si direk jose jeffrey, ang DAAN NG KRUS, at ang NOLI ME TANGERE: THE OPERA (isang personal na sanaysay...)

DIREK JOSE JEFFREY: ONE SOUL, TWO DRAMATIC PLAYS

direk jose jeffrey: his sincerity matters

direk jose jeffrey: a quench for an artistic SEARCH

'Yun bang tulad ng mga taong maka-Sining na habang nagpupunyagi ay lalo namang nagiging mapagkumbaba?

Na habang lumilipas ang panahon, at mas nagtatagal ang ekspiriyensya sa mundo ng Sining at Teatro, lalo namang mas tumatapak ang mga paa sa lupa?

Ni hindi nagmamalaki...

Hindi nagnanasa ng mas ibayong rekognisyon, pambobola, at pagtatamasa.

Basta nandu'n lang siya. Tahimik man, pero lumalaban kapag nakanti mo ng hindi TAMA.

Personal kang aalalayan, walang uutusan na staff, walang "corporate-kuno" na dating...

Siya mismo, personal kang iwe-'welcome'. Taos sa puso. Ihahatid sa dapat mong upuan, aalayan ng maiinom at makakain.

Walang ka-ere-ere.


Ang mga tulad niya ay tulad din nina Ronald Arguelles at Jun Pablo, na pagdating sa pag-uugali at pakikitungo sa mga Media People, sadyang maasikaso.

Mga taong maka-sining. Totoo. Sinsero. Mainit kung mag-istima.

SIYA PO AY WALANG IBA KUNDI SI DIREK JOSE JEFFREY B. CAMANAG, isang direktor sa Teatro, isa ring Aktor. Higit sa lahat, isang Kaibigan.



BALIK-TANAW:

Rehearsal 'yun ng Senakulong DAAN NG KRUS ng Teatro Mensaheros sa Valenzuela, Bulacan nu'ng una naming personal na maka-'bonding' si direk Jose Jeffrey, na buong kapatid ng isa pang direktor din sa Teatro na si Roeder Camanag.

Naging saksi sa kanyang magaling na kakayahan bilang isang direktor sa araw na 'yun ng kanilang rehearsal, tunay namang nasabik na mapanood ang nasabing Senakulo sa kanilang ganap na pagtatanghal.

At nangyari nga. Gaya ng nasabi na, natagpuan namin ang isang uri ng direktor sa Teatro na tumusok ng husto sa aming PANLASA.

Ito ay mula nu'ng mapanood namin ang DAAN NG KRUS (Ang Senakulo), na magkakaroon muli ng mga pagtatanghal sa buwan na ito ng Marso.

Kaya sa muli, sabik naming uulitin ang nasabing dula upang panoorin.



BALIK SA PANGKASALUKUYAN:

Ngayon naman, sa dulang NOLI ME TANGERE, THE OPERA, co-director si direk Jeffrey. Ang Visionary Director naman ng dulang ito ay si direk Jerry Sibal. Sa isang panayam ng blogger sa kanila, pawang magagandang bagay lamang ang nasabi nila sa isa't-isa. Maganda ang kanilang TEAMWORK. May respeto at pagmamahal sa isa't-isa.

Sa Marso 8 ay unang pagtatanghal na ng dulang NOLI ME TANGERE, THE OPERA. Kaya mula sa kanyang personal na Facebook Status, naririto ang mga katagang nasabi mismo ni direk Jose Jeffrey:

"Mga angel na walang pakpak ngunit nagliliwanag at lumilipad sa kalawakan na may nag-aalab na mithiing maibahagi ang tanglaw ng mga kaluluwang inihandog sa Sining ng Pagtatanghal.

Ilang araw pa ay iluluwal ang busilak na handog ng pinagsama-samang pusong naghahangad na maipamalas sa lahat ang kadakilaan ng kulturang kayumanggi at ang kasaysayan ng nobelang humubog sa ating lipi.

Pagpalain nawa ng dakilang kalangitan ang bawat puso, kaluluwa't isipan ng mga alagad ng sining na tapat na nagsisilbi sa hangaring màgdala ng buti sa mga mumunting hiyas na siyang bubuo sa kinabukasan nitong bayan, ang mga kabataan!

