Q & A WITH DIREK JOSE JEFFREY CAMANAG AS HE FURTHER TALKS ABOUT "NOLI, THE OPERA"...

direk jeffrey in a casual interview

direk jeffrey directs

direk jeffrey teaches

direk jeffrey (middle): with other co-workers in "noli, the opera"

whole cast, staff and crew of "noli, the opera"

direk jeffrey with bro roeder

ROBERT: Direk Jeffrey,  what do you feel about the rerun of "NOLI, THE OPERA"? Does it excite you more than the Red Carpet premiere earlier this year?

DIREK JEFFREY:  For this re-run everyone in the production is excited including me. Because we feel that this gives us the opportunity to reach more youth and really create a positive experience for them. Positive experience that hopefully convinces them that Opera is indeed a worthy art form that they should support

ROBERT: With the great box-office success of "NOLI, THE OPERA", did it inspire you more to do more legitimate stage plays and further direct more stage plays soon, both as an actor and a director?

DIREK JEFFREY: Definitely! It was so inspiring to see how people really supported our production. Experiencing that made me want to do more productions that are really top quality and will make us proud to be Filipinos.

ROBERT: as I observed it, it seemed that your goodness as a theater director could be seen more when you do musicals and operas like "Noli, The Opera", wherein you are the co-director. What about staging soon an original musical production of "EL FILIBUSTERISMO", in which you regularly direct at GANTIMPALA THEATER FOUNDATION's classic plays every summer.

DIREK JEFFREY: Gantimpala's El Filibusterismo written by Jomar Fleras is indeed a powerful material if it will adapted into a musical. I wish that Gantimpala would consider to invest and allocate resources for this. Because I believe turning Gantimpala's El Fili into a musical will be an even more powerful avenue to make the youth understand even more the important and relevevant messages embedded in Jose Rizals Novel.

ROBERT:  Would you say that you share the same vision with your co-director at "Noli...", in person of Jerry Sibal- when it comes into bringing operatic songs and life to a classic novel by our National Hero?

DIREK JEFFREY:  Yes I do share the same vision. Noli Me Tangere, the Opera is a national treasure left to us by 2 great artists. Making the present generation experience the beauty and magnificence of this Opera is indeed a worthy project to pursue.

ROBERT: What can you say about the "rawness and freshness" of new aspiring theater actors nowadays. Will they be at par with our more mature and experienced theater actors? Just like in "NOLI...", you and direk Jerry Sibal opted to cast actors and actresses which were still raw and young.

DIREK JEFFREY: Young and budding actors are really inspiring to work with. There is a level of rawness that creates a sincerity that is so pure in their performance. I think if you provide young filipino performers a platform where they can showcase their talent we will discover a lot of diamonds in the rough. For there a really a lot talented young performing artists in the country.

ROBERT: You met an accident just a couple of months ago after the first run of "NOLI..." Would you agree with Sen. Tito Sotto saying that Filipinos are the most stupid drivers in the world?

DIREK JEFFREY: I believe it's not really stupidity but its indifference  among Filipino drivers that is the problem. Yung kawalan ng pakialam leads to recklessness.

ROBERT: What would be your other plans or suggestions to the people involved with "NOLI....", like, would there be some campus tours, provincial tours and international tours?

DIREK JEFFREY: Sir Jerry Sibal have lots of plan and I think scaling down the production into a touring prod is one of them. It will be very exciting to bring this production on a national tour

ROBERT: As a co-director of an OPERA that featured songs, ideas, libretto and lyrics of two great National Artists, would you say that it's one of the biggest challenges you ever took?

DIREK JEFFREY: Yes it was challenging for us to stage this opera. We need not only to be true to the 2 national artists intent but we also have to faithful to Jose Rizals message as well. When we mounted the opera it took us a lot of research and analysis. We tweaked the material and added transition scenes that would thread the opera into a more faithful adaptation of the book.

ROBERT: Will the medium of Opera ever be the same again after "NOLI, THE OPERA"?

DIREK JEFFREY: For the longest time Opera was considered as an art form appreciated only by a few. But Noli The Opera proved that a strong affinity to this art form can be built and encourage a strong following. Noli Me Tangere The Opera was able to have a full house occupancy of the Main Theater of The CCP

ROBERT: Last question: Will you also be among the cast of "Binondo:The Musical" rerun soon? If not, what would be your next project after "NOLI..."

DIREK JEFFREY: Sadly I am not partbof the Binondo The Musical re run. I auditioned for them and passed in the first run but due to conflict of schedule wasn't able to be part if the cast.


---end of interview----

(TICKET SALE ALERT: The smash-hit “Noli Me Tangere, The Opera” returns to the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) main theatre for a strictly limited engagement: June 21-June 23, 2019, at 2 p.m., and June 22, 2019, at 8 p.m.

Book your tickets today: J&S Productions Inc. 0915 593 4777, 0947 168 1714; CCP Box Office 02 832 3704/06, or TicketWorld 02 891 9999.

Ticket Prices: Orchestra Center/Parterre Box - P2,800; Orchestra Side/Lower Box - P2,300; Balcony 1 Center - P1,400; Balcony I Side/Upper Box - P1,200, and Balcony II Center & Side – P900

25% off for students and 20% off for seniors, PWDs, government employees, and the military. Pls present valid ID card.)