New label Viral Records wants to create 'safe space' for musicians

By Christina Alpad

The Philippines is never short on musical talents resulting to a rich landscape teeming with local music producers. But one new player, Viral Records, is stepping forward in the hopes of providing opportunities for Filipino talents without compromising their authenticity.

In a grand media conference where Viral Records introduced itself and its seven new talents, Patsy Ferrer explained that the label she co-founded with Cons de Guzman and Raven Bobilar aims to provide a sanctuary for artists.

"Our belief is that musicians and creators thrive when supported because there's an abundance of exceptional talent within our community," Ferrer said passionately.

"Our mission at Viral Records is simple: prioritize their creative desires. We're dedicated to upholding their artistic freedom and uniqueness; conformity isn't in our vocabulary. Our goal is to foster an environment where they feel free to express themselves freely," the executive added.

Miss Universe pageant to remove age limit beginning 2024

Current Miss Universe titleholder R’Bonney Gabriel INSTAGRAM PHOTO/MISSUNIVERSE

By Christina Alpad

September 13, 2023 190

THE Miss Universe pageant — considered the largest and most prestigious beauty pageant — is removing the age limit of 28 years old to all candidates beginning 2024.

"Starting then, every adult woman in the world will be eligible to compete to be Miss Universe," the pageant posted on its Instagram account @missuniverse Wednesday morning.

A link to the post showed that current titleholder, R'Bonney Gabriel, made the announcement at Tanner Fletcher's spring 2024 New York Fashion Week show on Tuesday.

In 2022, MUO also started allowing mothers and wives to compete for the pageant.

"It's a bold group of women in charge over here, and you know what, a lot of people tend to follow what we do — it's nice to be a standard-bearer, and I'm proud that we get to do this," Gabriel told WWD.

The 72nd Miss Universe competition is set on November 18 at host country El Salvador. Michelle Dee will represent the country in the upcoming pageant.

'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' Beloved, now, then and always

Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, and Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess

By Christina Alpad

March 16, 2023 

The Sound of Music is arguably one of the most recognizable musicals of all time. Who can forget the troublesome but charming Maria? How about the adorable Von Trapp children and the stern but loving head of the family Captain Von Trapp? Most of all, who can resist singing along to such classics tunes as "Do-Re-Mi," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" just to name a few?

The Sound of Music (which inspired the 1965 hit movie adaptation of the same title starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer) has been showcased numerous times — a thousand times, to be actually, with London's West End alone recording more than 2,000 performance.

But there's no stopping in retelling the uplifting true story of Maria, the fun-loving governess who changed the lives of the widowed Captain von Trapp and his seven children by reintroducing them to music, and the family's flight across the Austrian mountains as tensions rise prior to the outbreak of World War 2.

In fact, a brand new international production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic is currently playing in Manila, with performance running until March 26 at the the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.

The cast of ‘The Sound of Music’ plays in Manila through March 16.

Presented by Broadway International Group, Broadway Asia, AMA Group of Companies, and in association with GMG Productions, The Sound of Music in Manila is the third stop of the international tour after having played successful runs in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

The tour highlights the original creative work of three-time Tony Award winning director Jack O'Brien, Broadway choreographer Danny Mefford, and Musical Supervision by Andy Einhorn as well as an established award-winning Broadway creative, design, and production team.

The Sound of Music stars Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria Rainer, Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp, Lauren Kidwell as Mother Abbess, and Joshua La Force as Max, and Lauren O'Brien as Liesl, and joining the Touring company for the Manila season are Filipino talents Karylle Tatlonghari as Baroness Elsa von Schraeder and Markki Stroem as Rolf.

The Von Trapp children starring in the musical joined the company for the first time during the Manila production.

Now, if the musical is such a classic, why should the audience, Filipinos in particular, still watch the show if, say they have seen previous stagings or watched the movie?

For lead actors Wiley and Martin, the story of hope that Maria and the Von Trapp family brings is needed now more than ever.

"History repeats itself and I feel like this show is more relevant now more so than ever with everything's that happening especially in Ukraine. It's one of those stories that present here's what could be the outcome," Wiley, who plays Maria said.