Mabuhay Noli Me Tanghere The Opera!!!"--- (mula sa mga salita ni direk Jose Jeffrey Camanag)

***********   *********** ***************  ***************

Dalawang DULA.

Isang direktor sa katauhan ni direk Jose Jeffrey.

Dalawang mensahe.

Isang puso, isang direktor, isang taong maka-Sining.

Sa mundo ng teatro, ang lahat Kikislap,

sa tuwing may isang nilalang na handang ialay ang kanyang talento

para sa ikauunlad nito-

habambuhay.

Mabuhay ka, direk Jose Jeffrey Camanag! Mabuhay ka!!!

(SINULAT NI ROBERT MANUGUID SILVERIO)

Mga larawan, mula sa FB Page ni Ginoong Jeffrey Camanag (credits goes to the real owner of the photos. thank you.***)

direk jeffrey with ms. sheila gamo

the whole cast and staff of NOLI: THE OPERA

DIREK JEFFREY, IN BLACK SHIRT, SECOND FROM THE FIRST ROW, AND THE WHOLE CAST AND STAFF OF "NOLI, THE OPERA"

REHEARSALS OF "NOLI: THE OPERA"

hanging-out with lance on one leisurely afternoon.... (photos by carlo viajero)

Just simply lying down on a carpeted floor...

In one of those hot and lazy, but cozy afternoons...

As he gazed around and reflected on his collections and memorabilias

Inside the trendy living room of his Bachelor's Pad.

Hanging-out with Lance in one lazy afternoon.

And LIFE...

Could never be the same again

Now


and


FOREVERMORE.


ENJOY THE PHOTOS!





words by robert manuguid silverio

(EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS BY MR. CARLO VIAJERO)

si congressman YUL SERVO NIETO at ang SINING ng Maynila....

yul speaks from the soul and the heart, and for all the MANILENYOS

YUL WITH THE NAME "JUAN LUNA ST." AT THE BACKDROP: A VISION FOR THE "ARTS" IN MANILA.

Ang bawat siyudad ay may KALULUWA. Aminin man natin o hindi, tayong lahat ay hindi basta lamang mga materyal na bagay na walang PUSO at DAMDAMIN. Maging nasa panahon man tayo ng METALLICA, o MILLENIAL o BAKAL, ang bawat nilalang na nabubuhay sa isang lugar,- mapa-Maynila man ito o Makati- ang siyudad na kinatitirikan nilang lahat ay may KALULUWA.

Mapa-anuman ang kaluluwang iyon, sabihin na nating ang kaluluwang iyon ay nagtataglay ng mga puso at iba't-ibang DAMDAMIN. Mga iba't-ibang kulay din, na hindi basta masasagot ng pang-araw-araw na buhay. O ng isang tinapay na kakainin sa hapag-kainan tuwing almusal o pagka-gising.

Nakakalungkot mang malaman, mismong sa bibig na ni Congressman Yul Servo Nieto nanggaling, na maski ano'ng gawin niyang pukpok na maiantas ang Sining sa Maynila, sadyang hindi na ito ang prayoridad sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ng mga tao doon. Pero inilaban pa rin ni Congressman Yul, at nagtayo pa rin siya ng mga sari-saring programa na maiuugnay ang Sining sa Puso at Diwa ng bawat taong nasa Maynila.

Marahil, kagagawan na rin 'yan ng mga kapus-palad na mga magulang ng bawat kabataan o tao sa Maynila. Dahil sa sentro ang Maynila ng Komersyalismo at Kapitalismo, ang Sining ay napasasa-walang-bahala na lang. Itinuro na ng mga magulang sa Maynila sa mga anak nila ang mas paboran ang kalusugan nila at iba pang mga "basic necessities" para mabuhay.

Pero alam ba nila na ang Maynila ay mananatiling Maynila? Na ang Maynila, opo, tunay pong may PUSO ito at KALULIUWA.

