Saturday, April 27, 2013

Metropolitan Opera in HD: Rigoletto


Having watched a few full length opera productions, I went in to see the screening of Rigoletto by the Metropolitan Opera with more knowledge, confidence and also a more discerning eye and ear. Rigoletto was the second opera in a series of Metropolitan Opera productions  screened in high definition at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

Thankfully, I took the time to familiarize myself with the opera by Giuseppe Verdi since this particular staging deviated from the norm and moved the setting to Las Vegas during the 1960’s. As always, I viewed this production with the desire to know if the material would still hold up and be relevant in current times.

One thing that definitely worked with this Rigoletto was the stellar cast led by Željko Lučić in the title role. His Rigoletto was annoying at first but one could eventually feel his pain when tragedy fell upon him. Piotr Beczala’s portrayal of the Duke was spot on as well. He showed what an arrogant prick he was that one could easily hate. But his charm that made everyone swoon over him could not be denied. Lastly, Diana Damrau’s Gilda embodied youthful giddiness that made her aria Caro nome more memorable. I really adored her when she bit her lip in the midst of the aria and it made me realize that most audience members inside the Met would not have seen that. I was thankful at that moment for close up shots or else, I would’ve missed that nice touch as well. It was also interesting to see Štefan Kocán part of the cast again since he was also in Aida.

Moving the setting to Las Vegas looked like a perfect fit for Rigoletto at first glance. The decadence along with the seduction and betrayal in the opera is very much in line with the reputation of the Sin City. But the superstition element that goes with the curse that Rigoletto felt haunted him was a bit hard to reconcile with. Also, the ending could’ve been a lot different since the automobile would be able to rush the wounded Gilda to the nearest hospital in the 1960's. Alas, the father and daughter just resorted to singing it out. I just told myself to overlook these details and not let them ruin my satisfaction with the stellar performances of the main cast.

The running time of the screening was a lot longer than usual. While Aida had the behind the scenes footage showing during the actual intermission, Rigoletto had them separate instead. This enabled people to go on bathroom breaks without missing any of the bonus stuff. Behind the scenes footage from Rigoletto consisted of interviews with the main cast (Lučić, Beczala and Damrau), director Michael Mayer, set designer Christine Jones and costume designer Susan Hiferty by Renée Fleming. I wish that the conductor Michele Mariotti was also interviewed but unfortunately, he wasn't. A preview of Parsifal was also shown alongside with interviews with the leads Jonas Kaufman and Katarina Dalayman. Unfortunately, the viewers inside the theater who were intrigued by this production had to be disappointed since Parsifal is not part of the screenings offered by the CCP.

I’ve always wanted to see a drastic and radical interpretation of a well known opera to see how the material could be handled and given a new spin. And this screening of Rigoletto managed to satisfy this curiosity. The Metropolitan Opera in HD series at the CCP continues with L’Elisir d’Amore on May 28, 2013 with screenings starting at 2:00 & 7:00 PM.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Sandwich’s Fat, Salt & Flame Album Launch

Sandwich

Raimund Marasigan was in high spirits when he and rest of his band Sandwich (Myrene Academia, Diego Castillo, Mong Alcaraz and Mike Dizon launched their album Fat, Salt & Flame via a free concert over at Centris Walk. He joked his way during the press conference referring to Tirso Ripoll as a member of the Eraserheads or ERazerback, and gleefully throwing into the audience a makeshift shaker made from a beer can. Fat, Salt & Flame released by Polyeast Records is the band’s seventh studio album coming out in time for their 15th year anniversary celebrations.

Mryene Academia, Raimund Marasigan, Mike Dizon, Mong Alcaraz
and Diego Castillo

Sandwich had a press conference before they started their performance and this gave me a chance to learn a lot about the band and how they work. Bassist Myrene mentioned that the album’s title was based on the three key things that make food delicious. And this album title also reflected the band’s affinity for food and dining which they also claim has kept the band together for 15 years.

In their 15 years as a band, they said that Polyeast Records or even their previous label had never imposed on them what to play, write and include in their album. The band pointed out having an instrumental track to open the album as proof of this confidence in them. Raimund also said that he has learned how to take care of the band after all these years. He even said that it has come to the point that he would take a bullet for them.

