Phantom of the Philippines

When I first heard several months ago that the Phantom of the Opera would be playing in the Philippines, I had hoped that they would get Filipino actors in the cast.  After watching several local shows, I’m certain that the Philippines has no shortage of local talent.  I can think of several known Filipino actors who would make great Phantoms.  As for Christine, it may be difficult to find a soprano who is already known to the public but I’m sure there are Filipinas who deserve the limelight.  I was able to watch “The Magic Flute” of the UP College of Music and I must say that I was myself surprised that we have quite a pool of talented young singers (and actors).

CCP’s Phantom did have a Filipino in the cast, Dondi Ong, the actor who played Ubaldo Piangi.  Not really a main role but I will have to say that his notes are difficult given that he was playing the principal tenor of the Paris Opera House.  The show also hired several musicians to be part of the orchestra.

The musical is to play up to October 17 at the CCP, after having been extended twice.  That’s more than Cats, another Andrew Lloyd Webber musical I saw at the CCP.  Perhaps ‘Phantom’ did strike a chord in Filipinos as it did in other countries. 

There was some clamor from local musicians regarding the show.  “All I ask of you is to pay the fee” was how they put it in the newspaper.  I tend to agree with the OPM and the rest of the Filipino talents.  Given that ‘Phantom’ was extended a couple of times, it was inevitable that they ran over some local shows.  It’s not like the Filipino artists were asking a big chunk of money – just a trifle really to add to the local artists’ retirement fund.  If fees such as these are being collected from Filipino talents abroad where the performing arts are very much alive, all the more that it should be given here.  All that I’m saying is that local artists be given the respect that they deserve.

Mabuhay, Filipino artists!