Rizal Play Turned Operatorio by Lucrecia Kasilag
There exists various genres of music, and sometimes, their unique characteristics overlap, leading to the creation of a new genre. For example, opera is intended to be performed as its purpose is entertaining an audience, while oratorio is sung for sacred or religious purposes. What distinguishes these two are their purpose and how they are perceived: the opera is seen as entertaining, whereas the oratorio is seen as “essentially static, contemplative, and by implication somewhat boring.” (Oxford Handbook of Opera) An opera uses elements of theatre such as costumes, scenery, and dramatic action, and is to be performed by singers and instrumentalists, while an oratorio does not use these elements, and is to be performed by an orchestra, choir, or soloists. Aside from this, an opera uses legends, myths, and history and lets its characters interact with one another. Meanwhile, an oratorio uses sacred and religious topics and texts, with no or with only very minimal interaction between the characters. Operatorio combines elements from these two genres – turning works considered to be an oratorio into performances, or relating secular works to a religious text. For example, “Jose, Aking Anak” is an operatorio but is not sacred. This term was started by Filipina composer Lucrecia Kasilag, intending to create an oratorio but with action.
In the Philippine setting, a play written by Leonor Orosa-Goquingco has been translated to Filipino and turned into an operatorio. Entitled “Her Son, Jose,” this play has been translated into Filipino (“Jose, Aking Anak”) by Rolando Tinio and later on scored by Lucrecia Kasilag. Orosa-Goquingco was given the title of National Artist of the Philippines in the dance category in 1976 and is also known as the “Mother of Philippine Theater Dance.” Shown in the photo below is Orosa-Goquingco, the pioneer director-choreographer of Filipinescas with the rest of the dance troupe. They performed in different places, such as France and Spain, as part of their international tour.
Lucrecia Roces Kasilag, also called “Tita King,” and “The
First Lady of Philippine Music,” scored Jose, Aking Anak. She was a Filipina Composer also given the title of National Artist of the Philippines in 1989 for her great contribution to Filipino music. Aside from this, Lucrecia Kasilag also received the Tanglaw ng Lahi Award in 1999. The Tanglaw ng Lahi Award is given by the Ateneo de Manila University to people “who have dedicated their life’s work to the pursuit of Filipinism and the Filipino identity through any of the channels of culture.” (Tanglaw Ng Lahi Award) She was also known as an international artist, even doing an international tour as a concert pianist after finishing her studies. Before being given such recognitions for her works and contributions, Kasilag has been a diligent student, finishing as her batch’s valedictorian both in elementary and high school, and cum laude in College. She also studied not only here in the Philippines but abroad as well, such as in Eastman School of Music in New York. Shown in the photo below is Kasilag with the Kasilag Guitar Quantet, composed of Benchito Cariño, Perfecto de Castro, Edgardo de Dios, and Phil Valdez. Their group is named after Kasilag, who they recognize as someone with significant contributions to the music of the Philippines.
Jose, Aking Anak was an operatorio with four scenes, given a score in 1976. Meanwhile, the English version of this, Her Son, Jose, was an operatorio with two scenes, a complete revision of the Tagalog version in 1977. This work, although turned into an operatorio by Kasilag, originally talks about Jose Rizal’s imprisonment as he awaits his execution. Based on the title, it’s from the point of view of a mother—in this case, Teodora Alonso Realonda, Jose Rizal’s mother, whose emotions could be compared to that of Mother Mary’s emotions when her son, Jesus Christ, was persecuted and crucified. Shown in the photos below are the two mothers who went through the same experience of seeing their son’s suffering before death.
Most of Kasilag’s works are yet to be published, leading to her music being unknown to many people. She has over 250 compositions, which could be found in the Philippine Women’s University in Manila. She is also known for using Philippine indigenous musical instruments in her compositions, which used to be thought of as instruments of “devilish spirits.” In the 20th century, these indigenous musical instruments were started to be used in religious music, and was even incorporated by Kasilag in “Misang Pilipino,” a mass that uses ethnic instruments in the songs used. An example of a song composed by Kasilag that features an indigenous instrument is “Purihin Ninyo Ang Panginoon,” which uses the Bungkaka. Since most of Kasilag’s works remains unpublished and not yet available online (such as Jose, Aking Anak), shown below are samples of some of Kasilag’s other works that could already be found online. These works are entitled “Sa Inang Bayang Pilipinas” and “Tilibum, Tilibum, Tilibum.”
Through Kasilag’s work on “Jose, Aking Anak” that turned a secular work into an operatorio, it could be seen that there are similarities between the experiences of normal people to the lives of those who we can read about in the Bible. Kasilag may have drawn inspiration from OrosaGoquingco’s play about Rizal, seeing how this could be mirrored in something Kasilag was familiar to, such as things she could associate with her religious background and musical style. Kasilag’s works reflect not only her unique musical style, but also her deep religious beliefs which could be seen with how she was able to turn something secular to an operatorio. Considering a play that is not originally meant for religious purposes as an operatorio may seem like breaking the rules, but it was the composer’s own interpretation that could make us understand Kasilag’s purpose in making an operatorio out of a secular play
References:
1. “Difference Between Opera and Oratorio | Meaning, Features, Characteristics.” Pediaa.Com, 16 Aug. 2016, pediaa.com/difference-between-operaand-oratorio/.
2. “Oxford Handbook of Opera.” Oxford Handbooks, Oxford University Press, 17 June 2017, www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195335538.001.0001/oxfor dhb-9780195335538.
3. Salido, B.M., M.M., Caroline Besana. THE PIANO COMPOSITIONAL STYLE OF LUCRECIA ROCES KASILAG.
4. “Tanglaw Ng Lahi Award.” Ateneo De Manila University, 20 Mar. 2018, www.ateneo.edu/tanglaw-ng-lahi-award.
Sources: (Pictures)
1. “About Me.” The Verdict of Circuit Court in Lomza in 1949 - Piotr Gontarczyk, www.geocities.ws/pinoyguitarist/kgq.html.
2. “Filipinescas.” Rosendo E. Santos, rosendosantos.com/filipinescas/.
3. “Light Master Mother Mary, Softness and Mother Love in Full Glory.” Attunements, www.attunements.info/product/mother-mary/.
5. “National Commission for Culture and the Arts.” Facebook, web.facebook.com/NCCAOfficial/photos/a.420407325282.201267.147061115282/10 155397929845283/?type=1&theater. 5. “Remembering Doña Teodora Alonzo.” Manila Bulletin News, news.mb.com.ph/2017/11/09/remembering-dona-teodora-alonzo/.
6. “Sa Inang Bayang Pilipinas.” http://www.musicanet.org, www.musicanet.org/cgibin/epeios.cgi?_target=gesbib&_skin=Musica&_session=&_language=en&ApplyQue ry=&!Profile=PCRV&Field=1891&Comparison.43=2&Pattern.43=83918&Table=19. 7. “Tilibum, Tilibum, Tilibum.” http://www.musicanet.org, www.musicanet.org/cgibin/epeios.cgi?_target=gesbib&_skin=Musica&_session=&_language=en&ApplyQue ry=&!Profile=CRV&Field=1891&Comparison.43=2&Pattern.43=83931&Table=19.