six earlier concerts: in Anini-y (1993 and March 2018), Tibiao (November 30, 2018), San Jose (December 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019), and Pandan (July 1, 2019).

Legarda also emphasized pride in Antique’s rich cultural identity:
“Ang muling pagtatanghal ng PPO ay isang paanyaya para sa ating mga kasimanwa na magdiwang, mangarap, alalahanin na ang ating lalawigan ay isang makulay at mahalagang bahagi ng bansang Pilipino… Naging huli man ang ating pag-usbong, taas noo nating ipagmalaki na hindi tayo mapag-iiwanan pagdating sa kagandahan at kaayusan ng kapaligaran, sa talento, at sa mayaman nating kultura at diwa bilang Antiqueño.”

The concert opened with the Ati community from Tobias Fornier performing the traditional “Tatay Miroy Karinyosa,” setting the stage for the two-part orchestral showcase under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera.

The first half featured Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, Anderson’s Serenata, Jenkins’ Palladio, and a special performance with cellist Giancarlo Gonzales in Morricone’s Sergio Leone Suite. The PPO also presented Ryan Cayabyab’s medley of Tagalog classics before shifting to Broadway hits from Miss Saigon, performed by tenor Arman Ferrer and singer-actress Shiela Valderrama.

After intermission, Valderrama sang Ikaw and Ferrer performed Corner of the Sky, leading into the second half that showcased film and stage scores from Harry Potter, Superman, Miss Saigon, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Mission: Impossible, capped with a medley of Filipino rock classics.

“Music is much like the stories of our kasimanwa, patiently shaped and nurtured through moments of hope and hardship, until it fully blooms into something precious that we can share with the world,” Legarda said.

“Tonight is a celebration of our heritage, our hopes, and the belief that every musical score played and every heart touched brings us closer together,” she added.