Filipino Tenors Miguel Castro, David Ezra Cruz, Johann Enriquez, Christian Nagano and Jenmar de Asis have completed their three concerts in Sydney namely in Millers Point, in Penrith and in Chatswood to the delight of many Filiipino music aficionados, especially those who long for the traditional Filipino music genres such as kundiman and OPM.
The Filipino Tenors captivated audiences with performance of a crossover of several music genres opening with obligatory Italian classics.
The Filipino Tenors themselves have adopted individual sobriquets identifying their specialities, namely: Castro, the Kundiman Tenor; Cruz, the Broadway Tenor; Enriquez, Pop Tenor; Nagano, Classical Tenor and de Asis, Crossover Tenor.
At the Joan Sutherland Centre for Performing Arts in Penrith last Saturday 19 July, it was amazing how such Filipino folksy songs almost considered as home ditties “Bakya Mo Neneng”, “Sa Kabukiran”, and “Isang Gabi” could be lined up along with powerful opera aria to the satisfaction of discerning lovers of Filipino music.
This concert was billed as Philippine Arts Festival, a ticketed event from 7 p.m. at Sutherland Centre, presaged by an art exhibition by Sydney’s foremost Filipino “tintors” Alfredo Ding Rocs, Edd Aragon, Deborah Ruiz Wall, Ala Paredes, Nectar Soliman plus one of the Filipino Tenors himself Miguel Castro who is a visual artist.
The Filipino Tenors performed on Thursday 18 July at the Glover Cottage in Millers Point in Sydney tourist district to a selected group of people invited by the Philippine Consulate General, the Philippine Department of Tourism office, and the night’s host the Australian Institute of International Affirs or AIIA. It was their first performance in Australia and held some eight hours after arriving at the Sydney international airport.
The Filipino Tenor’s third and last performance in Sydney was at the Concourse Theatre in Chatswood, NSW as headliner in the show “Rhythm of Asia” together with local acts Canto4you and the Filipino Chaplaincy of Chatswood Parish choir.
The Filipino Tenors: Miguel Castro appeared in two of the most memorable local Filipino musicals in the Philippines –St Lois Loves Dem Filipinos as lead for Dulaang UP and Filipinas Circa for Cultural Centre of the Philippines. He joined Philippine Operetta “Aawitan Kita” and the Philippine Opera Company’s “Harana” where he performed monthly concerts. He was with the casts of the “Aawitan Kita” concert led by Armida SiguionReyna that visited Sydney in 2012.
David Ezra Cruz is graduate of Bachelor of Music, major in Voice Performance at UST Conservatory of Music. He performed mainly in Broadway and West end musicals like Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, Sweeney Todd. David is the son of well known vocal entertainer Ms Dulce.
Johann Enriquez was with Philippine Madrigal Singers. His performances include Philippine Madrigal Singers national tour, the major concert “More than Madrigals, and the CCP 40th Anniversary Launching Gala.
Christian Nagano was a former soloist of the UST Coro Tomasino. He started singing at age 16 and is a holder of Bachelor of Music major in voice at UST Conservatory of Music. He was a scholar of the Gorge Yang of Klassikal Music Foundation.
Jenmar de Asis enrolled at the UST Conservatory of Music major in voice. With vast experience in classical music concerts, he has been the conductor of the International Baptist Church-Manila choir for five years.