Unfortunately it's not always everybody's outcome [the happy ending that the family had] but here, we have a message of hope, of fighting for what you believe in, of family and standing up for what's right and I think it's an honor to share this with the audience," she added.

Martin agreed, saying, "Over the course of time, every, unfortunately, all over the globe, the story continues to happen over and over again — people are forced out of their countries, forced away from government and tyranny that they are trying to escape for them and their families, all the time, in every continent and every country.

"So hopefully, the show can present a sense of hope, and can instill a sense of courage. It's an amazing thing to be able to play someone [Captain von Trapp] who doesn't back from his principles. I would hope in that if I were to face the same situation, I would do the same thing — to choose what's right for me, for my family and for my country."

In ending, Martin, who plays the principle Captain von Trapp, noted, "It's always a relevant story no matter what year we do it in."

Catch Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music in Manila from Tuesday to Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. until March 26.

For tickets, visit ticketworld.com.ph.

The long and difficult journey of 'Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told'

Edu Manzano and Aljur Abrenica in ‘Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told.’ YOUTUBE SCREENSHOTS

By Christina Alpad, Manila Times

"It has been a long, hard battle."

This was how movie producer and lawyer Ferdinand Topacio described the journey of his new masterpiece, "Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told."

The movie, an official entry to the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), tells the story of the Mamasapano clash where 44 Special Action Force officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) died on their mission.

poster   

Using both the PNP Board of Inquiry Report and the Senate Committee on Public Order Report, scriptwriter Eric Ramos ("Rainbow Sunset") and director Lester Dimaranan ("Nelia") presented the story from the point of view of then-PNP Deputy Chief of Operations Major General Benjamin Magalong, played in the movie Edu Manzano.

"It was the point of view ni Magalong as he was heading the investigation. Siya yung nagpapatakbo ng kwento. And then the scenarios in the field were told in flashbacks," scriptwriter Ramos said.

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"Pinanghahawakan namin yung paninindigan na ito ay base lahat sa katotohanan. Kung ano talaga yung laman ng imbestigasyon ng PNP Board of Inquiry, yun talaga yung naging gabay namin," Ramos added.

"Mamasapano" movie was three years in the making. Topacio's Borracho Films started working on the movie's script in late 2019, about the same time the production company was established. It would take five months to complete the script alone. Topacio was hoping that it would be his opening salvo in the filmmaking industry.

Unfortunately, that dream had to wait for several years.

The pandemic and consequent lockdowns derailed their taping schedules. Another conflict within the production team, which led to the replacement of the director and the entire production staff, further delayed the movie.

Still, Topacio — who served as counsel for the families of the 44 SAF officers — was bent on finishing and releasing the movie, as he promised the surviving family members of the fallen heroes.

"We hope to perpetuate yung memory ng mga tao. There's a saying, 'If you want to reach a person's mind, you write a book. If you want to reach a person's heart, you make a movie.' This is a movie that must reach the heart of every Filipino because this is the story of an ordinary Filipino. Itong mga ito [the SAF 44 officers] hindi ito mga sikat na tao," the lawyer-turned-producer said.

He also noted how they spared no expense to produce an accurate and true-to-life account of the events that led to the Mamasapano encounter — from hiring competent creatives to investing heavily on production and post-production needs of the film.

"The final product is well worth it. It exceeded all our expectations. Napakaganda talaga," the producer proudly said.

The movie was initially submitted for MMFF 2021 but was rejected. From there, they planned to release the movie on November 30 this year, in time for National Heroes' Day.

"But we decided why not give it a try again on MMFF," Topacio recalled.

He breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that "Mamasapano" is an official entry to the 48th edition of MMFF.

In ending, Topacio said he is hoping the public will support the movie everyone worked hard for.

"If I am going to be remembered as a producer for just one movie, I want to be remembered for this movie," he finally said.

"Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told" also stars Paolo Gumabao, Aljur Abrenica, Allan Paule, Rey Abellana, Ritz Azul, Myrtle Sarrosa, Claudine Barretto, Gerald Santos and Rez Cortez among many others.