Going back to Fat, Salt & Flame, the band said that they had the luxury of time with this album. They were able to rehearse the songs, take them on a road test before recording them live as a band. With live recording, they were able to capture the energy. The recording may not be perfectly clean, but for them, it’s more about the process and achieving that moment when they curled their toes to know that they’ve gotten things right.

Aside from the lead single Back for More, other notable tracks in the album include New Romancer which features Myrene and Mong Alcaraz doing the lead vocals. The crowd went wild when the band performed this during the concert that followed the press conference. Razorback’s Tirso Ripoll appears in the track Manhid that only happened when Tirso just dropped by at the studio with his gear and then started jamming with the band. The band also mentioned that there had been uncredited guest artists in previous albums but they aren’t telling who. Or else, they and the artists might get into trouble with their respective labels. A re-worked version of Mayday is also included in this album which is very different from the version that appeared at the Ang Nawawala film. Guitarist Diego Castillo said that they quickly and specifically wrote that song in order to look good on screen while performing it.

Raimund at Radio Republic's opening week
Raimund at the Cinemalaya

It has been a long running joke that I am very much intimidated by Raimund Marasigan. Whenever I see him at Radio Republic, I am usually reduced to trying to disappear at one corner. I didn’t expect to see him also at the Cultural Center of the Philippines of all places during the Cinemalaya. But as time passed by, I’ve grown more comfortable and at ease whenever he is around. So I was glad that I’ve finally overcome this silly fear just in time for the launch which was truly a fun affair.


Fat, Salt & Flame, released by Polyeast Records is now out in AstroPlus/Astrovision stores. Back for More and the rest of the tracks can also be downloaded at MyMusicStore Philippines and at iTunes.


Fat, Salt & Flame

Tracks:
1. Fat, Salt and Flame
2. Back for More
3. Sleepwalker
4. Pray for Today
5. The Week After
6. Mayday
7. Kidlat
8. New Romancer
9. Manhid

Text by RAd
Photos by JR Bustamante and RAd

Thursday, April 18, 2013

John Rendez’ There Can Only Be One Press Conference

John Rendez

“It’s now or never.” These were the words of rapper and composer John Rendez (John Robert Porter Jr.) when I asked him why this was the right time for him to come up with a new record. Almost two decades after he released his debut album Metal Dog back in 1994, John Rendez aka Metal Dog now has released his sophomore effort entitled There Can Only Be One, which he self-produced and distributed by Polyeast Records. In line with the release of his new album, John had a press conference over at Polyeast Records where he answered questions regarding his album and other things.

Right off the bat, John proudly said that his first album was ahead of its time. But he feels that this new album trumps the old one in terms of production especially with the how technology has advanced in studio recording throughout the years. When asked what he has been up to during the gap in between albums, he responded that he was out there experiencing life, having fun and also starring in some movies as well.

There Can Only Be One boasts of 11 tracks penned by John which is a mix of high end rap and those with mass market appeal. John’s songs lean towards more to the old school, east coast, rock/metal influenced ditty compared to the R&B flavored hiphop music that other rap artists have put out recently. Aside from the rock/metal influence, the album also had some reggae vibe and even a bit of opera thrown in the mix.

While current rap releases by other artists feature big name collaborations, John went all solo with this album feeling that it’s not in his nature to work with other artists. But he is not closing doors in working with other artists especially when it is for the right reasons. Instead of artist collaborations, John had on board for this album mega-producer Jonathan Ong as well as Robert Javier and Tony D. of Sonic Studios.

The lead single in the album is the title track There Can Only Be One which John said could be interpreted in many ways. Most people would automatically think that this song is dedicated to Nora Aunor, whom he has been rumored to be romantically linked with. But he explained that he and Nora are just good friends and that he just takes care of her. Going back to the song, John likened it to a wrestling match like the Royal Rumble where the last wrestler inside the ring is the winner; therefore there can only be one.

John believes that the songs in the album reflect who he is. And based on what I heard in the album, I think that he is aggressive, unapologetic and brimming with confidence and swagger. The album may not be for everybody, especially the younger set since some of the tracks have explicit lyrics. But there are still some songs that are radio friendly like Kembotan and the re-recorded Everbody Sayaw. John also mentioned that they had to tone down a bit some of the songs to make them more marketable. After all the chitchat, John Rendez, in true blue Metal Dog fashion, summed up what he thinks of There Can Only Be One: The Best Album of the Year.

