Video: OPEN DOORS Concert Cast, Led by Regine Velasquez, Take Their Bows

Manila, Philippines--Ayala Land and Samsung’s Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati has just turned one and celebrated this milestone with the launch of its venue grants: a subsidy program given to national artists, professional and community performing arts companies to help realize their creative visions on a world-class theatrical facility, such as the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

The venue grants launch cum first-anniversary celebration came in the form of a star-studded conglomeration of performing artists from different practices: classical music and dance, musical theater and opera, and pop music and OPM via the fundraising concert “Open Doors,” directed by Floy Quintos, held last Friday night.

“These grants will reduce the costs for community-based groups, which is currently a barrier to accessing a world-class space like the Samsung Performing Arts Theater,” said Christopher Mohnani, director of the theater.

“The opportunity to perform on a stage such as ours will not only boost creativity but also broaden artistic dreams and ambitions,” he added.

“It all begins when someone opens the door.”

Two of the first beneficiaries of the venue grants are National Artists Alice Reyes (Dance) and Ryan Cayabyab (Music), whose dance adaptation of Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen” and concert production of “Contra Mundum,” based on the original Filipino musical “Ang Larawan,” respectively, will be staged at a later date at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

The ”Open Doors” concert culminated with Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, who sang some of her timeless hits, such as “Dadalhin”  (Tats Faustino) and “Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka” (Ryan Cayabyab),  accompanied by the 20-plus piece Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rodel Colmenar.

The Philippine Madrigal Singers, Steps Dance Studio, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Shaira Opsimar, Markki Stroem, Lara Maigue, Poppert Bernadas, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo also performed on stage, which was well-received by the full-house audience.

In a short period, the Samsung Performing Arts Theater has become a more accessible venue for Filipino artists and audiences from the North and South parts of Manila.  It has presented a broad spectrum of live productions, from original Filipino musicals to international touring productions to box-office-breaking concerts.

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