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| Joseleo Logdat, Baritone |
It is said that the character of Elias in Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere is the most unique personality in the famous novel. As a villager with little
education, the injustices suffered by his family under the guardia civil and
friars have sharpened his intellect and vowed to fight social injustices and
prejudices.
An opera in three acts based on Rizal’s 1887 novel goes on stage
tonight at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater,
Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (March 8-10, 2019). The CCP celebrates its 50th anniversary this
year.
“Noli Me Tangere” is a full-length opera combined with
orchestral arrangements from kundiman composition and Western classical music
tradition.
Chosen to play Elias is Marinduque’s homegrown talent,
Joseleo Logdat who started singing as a choir boy in a chapel in Brgy.
Balimbing, Boac, Marinduque under the tutelage of the late Rev. Fr. Edwin Sager.
Logdat eventually earned a Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance at Elisabeth
University of Music in Hiroshima, Japan, among others and has competed and received
international vocal and music competitions in Singapore, Austria, and in Osaka
and Yokohama (Japan).
A timeless story of love, betrayal and hope, Noli Me Tangere
depicts the abuses suffered by Indios at the hands of Spanish tyrants, set
against a repulsive backdrop of tyranny, torture and murder.
The opera illustrates “social cancer,” a rotten system of
governance, the illicit way of the Church and the unfavorable trade of the
privileged class.
This all-new production will be a grand gathering of cast
and crew of 200 actors-classical singers and musicians.
“Expect a brand-new production of the ‘Noli Opera.’ We will
be using LED walls instead of mapping projections alongside physical set
pieces, which create a more ‘cinematic’ look and feel. Although it’s very
expensive to mount this opera, ambitious even, we’d like this new production to
be more affordable to students, tickets at 50 percent off, suggested by CCP and
the art enthusiasts,” says New York-based event stylist, set and costume designer Jerry Sibal.
Sibal and veteran actor-director Jose Jeffrey Camañag
co-directed the 2019 production that will feature the 53-piece Noli Symphony
Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera.
Among others, leading the cast are Nerissa de Juan and
Bianca Lopez (Maria Clara); Ivan Nery and Nomher U. Nival (Juan Crisostomo
Ibarra); Allison Cervantes, Kelly Peralejo and Bernadette Mamauag (Sisa);
Joseleo Logdat (Elias); Greg Abelardo de Leon (Pilosopo Tasyo); Nils Flores
and Ronaldo Villaruel Abarquez (Padre Damaso; also Kapitan Tiago at certain
performances); Miguel Espiritu (Kapitan Tiago); Noel Comia Jr. and Mari Yapjoco
(Basilio) and Santino Juan Santiago (Crispin).
The opera will be performed with English supertitles with a
gala performance tonight, 8 March (8 p.m.) and matinee performances on 9 to 10 March
(2 p.m.).
For tickets: J&S Productions Inc. at 0947-168-1714,
0915-819-3459, or (02)998-2356, CCP Box Office at (02) 832-3704/06, TicketWorld
at (02) 891-9999.
