MY SON, Francis, and his wife, Cecile, invited me to join them to a concert at Marco Polo Davao last January 23 at 6 p.m. I can have a chance to enjoy it for my entertainment. They were not mistaken. I had a first experience in my lifetime to witness a Sonata.
It was not a concert like the famous Madrigal Concert, which I attended before in Davao also. The Sonata was an evening of classical music and Filipino art songs sung by Ms. Stephanie Quintin, soprano, accompanied by Mr. Anton Luis Avila, a classical guitarist. It was a benefit show to raise funds for the ongoing renovation of the new Davao Museum of History and Ethnography in partnership with Marco Polo Davao, which provided the venue for this affair.
I thank Archt, Michael Ebro Dakudao who invited us to attend this wonderful show. It was an unforgettable evening for me. The program started, as usual with the National Anthem.
The welcome remarks was given by Ms. Sylvia Lorenzana, Execitive Director of Davao Museum Foundation Inc. (DMCI).
A tribute was given to Mrs. Virginia Andersen, a Benefactor by the officers of DMCI, Ms. Patria Montemayor, Ms. Judy Ann Prantilla, and Ms. Sylvia Lorenzana. This was followed by the first part of the Repertoire of the Sonata.
Ms. Stefanie with the accompaniment of Mr. Anton entertained the guests with the following renditions, The Renaissance with the songs Awake, Sweet Love, Go, Crystal Tears, and Frog Gaillard.
The Baroque renditions had Pur divesting, o Boccaccio Bella, O cessate di piagarmi, and Fugue BWV 1000. This portion sounded Greek to us, listeners.
Thanks to the organizers, there was a bonus offering for us. On one side of the stage is a white board where the English translations of the foreign lyrics were shown.
I coordinated my attention, reading the board and observing the soloist's expert interpretations with her eyes, her lips, her lively gestures with her hand and body movements - all these sent me to dreamland and reverie. In brief the stories behind the lyrics centered on love, devotion, intrigue, frustrations, and death as I paraphrase the translations.
I had no problem about the classical part where the soloist sang the Ave Maria. Everyone knows this by Franz Shubert. Ms. Stephanie sang it expertly eliciting the emotion of praise to Mama Mary in the prayer Hail Mary.
The last part was the Romantic songs coming alive with La Connocchia and Me Voglio, Fa Na Casa. The white board came in handy again. This ended the first part of the Repertoire.
Piano solo renditions of Mozart Sonata in C (k 545), Mozart Rondo in D Major( k 485), and Mozart Fantasie in D Minor(k 397) were given by a 10-year-old precocious pianist, Ms. Martina Audrey Uyboco.
The audience's spirited applause from the beginning of the sonata up to this number is heartening.
The very last part of the Repertoire made all of us, the audience, feel at home, specially the third portion dedicated to the Filipino Art Songs.
The soloist, Ms. Stefanie came out in an elegant Filipino national costume, the "baro't saya." She wore a beautiful pink and black lace terno. The first two parts were still sounding foreign to feature 20th Century Music. These included Capricho Arabe, Tres Canciones Espanyolas with En Jerez De La Frontera, Adela, and De Ronda. Another set included Danza Brasileira, Azulao, Para Ninhar, and Tindo Lala. I had to go back to the white board for the translations.
Finally, we are home with our Filipino folk songs. Ano Kaya Ang Kapalaran and Mutya ng Pasig sent the audience swaying with the soloist.
Being a native citizen of Pasig, I was nostalgic hearing the song. Malinao Lay Labi folk song of Pangasinense had a native of Pangasinan to stand up to be recognized. Usahay also elicited singing to the tune. The most interesting was Pobreng Alindahaw where Ms. Stefanie swayed and sang from the first row of the honored patron guests to the very last row of general patrons.
Everyone was so elated clapping and joining in the singing. I was so impressed by Ms. Stefanie 's showmanship and spontaneous actions. Sa Kabukiran beat it all. Ms. Stefanie challenged the audience with the ascending high notes of the chirping of the birds. What fun! Everyone rejoicing a fitting end to the highly successful Sonata.
The final act was a surprise too. Mr. Anton romantically strumming his guitar went near to Ms. Stefanie got something from his pocket, a velvet box containing a ring. He knelt and proposed to Ms. Stefanie. This she reciprocated to the delight of the audience. Planned or not? I do not know. This ended my unforgettable experience with a vibrant healthy outlook and overflowing joy.
A last thought on the Davao Museum, the beneficiary of this evening's Sonata. Late December,2016 it opened its latest exhibit "Davao Arts: All in the Family". It explores the lives and legacies of artist families based in Davao City.
Apart from exhibits, the Museum plans to support more research and documentation projects and programs of local and national historians, and cultural workers on its collections to produce educational and communications for the general public. These can be made possible with the general support of its patrons, private and corporate sponsors, the media, the academe, and the Southern Mindanao communities.
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