MORE Christmas concerts unfolded during the week, not just in Metro Manila but in the adjacent provinces.

On the night Sen. Mar Roxas unleashed his now infamous expletives in an Ayala rally, we were in Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija to savor the Christmas concert featuring the Philippine Madrigal Singers under Mark Carpio, with the special participation of the local choir and dance groups subsidized by the Science City Mayor?s Office under Mayor Nestor Alvarez.

San Sebastian Parish Church was an excellent venue. Special guests included tenor Pablo Molina, soprano Camille Lopez Molina, the mayor?s Voice scholar Kea Mauna Chan with accompanists Benjie Bautista (violin) and Carol Felipe (cello).

What a versatile choir can do with orchestral pieces was superbly demonstrated in the grand opener, Rossini?s ?William Tell Overture? arranged by Julie Eschliman.

The different voices warmly echoed the orchestra parts. With its mesmerizing effect, I thought the Mads can give symphony orchestras stiff competition should they decide to specialize in orchestral pieces.

From Robert Dufford?s ?Let Heaven Rejoice? to Manoling Francisco?s ?Gumising? to the Lucio San Pedro-arranged ?Payapang Daigdig,? the choir wove choral magic.

The Muñoz dance group of the City Mayor?s Office did a dance interpretation of Dolores Paterno?s ?Sampaguita? and the Robin Estrada-arranged ?Paru-parong Bukid.?

Also featured were special numbers by Chan, Aliw awardee for most promising performer.
Tenor Pablo Molina did a rousing number from ?Walang Sugat? while Camille Lopez Molina dished out the ever favorite ?Sa Kabukiran? in a voice that all but brought the house down.

The Philippine Madrigal Singers led the other choirs in the infinitely moving rendition of Christmas carols from ?O Holy Night? to ?Pasko Na Naman? medley, complete with harmless firecrackers in the finale. This concert is well-thought-out, with a repertoire that built up to an exciting finale.

The Muñoz concert capped a year-long cultural feast in this town headed by Mayor Alvarez, who remains the most active city executive-impresario on this part of Central Luzon.

Lobby treat

Back in Manila, we caught up with another Christmas concert at the Manila Pen featuring the PPO under the baton of guest conductor Ruggero Barbieri.

The hotel lobby with its many-tiered balconies was the setting of a Christmas concert that commenced with Anderson?s ?Christmas Festival? and ended with Beethoven?s ?Ode to Joy? with the UP Concert Chorus.

The first part?s most dramatic number was Verdi?s hymn from Triumphal March from ?Aida.? The trumpeters were strategically distributed on the two side balconies with dancers from Philippine Ballet Theater emerging on the same balconies and later running down the stairs to the hotel lobby to do a number?to the delight of guests checking in and those headed to various function rooms.

Soprano Rachelle Gerodias delighted with an Adele aria from ?Die Fledermaus,? and Camille Lopez Molina did an elegant version of ?Habanera? from ?Carmen.? Tenor Abdul Candao wrapped up with ?Nessun dorma.?

The second part of the concert somehow dragged with a Christmas medley, the traditional numbers of which simply didn?t jibe with old favorites. At worst, traditional Christmas songs like ?Pero mira como beben los Pesces en el Rio? and Anderson?s ?Sleigh Ride? were just too vocally jarring for the soloists? vocal range.

De Leon?s ?Pasko Na Naman? was a welcome relief, and all vocal discomfiture was promptly erased by a divine rendition of Beethoven?s ?Ode To Joy.?

The spectacular Manila Pen concert was co-produced by Rustan?s under Nedy Tantoco, who is behind the series of fundraising concerts aimed at buying new musical instruments for the national orchestra.

Standout

The last weekend concert we covered was at the Greenbelt 3 Open Air Theater courtesy of the MCO Foundation in its first tie-up with Ayala Foundation and Ayala Malls.

Singers Nenen Espina, Jennifer Uy, Ronan Ferrer and Randy Gilongo with Mary Anne Espina at the piano sang Christmas carols from around the world, to the delight of MCO patrons and mall shoppers.

Ferrer was a standout in ?Gesu Bambino,? Gilongo did a sparkling version of ?Cantique de Noel,? Espina blended well with ?It?s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,? and Uy was supremely grand in the rendition of ?O Holy City.?

If you didn?t know it yet, the Francisco Santiago Hall and the Antonio Molina Hall?formerly with PCI Bank but now with BDO?will undergo ?renovations? under the new management. With the distinguished roster of national and international artists who have performed in those halls, we sincerely hope they don?t gradually disappear when the demands for more bank profit get into the picture.

Now, the MCO Foundation Secretariat is out of the BDO premises while ?renovation? of the concert halls is going on.

The best Christmas gift BDO can give Manila?s music lovers is to retain those venues named after the country?s eminent National Artists for Music?Francisco Santiago and Antonio Molina.