There Can Only Be One, distributed by Polyeast Records is now available in record stores nationwide. The song There Can Only Be One and the rest of the tracks can also be purchased online via MyMusicStore Philippines.


There Can Only Be One

Tracks:
1. There Can Only Be One
2. No More Musik by the Suckers
3. Ratt9MM
4. Under the Ground
5. Sowerzitat?
6. Coming to a Theater Near You
7. Plastik Pala
8. Kembotan
9. Metaldog
10. Domination
11. Everybody Sayaw

Text by RAd
Photo by JR Bustamante

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Kompositor’s concert tour goes north to Ilocos Norte

Participants and guests at the Paggunita launch and concert

April 15, 2013, 7:30 PM
St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish Church
San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte

Kompositor, a group of Filipino composers dedicated to the enhancement of Philippine music literature through the creation of new and relevant compositions head over to Ilocos Norte for Pagbabago: Original works for Children’s Choir, a free concert happening this April 15, 2013, 7:30 PM at the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish Church at the Municipality of San Nicolas.

This concert is the third stop following Pagbubunyi, the debut concert held at the Central United Methodist Church in Manila back in November 2012 and Paggunita, the book launch and concert held at the EDSA Shrine last February. For the Pagbabago concert, the award-winning Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir under the direction of Maria Theresa Roldan will be performing the works of Joy Nilo, Jed Balsamo, Lester Delgado, Ronaldo Raz, and Alejandro Consolacion II. A book signing will follow after the concert.

Kompositor's Jed Balsamo presents copies of Paggunita book to
National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera

Kompositor’s Pagbabago: Original works for Children’s Choir is in line with the activities of the Philippine Choral Directors Association (PCDA) at the 2013 PCDA National Convention in Laoag City.

Tickets:
Free admission

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

2013 Young Pianist Competition winner Gabriel Paguirigan performs with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Pianist Gabriel Allan Paguirigan

April 19, 2013, 8:00 PM
Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater)
CCP Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila

Featuring:
Gabriel Allan Paguirigan, piano
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Olivier Ochanine, conductor

Programme:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture from Così Fan Tutte
Franz Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S.125
Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 5

The music of Gustav Mahler closes out the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s 30th Concert Season Milestones this April 19, 2013, 8:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). This concert, billed as Mahler’s Fifth, will also feature Gabriel Allan Paguirigan, the winner of the PPO’s 2013 Young Pianist Competition.

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

The PPO will perform Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 marking the second time in three years that principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine chose to cap a PPO season with a Mahler symphony. He previously conducted Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 Titan during the Poom and Mahler I concert that closed out his first full season with the PPO.

This concert will also mark the second time that pianist Gabriel Allan Paguirigan will perform with the PPO. His first played with the PPO during the Classical Champs: The Young Music Idols concert after winning the 2011 National Music Competitions for Young Artists. Gabriel will perform Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S.125. The Overture from Così Fan Tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will also be performed at this concert.

Conductor Olivier Ochanine

Ticket prices:
P1000 Orchestra Center
P800 Orchestra Side
P500 Balcony I Center
P350 Balcony I Side
P200 Balcony II
-50% student discount
-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:
CCP Marketing Department 832-1125 loc. 1806
CCP Box Office 832-3704
TicketWorld 891-9999

Met Opera screenings at the CCP continue with Rigoletto


April 16, 2013, 2:00 & 7:00 PM
Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)
CCP Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila

The high definition screenings of Metropolitan Opera productions continue this April 16, 2013 with Rigoletto. Responding to feedback after the screening of Aida, the screening times for Rigoletto will be held earlier at 2:00 and 7:00 PM at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).

This screening of Rigoletto will be different take as this will be set in Las Vegas during the 1960’s compared to the traditional Mantua sometime in the sixteenth century. This could ruffle the feathers of some opera purists but I’ve always been interested in watching a classic opera set in modern times and see if the material will hold up pretty well and still be relevant.

