Category Archives: Celebrations

I think it runs in the Tantoco blood as I observe and see how my mom and all her sisters can multi task and do so many things at the same time!  

My Tita Nedy who aside from being at the helm of many of the family businesses – Rustan’s Commercial Corp ( dept store ), Stores Specialists Inc ( SSI ), Rustan’s Marketing Specialists ( RMSI – Marks and Spencer ), Rustan’s Marketing Corp ( RMK )  – She is also busy with many socio civic activities and cultural activities.  She is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and President of the Philippine Italian Association!  She is amazing!  

Last May 8, she introduced to us her upcoming project which is in partnership and celebration of many important milestones.  Here is her presentation on her project and what it is all about.  

In celebration of three momentous events—the 65^th year of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Italy, the 60^th anniversary of Rustan’s, and the 50^th anniversary of the Philippine-Italian Association—Rustan’s, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Italian Embassy proudly present Gioachino Rossini’s finest comic opera:  Il Barbiere di Siviglia. 

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The staging of The Barber of Seville comes after the Philippine staging of “La Traviata” last March and the scheduled performance of “Madame Butterfly” in June, two of the well-loved Italian tragic operas.  After these two tragic operas, the marvellous wit and humour of The Barber of Seville will provide Filipinos with a refreshing break.

The opera will be brought to life at the Cultural Center of the Philippines through the direction of Antonio Petris, with music from the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ruggero Barbieri.  The cast of internationally acclaimed Filipino and Italian artists is led by the most-awarded Filipino soprano Rachel Gerodias as Rosina, premiere Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu as Conte d’ Almaviva,  Filipino baritone Andrew Fernando as Basilio,

 and international award-winning baritones Mario Cassi as Figaro and Marco Filippo Romano as Dr. Bartolo.

We have invited you all here today so we may generate the media support needed to make this opera a success, a feat that will translate into support for its beneficiaries– the Endowment Fund of the Philippine-Italian Association and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra’s forthcoming US concert tour in 2013. 

At this point, please allow me to share with you what the Philippine-Italian Association is all about.

Philippine-Italian relations can be traced as far back as 1521 when cartographer Antonio Pigafetta arrived in Mactan, Cebu as part of Magellan’s crew, and later took part in bestowing the Santo Niño to the people of Cebu.  Today, he is commemorated through a bronze statue in the City of Mactan commissioned by the Philippine-Italian Association or PIA, and the relationship that he started is being fostered through the various efforts of PIA. 

PIA was established on February 19, 1962 by an Italian lady by the name of Signora Lina Paolini, who married Filipino artist Diosdado Lorenzo of Nueva Ecija, recipient of the 1970 Republic Cultural Heritage Award, a recognition equivalent to the National Artist Award that we know today.

Signora Lorenzo served as PIA’s Secretary-General until her passing last October 2011 at the age of 97.  A glimpse into the life of Mrs. Lorenzo and her husband as seen through his work is featured in the book “Diosdado Magno Lorenzo, Art Rebel to Legend”. 

PIA promotes Philippine-Italian relations by offering language courses as well as translation and interpretation services, and through its active involvement in various cultural exchange programs, and participation in cultural events, very much in synch with the Italian Embassy and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Language courses are conducted by Italian professors and Filipinos who have undergone training in Italy with license to teach.  We also have a library with over 2,000 Italian books and periodicals, which may be a significant resource for the Filipino public and researchers in general.

PIA sponsored the Philippine visit, arranged by the Italian Embassy, of Dr. Maria Teresa Castellano, an expert from the prestigious Superior Institute for Art Conservation and Restoration in Rome.  During her visit, she gave a free three-day lecture and hands-on workshop at the UP Diliman.

PIA was also the main sponsor of the Filipino delegation to the Philippine Cultural Festival held in Florence in 2010, which allowed 100 students from UP Diliman to stage a cultural show and art exhibit in Italy.  

During the celebration of the Italian National Day held each year in June, festivities allowed Filipinos to experience and marvel at the wonders of Italian culture with events such as the concert by Uto Ughi, Italy’s greatest living violinist, if not the world, and by Eugenio Bennato and Taranta Power, the group that revived the Tarantella, the thousand year-old ritual from Southern Italy that uses frenetic infectious music and dance.

PIA is a founding member of EUNIC:  European Union National Institute for Culture, Cluster Philippines, a network of organizations dedicated to propagating cultural exchange between the Philippines and EU member states through cultural activities.

In the most recent Italian Film Festival “MovieMov: Italian Cinema Now”, organized by the Italian Embassy, Filipino director Brillante Mendoza was honored by featuring three of the filmmakers masterpieces during the festival—“Serbis” (competed in Cannes in 2008), “Kinatay” (where Mendoza won as best director in Cannes in 2009) and “Lola” (which was screened at the Venice film festival).  The festival also featured for the first time in the Philippines Dario Argento’s Dracula in 3D, whose lead actress Marta Gastina graced the event.  It even featured old films such as Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor.

The underlying goal of all these activities is to bring the Italian world to the Filipinos and to bring the Filipino world to the Italians.  In doing so, we want these fundraisers to contribute to PIA’s Endowment Fund and sustain the support it has been giving to Italian Missions in the Philippines.

For the Servants of Charity in Tandang Sora, Quezon City headed by Fr. Luigi de Giambatista, PIA’s efforts have resulted to:

–          the complete furnishing of the home for special children with beds, beddings, towels and other bath fixtures and accessories.  The facility can accommodate 25 special children.  Here are some of them on this slide.

–          the establishment of the Providence Bakery, a community store that provides its underprivileged patrons with affordable pandesal while generating some income for the organization

–          annual Christmas drive

–          quarterly cash donations

For the Sisters Handmade of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Quezon City headed by Sr. Renata Strolla and the Canossian Sons of Charity in Tondo, Manila and Tagaytay headed by Fr. Giovanni Gentilin (who is famous for his Italian gelato), PIA’s efforts include:

–          annual Christmas drive that provides clothing, shoes and a Noche Buena fare for Christmas Eve.

–          quarterly cash donations

The funds generated from this Opera have been earmarked for the following activities:

–          construction of the roof for the multi-purpose court at the Servants of Charity compound;

–          a 6-month feeding program for the 80 children (aged 6-15 years old) and 40 adults (parents of the children) that are under the care of the Sister Handmaids of Charity;

–          and Php500,000 to support the clinic run by the Canossian Sons of Charity taking care of abandoned new-borns and infants, among others.

So there is a lot to do.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors once again:

Ambassador Luca Fornari of the Italian Embassy for his valuable wisdom and good advice on how to produce a perfect Opera, and for providing the best contact in Rome; 

–          My father Ambassador Tantoco of Rustan, who gave his all-important “yes” to the project which he will support;

–          Dr. Raul Sunico, Nestor Jardin amd Cris Millado for their full cooperation for use of the facilities of the CCP; and

–          Dear Sonja Vodusek of the Peninsula Hotel for her sweet “yes” to be a full Hotel Sponsor for this Charity Event.

I cannot underscore enough how significant the success of this Opera would bring not only to its production team and artists, but more so to all the Filipinos, mostly children, that depend on PIA’s support.  I enjoin all of you to help make PIA’s Opera “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE” a truly memorable occasion.  As we savour the energy and good humour from this Opera, may we be inspired to support the efforts that would give the gift of happiness to those who need them most.  

The other beneficiary of the Opera is the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, whose time has come to do a US Concert tour in 2013.  They are more than ready to bring Philippine music abroad to the United States of America – to show them why it’s more fun in the Philippines… because of our beautiful music and talents.

Thank you very much

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