"Biruin mo, Kuya Robert, napag-Acting Workshop ko doon sa Maynila ang mga solvent boys at trouble makers?", pahayag ni Yul sa pinsan niyang blogger. "Na imbes na maging addicts sila, naipalabas ko ang mga talento nila sa pag-arte. Hehehe... Kaso lang nga, talagang mahina ang feedback kapag ukol sa Sining ang mga proyekto ko. Karamihan sa kanila, hindi pinapayagan ng mga magulang nila na umarte o magpinta o magsayaw o kumanta. Mas gusto nila, 'yung seguridad sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng isang tao.

"Pero hindi naman po ako tumitigil, Kuya Robert", dagdag na wika ni Yul. "Ipaglalaban ko pa rin po ang Sining para sa Maynila. Bilang isang aktor at taga-Sining din, siyempre naman, gusto ko ring ipaglaban 'yan talaga dahil iyan ang tininuro sa akin ng mentor kong si direk Maryo J. delos Reyes. Lumaki din po kasi ako sa Teatro at pelikula. Galing ako sa Gantimpala Theater Foundation bago ako nadiskubre at naging artista ni direk Maryo J. Tapos, nag-Tanghalang Pilipino din ako. Kaya nasa mga ugat ko na rin talaga ang pagmamahal sa Sining maski Congressman na ako ngayon.

"Hayaan mo, Kuya Robert, habang nakaupo ako sa pagiging isang Congressman, hindi ko pababayaan ang Sining sa Maynila", pagwawakas na sabi ni Yul. "Kasi, alam ko din po, na ang Sining ang puso at kaluluwa ng bawat Siyudad."

Naipangako nuon ni Yul sa mga naging kampanya niya, na ang Metropolitan Theater ay bubuhayin niyang muli kapag siya nakaupo na sa Kongreso. In fairness, ipinaglaban naman ni Yul ang Metropolitan Theatre. Kaya lamang, sa ngayon, ito'y napunta na sa ilalim ng pangangalaga ng NCCA (National Comission for Culture & the Arts).

"Nire-revive na po nila ngayon ang MET, Kuya Robert", pahabol na sabi ni Yul. "At ang NCCA  na po ang bahala du'n. Nasa restoration process na po sila."

Si Yul, laking Maynila. Lumaki sa tabi ng Divisoria. Nagkamalay sa Tondo. Mananatiling mababa ang loob. Makatao.

Dahil si Yul at ang Maynila? Sila ay IISA.

At ang SINING ng Maynila ay mananatili rin... 

sa


HABANG PANAHON.




(sinulat ni robert manuguid silverio)

PHOTOS ABOVE AND BELOW, COURTESY OF YUL SERVO'S FB PAGE AND OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (credits goes to the real owners)***

PAINTER RAFAEL "POPOY" CUSI AND DR. JOSE RIZAL: "PARALLEL" LIVES...

world-renowned painter RAFAEL "POPOY" CUSI: parallelism with Rizal (PHOTO CREDITS: CARLO VIAJERO)

Dr. Jose Rizal: national hero

Popoy Cusi displays his latest work (PHOTO CREDITS: CARLO VIAJERO)

POPOY CUSI IN ONE LAZY AFTERNOON (PHOTO CREDITS: CARLO VIAJERO)

Great artists travel on with loneliness and unending searching for the questions within their hearts and souls...

Great artists sometimes experience parallel lives, as if, both lives shared in one precious moment and accidental traces of time and space...

Great artists rediscover

Great souls unite

And great passions curve the unique transformations of a society and the nation's soul.

And with one living great Filipino painter by the name of Rafael "Popoy" Cusi, some parallelisms transformed in some unique experiences of his travels abroad. A parallel life with Dr. Jose Rizal, the National hero of the Philippines, but also one of the greatest Filipino artists that ever lived.

There were many, according to Mr. Cusi, in those afternoon chats with the great painter. Many incidents, we mean, that paralleled his life with that of Rizal.

But there was one story that impressed a blogger so much. One story that's so provocative, truthful and genuine.

"I was sitting in one garden space of the house we're staying in Heidelberg, Germany, during one of our exhibit tours there", Mr. Popoy Cusi told a blogger. "I was contemplating so much as I sipped my coffee and started thinking what will I be painting next. But somehow, I noticed, one lady just kept on looking at me and gazing at everything I do. I thought, she simply had a crush on me. So I just continued contemplating on that very garden.