This opera by Giuseppe Verdi tells the tale of the hunchback Rigoletto, the sidekick of the Duke who is a playboy. A jester who constantly ridicules, Rigoletto earns the ire of Monterone and places a curse on him. This curse will haunt him and his daughter, Gilda throughout the opera. And as expected, things end up in tragedy which is a norm in opera such as these. The Duke’s La donna è mobile is definitely the most popular tune while Questa o quella and Caro nome are also considered as among the familiar tunes from this opera.


Željko Lučić leads the cast as Rigoletto. Joining him are Piotr Beczala as the Duke and Diana Damrau as Gilda. Robert Pomakov (Monterone), Štefan Kocán (Sparfucile), and Oksana Volkova (Maddalena) will also have featured roles in the opera. Michele Mariotti conducts, Michael Mayer directs this production.

Ticket price:
P500
-50% student discount
-20% senior citizen discount

For inquiries:
CCP Box Office 832-3704, 832-1125 local 1409
TicketWorld 891-9999

PPO VII: The Maestro’s Maestro

Violinist Gao Can and conductor Mark Gibson
with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra 

Featuring:
Gao Can, violin
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Mark Gibson, conductor

Programme:
Georges Bizet Petit Suite from Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22
Camille Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
Maurice Ravel Daphnis et Chloé

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra welcomed guest conductor Mark Gibson at their latest performance which was also the penultimate concert of their 30th Concert Season entitled Milestones. The orchestra’s principal conductor and music director Olivier Ochanine considers Mark Gibson as his mentor; hence this concert was dubbed as The Maestro’s Maestro. This performance held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) also featured violinist Gao Can as the guest soloist.

The concert was purely a French affair as works by Georges Bizet, Camille Saint-Saëns and Maurice Ravel (all from France) were performed during that night. The PPO started with Bizet’s Petit Suite from Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22 which is a very light, accessible piece that even a non concertgoer could easily appreciate. This appetizer set the mood for my main course for that night: Gao Can’s performance of Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61. Gao Can delivered a very polished and precise rendition of this popular violin concerto. It almost bordered on being a clinical performance because of surgeon like precision, but thankfully not on the expense of artistry. He further gave a display of this remarkable skill when he played the Allemanda from Eugène Ysaÿe’s Violin Sonata No. 4 in E minor, Op. 27 Fritz Kreisler.

I was already satisfied with the concert but there was still a whole another entrée during the second half which was Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé. At first I thought that Mark Gibson would have the PPO play the two concert suites from this ballet. But it looked like that they played entire piece which clocked for almost an hour. I admit that I found this piece very exhausting to listen to. While passionate and with rich and lush orchestrations, it was too long and complex for me without much to hook and bind all the parts together. I also found it difficult to imagine who the choreography to this music would look like. I think that this boils down to my difficulty in grasping French music compared to Russian, Spanish and German. Too bad that I never got the chance but I would’ve loved to ask Mark Gibson why he chose the Ravel piece for this concert. I would probably gain more insight about the piece and could’ve appreciated it even more.

Text by RAd
Photo by Orly Daquipil

Monday, April 08, 2013

Metropolitan Opera in HD: Aida


I’ve had my first taste of opera back in 2012 when I was able to watch La Traviata, Madame Butterfly and Carmen. Unfortunately, the schedule of shows this 2013 looks like there won’t be as many opera productions compared to the year before. Thankfully, the Cultural Center of the Philippines has offered the next best thing which is screening Metropolitan Opera’s productions in HD at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) which already started when they showed Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida.

Watching the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Aida gave me a glimpse on how opera is staged in other countries where the budget isn’t a huge problem. For starters, the sets were monumental and captured the grandness and majesty of the early times when Egyptian civilization was still at its prime. The production didn’t skimp on the finest details as well as evidenced by the costumes and props. I was didn’t expect to be surprised when I saw a few horses on stage during the march and this just reinforced how much of a big deal opera productions are at the Met.

An opera is nothing without its cast and this production boasted of A-listers headed by Liudmyla Monastyrska in the title role of Aida alongside with tenor Roberto Alagna (Radamès) and Olga Borodina (Amneris). These three figured in a love triangle while struggling to remain loyal to their respective countries. And it true opera fashion, love always prevail but not without any consequences as this ends in a tragic note. Liudmyla Monastyrska’s O patria mia is one of the major highlights of this opera. Other cast members included Štefan Kocán (Ramfis), Miklós Sebestyén (The King) and George Gagnidze (Amonasro).

