Update, Aug. 15: Arthur Espiritu was fantastic last night at the Viva Bel Canto concert. His voice has a pristine quality and he moves with certain savvy. It’s such a joy listening and watching him on stage.
One of the rare times that the Philamlife theater was full. Thanks to Klassikal Music Foundation (Donald Yang), ROS Music Center (Rey Sison) and Pablo Tariman for an evening of fine music.
Lovers of classical music should not miss “Viva Bel Canto” on Aug. 14, 8 pm at the Philamlife Auditorium on U.N. Avenue, Manila.
It features Arthur Espiritu, the first Filipino tenor to perform at La Scala di Milan since 1928. Before him in 1928, Filipino bass baritone Jose Mossessgeld- Santiago performed at the hallowed La Scala the role of Sparafucile in Mefistofele.
Espiritu is visiting the Philippines and it would be a rare opportunity for Filipino music lovers to enjoy his performance.
At a pre-concert press conference at the Mandarin Hotel, Arthur mesmerized newsmen with a few numbers together with soprano Rochelle Gerodias and pianist Najib Ismail, who will be performing with him in this Saturday’s Philippine debut.
The expected question was “How was it performing in La Scala?” where even musical greats experienced being booed (Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti) by a demanding audience.
“It was scary at first,” he said knowing that the Milanese were tough on the performers. “They were quite good during my debut,” he said adding that he had lots of fun and looks forward to going back there in the near future.
What did it take for him to get to La Scala? He made it sound so simple. He said in 2007, he was in Vienna for the Belvedere International Singing completion where he won the Teatro alla Scala Award.
With that award, he went to Milan and auditioned for a role. A week later, he received a phone call from La Scala saying they would like him to sing Fernando in “Cosi Fan Tutte.”
“If they like you, they’ll get you,” he said.
He said it’s important for singers who want to crash into the international musical circuit to have their biodata and CD ready. “You have to know how to present yourself,” he said.
Asked for advice to aspiring Filipino singers, Espiritu said, “Keep on working hard. Work on your voice, your technique, study your music. “
One cannot afford to be complacent because “There are a lot of good singers out there.”
Another advice: “Try to sing to as many people as possible,” he said adding that for himself, money is not a major consideration.
Born in Morong, Rizal, Espiritu said his family sold fire extinguishers for a living and his mother was a secretary at the Philippine Constabulary. At age 14, he migrated to the United States with some members of his family. The Espiritus lived in New Orleans.
The decision to pursue music came early in his life. In High School, he won a grant to study aerospace and technology at the US Air Force Academy. At the same time, his school’s choir director suggested he enter a statewide voice competition. The path was paved for a music career when he won first prize.
One of the judges was Dr. Raquel Cortina, a professor of voice at the University of New Orleans, and she invited him to audition for the university. That’s where he obtained his Bachelor and Master in Music. He went on to study at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with the late Richard Miller.
Espiritu said the way things just fell into place, it felt like he didn’t have to choose music. “I felt like music had chosen me.”
After a long absence from the Philippines, Espiritu said he was pleasantly surprised to know that there’s an existing culture community. He is impressed with Gerodias and Ismael. “The bar is very high.”
Ssturday’s program will include Filipino compositions: Nicanor Abelardo’s “Paki-usap”, “Felipe de Leon’s “Awit ng Gabi ni Sisa”, and Francisco Santiago’s “Anak Dalita.”
Viva Bel Canto, which means ‘long live beautiful singing, is a project of Klassical Music Foundation in partnership with Bosendorfer, ROS Music Center, Vibal Publishing, and Philippine Artistic Ventures Organization.
Viva Bel Canto is the first concert mounted by the three-year old Klassical Music Foundation headed by George Yang better known as the force behind McDonald’s in the Philippines.
Yang said Klassical Music Foundation’s mission is to bring good classical music to the Filipino people. They are supporting 21 music scholars.
Tickets are priced at P1,000 for center orchestra; P800 for left and right orchestra; and P500 for loge. For more information email johnvincentcastro@yahoo.com or contact JV castro at 586-71-87 or 0917-831-8353.
They are the country’s pride.
“Try to sing to as many people as possible,” – Arthur Espiritu
No wonder he is successful.
The expected question was “How was it performing in La Scala?” where even musical greats experienced being booed (Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti) by a demanding audience.
I was intrigued by this paragraph and went on turbo mode over at Google Search. I found out that the booing usually came from the gallery – those seated at the farthest seats at the back of La Scala (called “loggione”) and it was a manifestation for the Italians’ passion for Opera they know all the arias note-by-note that any mediocre performance would surely get whistles and boos.
Maria Callas was once pelted there with radish by fans of rival Soprano Renata Tebaldi, after her performance of Il Pirata. The critics, however, sided with the standing-room denizens, the loggionisti.
Luciano Pavarotti, despite his High C got his boos for his imperfect Celeste Aida from Verdi’s Don Carlo.
There were others who got the same infamous treatment for failed performances in La Scala including Placido Domingo, Angela Giorghiu, Renee Fleming, Daniele Gatti, among others, but the most notable of late was that of Pavarotti’s understudy, Roberto Alagna, who walked off the stage after fumbling with the High B-flat in the opening number of Verdi’s Aida, the performance was continued with Antonello Palombi, in his jeans and black shirt picking up role in the middle of the performance. YouTube has a lot of links to this walking-out video.
To make your day, here’s a classic tenor fail. Some say he’s Tarzan.
Hi Ellen,
I’m a descendant of Jose Mossesgeld-Santiago. My family recently put up Jose.Mossesgeld.com to share my great-grandfather’s life with other Filipinos. We’ve just uploaded some photos and performance posters, and I’m now uploading some recordings dating 1913. Hope you enjoy our little piece of Filipiniana!
Regards,
Rico M.
Nice to hear from you Rico. I visited the site dedicated to your great grandfather. That’s a laudable project.
It adds to our pride of being Filipino.
Tongue, thanks for #3. This was what Arthur said about how he tried to cope with his fear of being booed or pulled out of La Scala :
“I was very scared abut getting kicked out. I had to really prove myself at all times. So much eyes and ears are on you. That’s at least what I had imagined…. For my experience there, with the impressions of their history for being tough to please and booing artists or even throwing things to the stage, they were quite good during my debut. I was mostly focused on what I had to do. I’ve learned so much from the experience and I hope to come back there in the near future.”
Tongue, I visited the site you suggested. Interesting and amusing especially that story about tenor Roberto Alagna.
Many considered that walkout as the end of his career. And to the opera-ignoramuses like me, I didn’t find anything that’s even slightly unpleasant to merit such harsh catcalls and hissing. I have to give it to the Milanos, and their very discriminating standards.
I read in recent articles that his career continue to flourish. He has stints at The Met in New York. The French continue to hold him in high esteem.