PPO debuts at the Carnegie Hall

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), under the baton of principal conductor Olivier Ochamina, debuted at the world-famous Carnegie Hall last Saturday, June 18, 2016 with guest artists Cecille Licad (piano) and Diomedes Saraza (violin). For its finale, the PPO performed Ernani Cuenco’s 1979 composition Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal. First performed as a duet by sopranos Conching Rosal and Evelyn Mandac at a CCP recital, the song won for Best Musical Direction in the Urian Awards as theme of the 1980 movie of the same title that starred Lito Lapid. Commercially, it was recorded as both single (instrumental) and as part of the albums Larawan ng Buhay and Ako at si Celeste, with Celeste Legaspi interpreting Levi Celerio’s lyrics for the latter. Having left its mark on local movie music and on the Filipino music world in general, the song, according to CCP’s sixth Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, expresses genuine and [...]