Probably the most interesting portion of the whole Met Opera in HD screening was the behind the scenes stuff was shown during the intervals. This section, hosted by Renée Fleming, showed the audience opera costumes, props and other memorabilia, the animal trainer and the stage manager giving people an insider look at how things go backstage. This posed a major dilemma to majority of those who watched the screening since taking bathroom breaks meant that one had to miss this very interesting tidbit.

There was interesting camera work throughout and I couldn’t imagine what the Metropolitan Opera used so as not to be obtrusive to the actual show happening on stage. But I didn’t like the top view shots that were employed during the dance sequences since it took away from the choreographer’s vision.

The Metropolitan Opera in HD series at the Cultural Center of the Philippines resumes this April 16, 2013 with Rigoletto. Screening times are now at 2:00 and 7:00 PM. Based on what I’ve experienced with Aida, it is highly recommended that one take a heavy snack or meal prior to watching since a grumbling stomach throughout the opera will definitely take away from one’s viewing pleasure.

Saturday, April 06, 2013

Himala, 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Musical

May Bayot

I felt like a brave soul when I watched the opening night of Himala, 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Musical at the PETA Theater Center. I almost felt unworthy to be part of the audience since not only have I not seen the previous staging of this musical, but I haven’t even viewed the Ishmael Bernal directed film that this musical was based on. All I knew about Himala was the scene where Nora Aunor delivered that immortal line that has been imitated, parodied and spoofed since then.

Coming in to watch this restaging of the musical blind had its advantages as well. I didn’t have any expectations going in and wasn’t distracted in trying to figure out what changes the team of playwright Ricky Lee and composer Vincent de Jesus did in order to make the film work as a musical. When I first heard of this production which was originally set to run in November 2012, I was informed that it was going to be just a concert staging which meant that there won’t be elaborate sets, stage direction and choreography. All the focus would be on the material and the music.

Aicelle Santos, Robert Seña, May Bayot, Dulce and Noel Cabangon

Some of the original cast members namely May Bayot (Elsa), Cynthia Culig-Guico (Chayong) Isay Alvarez (Nimia) and Dulce (Aling Saling) were back to reprise their roles for this 10th Anniversary staging. They were joined by OJ Mariano, Myke Salomon, Melvin Lee who played featured roles during the opening night. Mia Bolaños, Kalila Aguilos and Lionel Guico were the alternates in certain performances. Soxie Topacio once more directed this production like he did during the original run.

Dulce and Celeste Legaspi 

The music was divine with the cast not wearing any microphones and accompanied only by Jed Balsamo on the piano. The vocals were pure, raw and unadulterated. The intimacy was palpable as one could easily see the tears falling, the sweat dripping and even the spit coming out from the actors. There weren’t any tunes in Himala that one could hum right after the show compared to Care Divas which Vincent de Jesus also wrote the music for. Instead, Himala was more like a symphony with the voices by the power house cast sounding like an orchestra: rich, complex, discordant, contrapuntal and dissonant. I also noticed a haunting recurring theme made up of descending minor chords and this eventually accompanied the much awaited part when Elsa sang the popular line from the film.

Ricky Lee

I’ve always been a fan of Dulce and I consider myself very fortunate to hear her that close. Her vocal dynamics were golden as she was able to soar above the chorus during the final scene of the first act and she was very gentle when she sang a comforting tune during the second act. The final note from that song leaped with such pain and tenderness that I had to prevent myself from gasping. Isay Alvarez was very colorful in playing Nimia, the uninhibited prostitute who was a good foil for May Bayot’s stern Elsa. The tortured Chayong portrayed by Cynthia Culig-Guico rounded up a very solid set of leads in this production. Chayong’s duet with Pilo played by Myke Salomon was one of the emotional highlights of the musical. OJ Mariano was also able to portray with convincing manner, his character of Orly who was also searching for redemption. I can’t really remember when the last time I’ve heard a cast sound this exquisite.

Jed Balsamo and Vincent de Jesus

This staging of Himala by Touchworxx Group, Inc. and the Philippine Educational Theater Association was indeed a much stripped down production. One might think that the producers held up for this project. But I felt that it showcased more the strength of the material and the music. And with such a talented cast, this staging of the musical was for me a very emotionally gripping experience.

