Sunday, June 30, 2008 Costanilla: Trio Amical’s free concert By Sam Costanilla Spotlight
THERE is an upcoming show that we Cebuanos should not fail to watch next week. Trio Amical of the United States of America will be staging a free concert on Sunday, July 6, starting at 7 p.m., at SM City Cebu Cinema 2. The show, titled “Songs from the Heart,” features mezzo-soprano Victoria Robertson; clarinet player Marian Liebowitz; and pianist Lois Kim.
Aside from some classical pieces, Trio Amical will also perform some of our personal favorites, like Till There Was You from the Music Man; I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady; and a medley of those unforgettable tunes from The Sound of Music. I understand that the seats are on a first-come-first-served basis, so it pays to come at least 45 minutes before the show starts. The American Embassy in Manila, Arts Council of Cebu Foundation, Inc. and SM City Cebu are producing this free concert.
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THIS writer has always admired the country’s komiks king Carlo J. Caparas, a.k.a. direk Carlo, and his Cebuano wife Donna Villa, not because they are close friends but because of their passion, determination and perseverance in promoting the komiks industry. It is not only a popular form of entertainment but an artistic vehicle for values education and employment as well. The Caparas couple would always tell and text me that it is their goal to revive the komiks industry, which flourished in the mid-1960s and reached its golden age before Martial Law. “We are hoping that another golden age of the komiks industry will be back again,” direk Carlo and Donna would always emphasize. Direk Carlo is a Presidential Medal of Merit awardee for his achievements in the field of komiks writing. I need not remind you that he also wrote and directed a number of blockbuster movies a few years back.
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IT was a mini concert that the guests were treated to during Dr. Warfe Tupas Engracia’s recent birthday bash at Grand Convention Center. Instead of getting performers to entertain his guests, the singing doctor entertained them himself. Eddie Dakay on played the piano. Not only that, Doc Warfe’s very lovely and talented daughter Athena Ever sang a number of classical and inspirational numbers accompanied on the piano by her equally lovely mom Elaine. I extremely enjoyed my role as the instant emcee of the party that lasted four hours. Our jokes kept everyone fully awake after the sumptuous dinner.
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TOMORROW, Tuesday, the municipality of Sogod — headed by mayor Deo Durano and acting mayor Lissa Marie “Moonyeen” Durano — will formally open its month-long Panagsugod celebration, which will be highlighted with the staging of the municipality’s first-ever Panagsugod Festival on July 25, fiesta day. This is the maiden staging of the event in answer to Gov. Gwen Garcia’s challenge for all towns and cities to come up with their respective festivals as a way of promoting arts and culture as well as local tourism.
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SOGOD officials may be new in this arena but I know that they will succeed in presenting the festival as the town’s latest cultural and tourism undertaking. As acting mayor, Moonyeen is calling the shots, tapping the right people, mobilizing the barangays and encouraging all Sogodnons to join hands and move in one direction to ensure the success of the debut presentation of Panagsugod festival.
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THIS partime radioman-cum-herbalist is no longer handling any program here after Manila police came to Cebu to serve his arrest warrant. The guy did something there and he is hiding here at present. (E-mail: samcost@yahoo.com or text 09268443888)