Arts & Culture (03/19/25)

Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo to lecture on historical novels

THE second installation of the lecture series “States of the Filipino Novel” will be held on March 21, 5 p.m., at the Natividad Galang Fajardo Conference Room of Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. It will be led by renowned professor, writer, and literary scholar Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo who will discuss the modern Philippine historical novel and women writers  Both the in-person talk and its livestream are free to the public.

Nicole Coson, Jon and Hanna Pettyjohn at Silverlens

SILVERLENS MANILA will hold a solo exhibition by Nicole Coson alongside a duo presentation of father and daughter potters Jon and Hanna Pettyjohn, both exhibits opening on March 20. Ms. Coson’s is titled Membranes, focusing on two everyday objects: styrofoam mesh fruit casing and standard plastic shipping crates. These items speak to the vast journeys that perishable goods undergo before eventual consumption, expressed in printmaking and painting for the show. Meanwhile, the Pettyjohns are presenting Reflections, in situ, featuring collaborative sculptures alongside individual works by each artist. Both artists articulate through their works a deep connection to the landscape of the Philippines through transformed raw materials, ceramics, paintings, and sculptures. Both exhibits run until April 25 at Silverlens, Chino Roces Ext., Makati.

Women’s Month opera to take place at Y Space

FOR an evening of powerful voices and soulful melodies, those who enjoy or are curious about opera can come to Her & Harmonies: A Women’s Month Opera Event, featuring sopranos Krissan Manikan-Tan and Kay Balajadia, on March 22, 6:30 p.m., at Y Space at the Yuchengco Museum, RCBC Plaza, Makati. Raki Gendrano will be on piano supporting the two opera singers. Tickets for the general public cost P1,500 while seniors, persons with disabilities, and academic faculty with valid IDs can attend for P1,200.

China Collages opening at MO_Space

THE SHOW, China Collages, will give viewers the chance to revisit Roberto Chabet’s pivotal series of works on paper this March. Done between the mid to the late 1980s, these collages represent a critical point in both Mr. Chabet’s career as an artist, as well as the evolving political landscape, bearing tumultuous undulations between order and chaos. In these works, Mr. Chabet reimagines collage through the functions of the map. China Collages is open for public viewing at MO_Space from March 22 to April 20 at the 3rd floor of Mos Design, 9th Avenue, BGC, Taguig.

Calle Wright holds talks on opening show

TWO TALKS will be held this month in conjunction with Calle Wright’s opening exhibit for the year, Hair tied together, embodied we speak / Pinagtaling buhok, kinatawang bigkas, a group show exploring photography, installation, and sound as tools for connection, resistance, and self-identity. The first talk is “Collective Envisioning: Art, Material, and the Body” on March 22, 3 p.m., with three of the exhibiting artists: Isola Tong, Patricia Perez Eustaquio, and Gina Osterloh. The talk will have them each delve into their works, which explore materiality, the body, and collective memory. The second is “Listening to Walls: Press, Lean, and Perform with Gina Osterloh” on March 23, 10 a.m., where Ms. Osterloh invites visitors into a quiet, meditative space to understand her unique video performance through simple, mindful gestures. Register to attend these events via Calle Wright’s pages. Calle Wright is located on 1890 Vasquez St., Malate, Manila.

Arthur Espiritu holding MiraNila concert

ON April 2, Filipino-American tenor singer Arthur Espiritu will be filling the halls of the MiraNila Heritage House & Library with his powerful voice. His one-night concert, in partnership with Leon Gallery and Gallery MiraNila of The Blue Leaf, is titled Tenor Arthur Espiritu Welcome-home Concert Amid Critical Acclaim in Europe. It starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Hall of MiraNila. The night marks his return from Europe after playing leading roles in various opera houses and concert halls. He will be performing pieces by Gabriel Fauré, Franz Lehar, Giacomo Puccini, Charles Gounod, Richard Strauss, Andrew Lloyd Weber, and Francesco Sartori, accompanied by soprano Jade Riccio and pianist Mariel Ilusorio. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets cost P1,500 for library seats and P2,500 for Main Hall seats and must be reserved in advance. MiraNila Heritage House & Library is located at 26 Mariposa St., Brgy. Bagong Lipunan, Crame, Quezon City.

Rep announces full cast ofART

REPERTORY PHILIPPINES (Rep) has announced the full cast and creative team for its 88th season offering of Yasmina Reza’s Olivier and Tony award-winning comedy, ART. The production, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Victor Lirio, features New York-, London-, and Manila-based creatives. In the cast are London-based Filipino-British actor Martin Sarreal, award-winning Manila-based actor Brian Sy, and British stage, film, and TV actor Freddy Sawyer. Rep’s ART will run from June 13 to 21, with regular performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and matinee performances on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. All performances will be at Rep’s recently inaugurated REP Eastwood Theater in Quezon City.

SM Podium opens Australian Book Nook

THE AUSSIE-STYLE Book Nook at SM Podium is now officially open. Its architect Shereen Sy and SM Supermalls president Steven Tan recently hosted Australian Ambassador HK Yu for its unveiling. Named Australia Corner, it houses a collection of children’s books, novels, and educational books about Australia, most of which are not available in book shops in the Philippines. The ambassador handed over a selection of books from the Australian Embassy and the Melbourne-based non-profit Give-A-Textbook Foundation. Book Nook is a community-driven library managed by SM Cares where anyone can read, donate, and share books. It first opened in SM Aura in 2020, and its second branch is located at the 5th level at SM Podium in the Ortigas Center.

TGA announces additional show forInto the Woods

THEATRE GROUP ASIA (TGA) has announced an extended run of its production of Into the Woods, with six additional shows from Aug. 28 to 31 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati. There will be 7:30 p.m. shows on all four days, and 2:30 p.m. shows on Aug. 30 and 31. TGA also announced another cast member: veteran actor Rody Vera, who will play the Narrator/Mysterious Man.

Penguin is publishingLetters from Gaza

PENGUIN has announced the publication of Letters from Gaza, an intimate collection of personal writings that bears witness to one of the most devastating humanitarian crises of our time. This one-of-a-kind compilation by Gaza-based writers Mahmoud Alshaer and Mohammed Zaqzooq is an unflinching account of war told through the words of those living it — offering a deeply personal, urgent, and essential perspective that gets often lost in global headlines. Letters from Gaza is scheduled for release in April under the Penguin Select imprint.