Ending the month with a showing of Rama, Hari –10/10, would recommend.
Alice Reyes’ Rama, Hari: a Filipino Rock Opera Ballet
Performed by the recently-established Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, the rock opera ballet Rama, Hari adapts the classic Indian text Ramayana through the combined efforts of five eventual National Artists –Alice Reyes (dance), Ryan Cayabyab (music and score), Bienvenido Lumbrera (libretto/literature), Salvador Bernal (theater design) and Rolando Tinio (translation). The first of two acts cover Rama’s wedding to Sita, the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila, and his sudden exile to the forest after the machinations of his stepmother Kaiyeki. Accompanied by Sita and his loyal brother Lakshmana, he then battles Ravana and his sister Soorpanakha and returns triumphant in the second act.
Before last weekend, I’ve never even heard of (let alone seen) a “rock opera ballet”. As the genre name suggests, the show combines the techniques and emotive strength of classical ballet (punctuated by jazz and hip gyrations during the rock-heavy segments) with the narrative clarity and depth of opera music. Each main character is interpreted by a dancer and by a singer. It felt novel and exciting. It feels superior to musicals, ballet, or operas on their own. The combination of both mediums aids in the storytelling, making the traditional epic accessible and entertaining; persons not familiar with the story of Ramayana can easily follow along.
This first taste is a treat. The realization that the costume choices, choreography, music and translations are faithful reproductions of its first historical debut in 1980 –a golden age in OPM or Original Filipino Music– gave me chills. Now I’m a little excited to catch “Mga Kwento ni Juan Tamad, Gomburza: Tales of the Manuvu”, which will be staged by ARDP this June 2024.
Final hats off and brava to the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth and Toma Cayabyab for the deft and energetic rendition of the classical music, and to the cast of the show I managed to catch.
Postscript to February
This marks the end of four art-filled weeks of February (though the hunt for art and beautiful things will never end!!!). I managed to squeeze in a few more steps and found Elemental, Leeroy New‘s outdoor art installation at Circuit Makati, which is another official stop to Art Walk 2024. I say “found” like it isn’t smack-dab in the middle of the main driveway, right next to Samsung Performing Arts Theater.
The Gallery at 2L, Samsung Performing Arts Theater is also home to some other works included in the #10DaysOfArt art walk, but I found myself drawn more to the dynamism of this wooden sculpture.
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This deceptively simple piece wasn’t there when I visited the same gallery last year on our way to the showing of Sound of Music. I think.
Going through my photos this February reminded me of this shot taken using my sister’s phone. A few weeks ago, I walked by the historic Casa Tesoro along Mabini street. I have vague memories of going out with someone to the old house back in college, when it still housed the art gallery 1335MABINI (they’ve since moved to Makati City). Seeing a painting of the beautiful and lonely building during Art Fair Philippines 2024 felt like a moment of serendipity and a trip down memory lane, both my personal life and our national consciousness.
Here’s to more moments of life, love and creation set against art.
Until next time! ❤️
jari m 
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