MANILA, Philippines - A generous grant, a gamut of talents, a season of dazzling theatrical entertainment. And it?s all finally happening at the south of the metro.

The Friends of Insular Life (Filfest) Cultural Foundation, with the Insular Life Theater in Filinvest Corporate City Alabang, brings for the first time a full season of critically acclaimed shows to Alabang, Muntinlupa, starting this month until Oct. 25.

When internationally renowned concert pianist Jovianney Emmanuel Cruz first proposed to bring a season of musical shows more accessible to the residents of Metro South, everyone listened. And for years everyone continued to listen until a grant was finally awarded to Cruz this year by the Insular Life. A timely partnership with nonprofit Filfest Cultural Foundation, a group of passionate Metro South dwellers, sealed the deal.

?The Insular Life Theater has been operating since the turn of the century, but it has never received so many guests as it did this year when Filfest Cultural Foundation came into the picture,? said Ana Maria Soriano, AVP-PR of the Insular Life.

Established only April this year, the Filfest Cultural Foundation opened the season last May with an inaugural gala that featured violinist Alfonso ?Coke? Bolipata and Korean cellist Sung-Won Yan, with the Metro Manila Community Orchestra conducted by Josefino ?Chino? Toledo.

Since then, the 524-seater Insular Life Theater has played host to talents like tenor Lionel Guico, conductor Gerard Salonga, the young orchestra FILharmoniKA by Filipino masters such as Antonino Buenaventura, Lucio San Perdro and Angel Pena.

?Latin Heat?

On July 5, a hot sizzler of salsa, rumba, bossa nova, reggae and Caribbean music will entertain theatergoers as Ballet Philippines? multi-awarded ?Latin Heat? will be restaged by its new artistic director Max Luna III.

??Latin Heat? is ballet movement to the music of Latin. It?s an exciting musical and theatrical experience,? said Ballet Philippines? sales and marketing manager Caroll Odvina. And, Luna added, nobody moves to the pulse of the music the way Filipinos do.

The sensual and sultry rhythmic Latin dance movement will be interpreted in a unique performance by one of the country?s national treasures, Ballet Philippines. ?Latin Heat? has earned five Gawad Buhay! 2008 citations for outstanding production, outstanding ensemble performance, outstanding original choreography, outstanding male lead in dance performance and outstanding featured performance in a dance production.

?[Because of the horrible traffic and accidents], those of us who moved to Alabang 25 years ago always thought twice about driving down to [CCP or Makati] in the evenings to watch classical shows,? said Filfest chair Bubut de los Santos.

De los Santos said it is the foundation?s vision to bring to the Metro South the best classical music and dance performances and make them also accessible to the communities.

Vicky Zubiri, Filfest president, said the foundation has already been offering free cultural shows to public and private grade schools where they were, surprisingly, well-received by children, calling the classics ?the rock music of the 19th century.?

The foundation intends to transform lives and communities through cultural performances, ?allowing the love for great classical music to mold their hearts and minds,? said De los Santos, noting how many children have replaced the arts with TV shows like ?American Idol.?

?It is a supreme gift given to us to watch performances that is stemmed from the human soul,? said Patricia Sison, VP of Filfest Cultural Foundation.

Upcoming season offerings are ?Of Czechs and Euros,? ?Ultimatum,? ?Virtuous!,? ?If It Ain?t Baroque,? ?Mozart?s Miost? and ?Opera Miniscula.?

For tickets to ?Latin Heat? and other shows, call 0927-7780798. Orchestra is P800 while balcony seats are P600. Curtain rises at 8 p.m.