"And moments passed, the lady was still there, looking at me on my position and pose", Mr. Cusi continued on saying. "So what I did, I stood up and approached the lady. I even winked at her, what a naughty wink I did. Then I asked her: 'Why are you looking at me?' She answered back at me by saying that where I stayed and sat at the garden was the very same spot that Dr. Jose Rizal sat when he was still living there, too, at a time that he studied at the Heidelberg University. The spot that I sat, that's where Rizal wrote some of his poems. The lady, even though she's young, knew all too well, because she was a fan of Dr. Jose Rizal and she even researched much of his life. I was shocked when I knew it. And she told me, she could almost see Jose Rizal in my self as I sat there outside the garden! Pretty amazing, isn't it?"

And fascinating, indeed. Rizal's soul could somehow transform into the body of a present-day Painter like Mr. Rafael Cusi. And that's what you called PARALLELISM.

Just recently, Kuya Popoy (Rafael Cusi) had an exhibit at the Manila Hotel. A month ago, he was among the judges of a Painting festival in Bulacan province. And he's planning to hold a full one-man exhibit very soon.

"I simply thank God that he's still giving me those plentiful of wonderful ideas and forms in my mind", Rafael Cusi said in a final chat with one blogger that lazy afternoon. "As I lay on my bed, I don't at once fall asleep. Many ideas, creative wonders and all, just kept on pouring inside my mind. At 70 years old, I still have those kicks and turns. And I do thank God for it. He's the One giving me all these kind of precious and creative gifts."

We do agree, Kuya Popoy.





(words by robert manuguid silverio)

MR. RAFAEL "POPOY" CUSI'S PHOTOS BY: MR. CARLO VIAJERO

a rafael cusi sketch

KIEL ALO: A DELAYED BUT DEEPER LOOK INTO HIS CAPTIVATING SINGING VOICE (a review at his last Valentine's concert)....

kiel: maintaining an original style amids a variety of songs

kiel in his last concert (photo by: dominic rea)

kiel ina captivating night (photo by: dominic rea)

One thing a blogger noticed much about Kiel Alo in his recently-held concert at the Music Box before Valentine's Day (almost two weeks ago) was his originality in style, delivery and performance. Never a copy cat. He executed songs in his own way of singing, in his own version, in his own rhythm.

Whether it's a feminine song- the likes that Karen Carpenter sings or Adele or even a Regine Velasquez repertoire- Kiel does it on his own way and made those feminine songs sounded so masculine.

That was his last Valentine's concert- entitled "PSSST....I LOVE YOU" at the Music Box, and the most enigmatic part was his duet with legendary singer Malu Barry, and his also, his own rendition of the song My Funny Valentine.

His Musical Director, Mr. Butch Miraflor also did a good job. The songs that Kiel all sang that night were heaven-like to the ears and very smooth-flowing. But one song did captivate us the most in his very captivating voice- it was the song First of May (originally sang by the Bee Gees). When he sang it, it almost blew our mind away.

We asked our self, how come Kiel was still so low-key in his status and rank as a male singer? He could, by now, be among the A-List of singers- being guested here and there, appearing in many shows and concerts and gigs, and having a larger venue to perform?

But we answered: "Maybe Kiel will have his own time. Maybe God has His own reasons why. Maybe when the right moment sparks, it's gonna be Forever."

In one delightful and loving night of Adelle songs and others, too, Front Desk Entertainment of Mr. Jobert Sucaldito offered and presented an award-winning cozy concert that night- worth of a nomination for the coming Aliw Awards this year of 2019.

Just one slight 'miss': Macoy Mendoza, a promising singer, missed singing as a guest that night because he was sick. But he was there to watch and support his Kuya Kiel.

How much we desire an encore for this concert. Because Kiel, with his precise and authentic originality as a performer- surely deserves....

A SECOND CHANCE.



(as written by robert manuguid silverio)

kiel (right) with his manager jobert sucaldito

kiel alo with another promising singer macoy mendoza