SILENCE IS LIKE A CANCER GROWS.
In the old classic song The Sound of Silence originally sung by Simon & Garfunkel, so went the lyrics- "Silence is Like a Cancer Grows".
In the revolutionary novel Noli Me Tangere written by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, he talked about the CANCER of society.
And now I knew, that the cancer sickness he was referring to was the SILENCE of the people amidst the tyrants and foreign colonizers. The bad religious ways, too, of an old society.
At a time that people never talked about their sufferings, someone fought for them. On his own way, and the best that he could.
Because if we would forever linger in silence, afraid of our own vanities, there would never be change and healing treatments. The cancer would be spreading all throughout our system of things.
Thus, in the enigmatic and profound Opera- Noli Me Tangere, The Opera, presented by J&S Productions and Cultural Center of the Philippines, once more, I remembered the sacrifices of the old and ancient Filipinos in an abusive Spanish regime. Forgive me now to be personal and using the word "I". Because this review is a very personal one, really. For the third time, I repeat, PERSONAL.
Because being a Filipino for me is very personal, the Opera made me feel that way.
In its Finale scene, as Basilio embraced her dead mom Sisa and Elias laid dead, too, beside him- amidst the dark forest of fear and sadness- a LIGHT came in.
The fire, as instructed by Elias to Basilio before he died to be set upon on their dead bodies, became strong and prominent. It was the Fire of all other dead Filipinos, too, who all fought and became victims of the evil tyrants.
But the fire and the light were different. The fire was the passion to continue on fighting and the light was the hope held on by young people like Basilio.
Suddenly, the living soul of Crisostomo Ibarra appeared, too, holding the light of the LAMP.
It was so BEAUTIFUL. So symbolic, too.
Because without Basilio and Crisostomo, the Mother Land...
would never be
the same
again.
as in
FOREVER.
*************** ************** **************
There was great rhythm, unison, splendor and perfection in Noli Me Tangere, The Opera. As if going into ONE, the mixing of all the factors and ingredients to create a wonderful Opera, alongside with the great message of its story- was simply quenching and overwhelming.
Plus factor was the great set design (by Mr. Jerry Sibal) in neon lights and 3-dimensional full-blown photos of real-life scenery, old Filipino street and house, falling leaves from a tree, a dark underground church lobby and the great dark forest in the ending. You could feel that you were right there on the place being performed on stage. And it even comprehended with the old Opera songs composed by a National Artist (Mr. Felipe de Leon).
The costumes were truly authentic, and did not mean to impress, but only to create. Kudos to its Costume Designer, Mr. Albert Figueras.
The lighting on stage was simply fabulous in execution and presentation. It revealed a feeling, somehow. A dramatic feeling of old Filipinos past. Congratulations, sir Dennis Marasigan.
The direction, alongside with its vision- were TWO but ONE, because they simply transformed into an execution of class, grandeur, magic.
And the Opera was still an Opera, never loosing its form and look. And I wondered, how could the two have done that? (we meant, the directors of this Opera- the visionary director and the co-director- no less than Mr. Jerry Sibal, the visionary director and Jose Jeffrey Camanag, the co-director)- well, I concluded, the task of creating the true platform could be added upon to the great and charming co-director of this Opera.
The cast, wow, the cast. They were 99% new, minus Noel Comia (who portrayed Basilio) who's a popular young actor on television and the movies.
Noel was outstanding on the final scene. He very well deserved to be the Poster Boy of this Opera.
The other major and minor cast, together with the whole cast ensemble- who all performed on the last performance of this Opera (March 10, 2019 at 1 p.m.) at the Cultural center of the Philippines, were all real, delicate, unassuming, fresh, strong, wonderful. Because when 'genuine artists' taught them how- it all went fully well.
With a couple of Producers (Mr. Jerry Sibal and Edwin Josue) who invested but never expected,
a product of an Art came fully alive, and the Dr. Jose Rizal prophecy was mastered upon, PERFECTLY.
The Opera, amidst all its sophistication and snubbing ways- reached the hearts and minds of all the young people who watched it.
And UP from nowhere
the smiles of Dr. Jose Rizal was seen and felt-
in the heavenly boundaries of time and space
and Filipinos past and present
lingered
ETERNALLY.
(as written by robert manuguid silverio)
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| mark francis parallag, fotog |
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