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

String quartet Quartetto Espressivo caps MCOF Chamber Music Series 2013


April 17, 2013, 7:00 PM
Ayala Museum
Makati Avenue corner De La Rosa Street
Greenbelt ParkMakati

Featuring:
Quartetto Espressivo
     Christian Tan, violin
     Sara Maria Gonzales, violin
     Rey Casey Concepcion, viola
     Gerry Graham Gonzales, cello

Programme:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11
Giuseppe Verdi String Quartet in E minor

The Manila Chamber Orchestra Foundation (MCOF) and the Ayala Museum present a date with string quartet Quartetto Espressivo this April 17, 2013, 7:00 PM at the Ayala Museum as the MCOF Chamber Music Series 2013 winds down for this season.

Violinist Christian Tan

Quartetto Espressivo will be performing Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11 and Giuseppe Verdi’s String Quartet in E minor, the only piece of music he ever wrote for a string quartet. The Tchaikovsky piece is said to have brought the great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy to tears when it was performed at a tribute concert for him. The Verdi piece on the other hand is a surprising work from a composer known for his operas. This piece of chamber music came into being during his idle time when the Milan/Naples production of Aïda got delayed due to soprano Teresa Stolz’s illness.

Violinist Sara Maria Gonzales

Making their debut at this concert is a new Quartetto Espressivo composed of violinists Christian Tan and Sara Maria Gonzales, violist Rey Casey Concepcion and cellist Gerry Graham Gonzales. The quartet has won at the National Competition for Young Artists in the Chamber Music Category. Each of the members who are also regular members of the Manila Symphony Orchestra, are also NAMCYA prize winners in their respective categories as well.

Violist Rey Casey Concepcion

The MCO Foundation is a non-stock, non-profit organization established in 1985 and is dedicated to the promotion of the classical arts. This concert is made possible through the support of Ayala Museum together with MCOF’s valued partners Lyric Piano and Organ, BusinessWorld, Manila Diamond Hotel, HighLife, HerWord and DZFE.FM 98.7.

Cellist Gerry Graham Gonzales

Ticket price:
P600

For inquiries:
MCOF 750-0768, (0920) 954-0053
Allan 782-7164, (0918) 347-3027
TicketWorld 891-9999

Franco holds solo concert at the Music Museum


April 6, 2013, 9:00 PM
Music Museum
Greenhills Shopping Center
San Juan

Franco Reyes, now a solo artist after the breakup of the supergroup Franco, takes on another adventure as he mounts a solo concert happening this April 6, 2013, 9:00 PM at the Music Museum. This concert comes at the heels of the release of Soul Adventurer which is considered to be the band Franco’s sophomore album.

With the parting of ways of Franco’s big name band members, Franco Reyes went solo and recorded the tracks of Soul Adventurer with a backup band. He is now supported by musicians Paul Cañada, Victor Guison and Dave Elfin. The debut release of Franco back in 2010 was a major music highlight with them dominating the last NU Rock Awards in 2010 by winning the major awards: Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for This Gathering, Album of the Year for their self titled debut and the Listener's Choice.

Franco Reyes

Franco’s record label, MCA Music is still in support of the artist despite the major shakeup  from being a super group to being a solo act. The massive 17 track album (a rarity nowadays) delivers a mix of rock, reggae and R&B with songs that seem to reflect what happened to Franco recently.

Many fans of rock music may have mourned the breakup of the super band Franco, but Franco Reyes soldiers on as a solo act. The lineup may change but the music remains the same. Experience Franco’s music and join his adventure at the Music Museum on April 6, 2013.

Ticket prices:
P1800 VIP
P1300 Orchestra
P800 Balcony

For inquiries:
Music Museum 721-6726
SM Tickets 470-2222
TicketWorld 891-9999

Soul Adventurer, released by MCA Music is now available in record stores nationwide. The album and its individual tracks are also available for digital download over at iTunes.


Soul Adventurer

Tracks:
1. 032
2. To Survive
3. Moonset
4. Better Days
5. What is to Be Must Be
6. Renewal
7. Drifter
8. A Beautiful Diversion
9. Across the Milky Way
10. Razor
11. Blame
12. Follow That Light
13. Uprising
14. Babylonian Politicians
15. Muse
16. Lover’s Fire
17. A Prayer
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