OnE vOicE

I have long been gone in the "blogosphere" and I really missed a lot for the several months of my absence - my recital. It was a succes, if I were to say it. My efforts paid. Mom was there, my aunts, my cousins, my sister and most especially, my friends. It wasn't easy memorizing all 13 songs - epistaxis!

Part One
Comfort Ye, recitative
Every Valley Shall Be Exalted, aria
from the oratorio MESSIAH
by George Frederic Handel

The work is a presentation of Jesus' life and its significance according to Christian doctrine. The name of the oratorio is taken from Judaism and Christianity's concept of the Messiah ("the anointed one"). In Christianity, Jesus is the Messiah. The work is divided into three parts which address specific events in the life of Christ. Part One is primarily concerned with the Advent and Christmas stories. Part Two chronicles Christ's passion, resurrection, ascension, and the evangelization to the world of the Christian message. Part Three is based primarily upon the events chronicled in The Revelation to St. John. Although Messiah deals with the New Testament story of Christ's life, a majority of the texts used to tell the story were selected from the Old Testament prophetic books of Isaiah, as well as Haggai, Malachi, and others.

Why By An Angel?, recitative
Total Eclipse, aria
from the oratorio SAMSON
by George Frederic Handel

Samson is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. It was based on a libretto by Newburgh Hamilton, who based it on Milton's Samson Agonistes, which in turn was based on the figure Samson in Chapter 16 of the Book of Judges. Samson is considered one of Handel's finest dramatic works.

singing the FOUR songs of Handel

Part Two
Avant de quitter ces lieux
from the opera FAUST
by Charles Gounod

In 1864, when Faust was given in English at Her Maejsty's Theatre in London, Guonod yeilded to the strong entreaties of the baritone Santley who was unhappy with a role that had no aria. He took the melodic phrase from the prelude of the opera and turned it into the aria “Avant de quitter ces lieux.” In 1937, it had never yet been used at the Paris Opera.

The aria was inserted in the score between the entrance of Valentine, “O sainte medaille,” and the “Veau d'Or” strophes sung by Mephisto. It consists of three sections: (a) Valentin, joining the army, entrusts his sister Marguerite to the protection of the Lord; (b) he will be a valiant soldier, and if he falls, he will protect Marguerite from on high; (c) and the repetition of Part A.

Standchen
by Franz Schubert

"One Sunday, during the summer of 1826, Schubert with several friends was returning from Potzleinsdorf to the city, and on strolling along through Wahring, he saw his friend Tieze sitting at a table in the garden of the 'Zum Biersack.' The whole party determined on a halt in their journey. Tieze had a book lying open before him, and Schubert soon began to turn over the leaves. Suddenly he stopped, and pointing to a poem, exclaimed, 'such a delicious melody has just come into my head, if I but had a sheet of music paper with me.' Herr Doppler drew a few music lines on the back of a bill of fare, and in the midst of a genuine Sunday hubbub, with fiddlers, skittle players, and waiters running about in different directions with orders, Schubert wrote that lovely song."

Mattinata
by Ruggero Leoncavallo

Leoncavallo's charming Mattinata, whose title translates as "Morning Song," is a greeting from a lover to his beloved. He calls to her to awaken and to come down to him. The dawn is dressed in white, giving joy to the earth. The narrator asks the object of his affections to likewise dress and give joy to him: "Ove non sei, la luca manca, ove tu sei, nasce l'amor!" ("Where you are not, the light cannot shine, where you are, love is born!").

Una furtiva lagrima
from the opera L'ELISIR D'AMORE
by Gaetano Donizetti

Una furtiva lagrima (A furtive tear) is the romanza taken from Act II, Scene 2 of the Italian opera, L'elisir d'amore by Gaetano Donizetti. It is sung by Nemorino when he finds that the love potion he bought to win his dream lady’s heart, Adina, works. Nemorino is in love with Adina, but she isn't interested in a relationship with an innocent, rustic man. To win her heart, Nemorino buys a “love potion” with all the money he has in his pocket. The “love potion” is actually a cheap red wine sold by a traveling con man. But when he sees Adina weeping, he knows that she has fallen in love with him and the “Elixir” works.

The aria was inserted in the score between the entrance of Valentine, “O sainte medaille,” and the “Veau d'Or” strophes sung by Mephisto. It consists of three sections: (a) Valentin, joining the army, entrusts his sister Marguerite to the protection of the Lord; (b) he will be a valiant soldier, and if he falls, he will protect Marguerite from on high; (c) and the repetition of Part A.

singing Constancio de Guzman''s "Nasaan Ngayon Ang Sumpa Mo Sa Akin?"

Part Three
Brother Will, Brother John
by John Sacco

This is among the most widely used teaching repertoire for singers in the U.S. This is a completely different song selection for a certain voice type. Mr. Sacco composed hundreds of songs, including ''Johnny the One,'' ''Six Doves,'' ''High Flight,'' ''You Can't Take It With You,'' ''Rapunzel'' and ''With This Ring I Thee Wed.''

I Met A Girl
from the broadway musical, BELLS ARE RINGING
by Jule Styne

Bells Are Ringing is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story revolves around Ella, who works at an answering service and the characters that she meets there. Three of the show's tunes - "Long Before I Knew You," "Just in Time," and "The Party's Over" - became popular standards. The original Broadway production, directed by Jerome Robbins and choreographed by Robbins and Bob Fosse, opened on November 29, 1956 at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for slightly more than two years before transferring to the Alvin, for a total run of 924.

singing John Sacco's "Bother Will, Brother John"


singing Jule Styne's "I Met A Girl" with Jhon James Dayak on the clarinet

Nasaan Ngayon Ang Sumpa Mo Sa Akin
by Constancio de Guzman
Iyo Kailan Pa Man
by Angel Pena

These songs are about unrequited love. Written by the Philippines’ most notable pioneers of jazz music, the work belongs to the genre of Philippine Romantic Music known as the Kundiman. The song consists of a haunting melody that serves to reinforce its text which is a paradox of lament and hope.

"The Finale"

Finale
ONE VOICE
from the musical ONE VOICE
by Robert Sterling

As qouted from the Director’s Note, Ian Talbot said, “About 12years ago this show came across my desk. I immediately fell in love with the music, and identified with the characters. I hoped that others would as well. Within those 12 years I kept coming back to this show, wanting to present it, but did not yet have the resources with which to do it right. After starting Masquer three years ago, One Voice kept going to the top of the list of presentations, only to come back to "we need more people." It is a blessing to finally see One Voice not only presented, but done right. We all have one voice; some sing, some make speeches, others prayers. Some use their voice without ever saying a word, but they reach out. Our hope and prayer tonight is that when you leave this place you will ask yourself, "How will I use my voice?"

singing Ruggero Leoncavallo's "Mattinata"

singing Gaetano Donizetti's "Una furtiva lagrima" with Joyce Zerda on the cello