Triumph and thanksgiving with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
A night of stirring grandeur and deep musical gratitude unfolded as the PPO, under Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, joined forces with pianist Mark Bebbington to deliver a masterful program of Mozart, Beethoven and Mussorgsky that fully lived up to its title, ‘Triumph and Thanksgiving.’
THE PPO and Maestro Grzegorz Nowak for the ‘Versatile’ 41st concert season, ‘Concert VI: Triumph and Thanksgiving.’
A soft hum rose through the foyers of the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in the city of Makati, as if the walls themselves sensed another evening of mastery was soon to unfold. Eager guests streamed upward from the busy escalators and elevators, to find their ways into the auditorium where the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) — now deep into Versatile, its 41st concert season — more than prepared for Concert VI: Triumph and Thanksgiving.
At the theater, the musicians were unmistakably in concentration. Strings rehearsed brief passages. Percussionists checked their cues. Brass instruments glinted under the lights. All were in an unbreakable trance, paying absolutely no mind to the audience who slowly filled up the seats.
At the podium center stood Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, the PPO’s musical director and principal conductor, whose vast experience across Europe’s grand stages and seasoned command continue to elevate the orchestra’s own artistic stride. In perfect cue, the show began.
MAESTRO Grzegorz Nowak commands the orchestra.
The overture from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni commenced the concert — a dramatic beginning, its brooding chords immediately controlling the atmosphere. That sudden descent into darkness was followed by the pulse of its racing lines. The PPO expertly navigated through Mozart’s dual nature — whimsical and grim passages one after the other — with sharp clarity, swept the hall into its operatic world.
Then evening’s featured soloist, English pianist Mark Bebbington — who joined the PPO in several cities of their sold-out United Kingdom tour — stepped into the spotlight for Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, the Emperor. Admired internationally for his devotion to British piano music and his extensive catalogue of recordings, immediately commanded our attention. His first entrance — noble, unhurried, confident — set the tone for the Allegro. The orchestra was in constant dialogue with the pianist, each other matching the pace. In the Adagio un poco mosso, time seemed to slow down, before the Rondo Allegro reopened into a joyful burst. By the final chords, the attendees responded with an appreciative and enthusiastic applause.
