If Fiesta! is the benchmark of the series of forthcoming “Forte” performances for the 40th concert season of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), then the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has an absolute winner in its hands! And the crowds of discerning audiences will certainly be enthralled.
Filled with outgoing greetings, familiar shrieks, and continued chitchats, the Samsung Performing Arts Theater fell into a complete hush upon entry to the venue, as everyone sat in anticipation for the program to commence.
We flipped over the pamphlet and read the messages of CCP president Kaye Tinga and vice-president and artistic director Dennis Marasigan, which roused my spirits as they set the goal of the “Forte” series—to take individuals on a profound journey of life’s emotional spectrum—and I’m certain many attendees felt the same.
The night began under the baton of the highly-lauded PPO conductor Grzegorz Nowak, and before we knew it, they were in full swing! The music makers always outdo themselves, with each and every iteration. We quickly noticed the stage was filled to capacity — never seen it this packed. A seatmate commented she has not seen so many musicians on the spotlight together, even with two harpists in the roster, when most times orchestras don’t even have one!
The guest concertmaster and artist-in-residence Diomedes Saraza Jr. led PPO’s first composer-in-residence program for the 2024-2025 season with Jeffrey Ching’s Fiesta Contrapuntistica, his very own 12-minute composition which discusses the opening motives of the Philippine National Anthem. Ching has composed over 300 works, plus five symphonies and three operas. Among his many accolades include The Outstanding Young Men and Jose Rizal Award for Excellence from Malacañang.
Saraza has been winning awards since he was 12 years old. Since then, he has received numerous awards and fellowships from various foundations. He was even a full scholar at Yale University for a Master of Musical Arts degree!
Shlomo Mintz, the featured artist of the evening, considered as one of the foremost violinists of our time, soon followed.
The virtuoso performed a masterful rendition of Violin Concerto no.1 op.26, G minor by Max Bruch, one of the most beloved works in the violin repertoire. The piece had three movements: Allegro moderato, Adagio, and Allegro energetico. He played his heart out, as he knows Bruch by heart and remains one of his favorites. It was as if the artist and violinist were one.
Once done, there was a clamor for more. And thus, he brought the house down with Paganini Caprice No 24, a notoriously challenging number, considered as one of the most difficult pieces ever written for the solo violin.
Due to the moving display of skill, I certainly felt the audience wanted to applaud in the middle of it all but protocol and proper decorum prevailed.
Famous for his versatile style and a technique to be awed at, Mintz is a multi-awarded musician from international organizations. He has collaborated with orchestras worldwide, to include the Royal Philharmonic of the United Kingdom, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony, and even the Russian National Orchestras.
After a brief intermission, the PPO and Saraza took to the stage for a stellar execution of Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, op. 40, a somewhat autobiographical piece.
The barometer of the whole evening: the audience responses. One word: resounding.
Forte’s Concert II: Triumph is set for 15 November, featuring celloist Sarah Sant’Ambrogio. Suffice to say, we simply cannot wait.