METROPOLITAN THEATER COLORING BOOK National Commission for Culture and the Arts METROPOLITAN THEATER COLORING BOOK BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS National Commission for Culture and the Arts HON. VIRGILIO S. ALMARIO Chairman, NCCA Chairman, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino HON. FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO Chairperson, Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture HON. RAMON H. DURANO VI Chairperson, Committee on Basic Education and Culture HON. ALBERTO T. MUYOT Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs, Department of Education © 2017 National Commission for Culture and the Arts Second Edition Printed in the Republic of the Philippines. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All copyrights of images belong to their respective owners. Images owned by other copyright holders are used here under the doctrine of the Fair Use provisions of International Copyright Law. All reasonable attempts have been made to trace, clear and credit the copyright holders of the images reproduced in this book. However, if any credits have been inadvertently omitted, the publisher will endeavourto incorporate amendments in future editions. Gerard Lico Text and Design Eduardo Busmente Illustrator Mary Rajelyn Busmente Managing Editor HON. ROLANDO CAŇIZAL Undersecretary for Administration and Special Concerns, Department of Tourism HON. RENE R. ESCALANTE Director, National Historical Commission of the Philippines HON. JEREMY R. BARNS Director, National Museum HON. CEASAR GILBERT Q. ADRIANO Director IV, National Library of the Philippines HON. VICTORINO MAPA MANALO Executive Director, National Archives of the Philippines HON. ARSENIO J. LIZASO President, Cultural Center of the Philippines HON. RICO S. PABLEO, JR. Executive Director, National Commission for Culture and the Arts HON. TEDDY O. CO Head, Sub-commission on the Arts HON. ALPHONSUS D. TESORO Head, Sub-Commission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts HON. ORLANDO B. MAGNO Head, Sub-commission on Cultural Dissemination HON. HAROLD Ll. RENTORIA, OSA Head, Sub-commission on Cultural Heritage Rom Jed Colet Lacuesta Quennie Jenn Magalzo Timothy Augustus Ong Researcher John Brian de Asis Copy Editor Jesusa Garcia Villanueva Filipino Translation John Joshua Rioja Cover Illustration Dominique Candi Escover Carlouie Diaz Niño John Erosido Mikaela Burbano Editorial Support National Commission for Culture and the Arts 633 General Luna Street, Intramuros, 1002 Manila www.ncca.gov.ph METAMORPHOSIS The Metropolitan Theater T he Metropolitan Theater, a National Cultural Treasure, is undergoing a comprehensive restoration program under the aegis of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) after more than eight decades of existence. In 1978, the old Metropolitan Theater had undergone a complete rehabilitation after its destruction in the Battle for the Liberation of Manila in 1945 and postwar decline and misuse. The cultural renaissance it enjoyed since it reopened in 1978 was short-lived as political change marred its very existence and was forced to close its doors in 1996. The curtain went up again in 2010 but due to financial constraints and contest over ownership, it was forced to dim its lights once more. In May 2015, the NCCA was authorized by the government to purchase the Metropolitan Theater at 270 million pesos to jumpstart the rehabilitation procedure and breathe new life to the once neglected cultural landmark. A ng Tanghalang Metropolitan na isang Pambansang Yamang Pangkalinangan ay kasalukuyang sumasailalim sa restorasyon sa pangunguna ng Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining (NCCA), makaraan ang walong dekadang pananatili. Ang Tanghalan ay nawasak sa Labanan ng Maynila sa panahon ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig noong 1945. Ang maling paggamit at kapabayaan ay dumagdag rin sa pagkasira nito pagkatapos ng digmaan. Kaya naman noong 1978 ay nagkaroon ng isang komprehensibong rehabilitasyon ang Tanghalan. Panandaliang nanumbalik ang sigla nito matapos ang isinagawang pagsasaayos subalit sa gitna ng mga pagbabagong pampulitikang naganap, muling nagsara ang tanghalan noong 1996. Muli itong nagbukas noong 2010 ngunit dahil sa kakulangan sa pananalapi at pagtatalo sa pagmamay-ari ay muli na naman itong nagsara. Noong Mayo 2015, ang NCCA ay pinahintulutan ng pamahalaan na bilihin ang Tanghalang Metropolitan sa halagang 270 milyong piso upang simulan ang rehabilitasyon at pagbibigay ng bagong buhay sa minsang napabayaang muhong pangkultura. The Manila Metropolitan Theater 01 The Teatro del Principe Alfonso at the Jardin Botanico from the 19th century rendering of Honorato Lozano Site of Urban Transformation e Metropolitan eater occupies an important historical and archeological site in the Arroceros district of Manila. In 1645, the site was designated by the Spanish colonial authorities as El Parian de los Sangleyes, the settlement quarters of the Chinese, which explains the presence of ceramic shards of Ming and Ching types, Chinese coins, and piedra china grave markers when the ground was excavated for foundation of the Met. In 1858, the site was converted to a lush landscape promenade where the authorities established the Jardin Botanico, the first zoological and botanical garden in Manila, and renamed in 1913 after John Mehan, the American chief of sanitation and park superintendent at that time. Prior to the construction of the Met, a theater already existed in the area decades earlier. Constructed in 1862, the Teatro del Prinsipe Alfonso XII, was the centerpiece of the sprawling Campo Arroceros, an area between the present-day 02 METAMORPHOSIS Quezon and MacArthur Bridges. The theater was described as a camarin type with a roof of galvanized iron and was famous for showcasing zarzuelas and comedias popular at that time. The 650-seater Teatro was consumed by fire in 1876 and was never rebuilt. In 1892, a new theater, La Perla del Oriente, was proposed as the new "national theater" for the city of Manila, to replace the Teatro del Prinsipe. Styled in the Neo-Renaissance, the planned structure has a seating capacity of 2,776, significantly larger than the seating capacity of the current Metropolitan Theater by around 1,000. The project failed to materialize because of financial constraints attributed to the declining power of Spanish empire at this time. In the same spot would rise the Insular Ice Plant and Cold Storage in 1902, which would eventually provide the air-conditioning requirement ofthe Met through underground ducting. The Teatro del Principe Alfonso viewed from the Pasig River The facade of the Teatro La Perla del Oriente Insular Ice Plant and Cold Storage Lunan ng Pagbabagong Anyo ng Lungsod Itinalaga noong 1645 ng pamahalaang Kastila ang lugar pagitan ng tulay ng Quezon at MacArthur ngayon. na ito bilang El Parian de los Sangleyes, ang tinitirhang Subalit ang Teatro na may 650 na upuan ay natupok ng pamayanan ng mga Tsino., ang tinitirhang pamayanan apoy noong 1876 at hindi na ito muling itinayo pa. ng mga Tsino. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit maramang nakuhang artepaktong seramiko, barya, at mga pananda sa mga libingan na mula pa sa dinastiyang Ming at Ching ng Tsina sa lugar na ito noong naghukay para sa pagtatayo ng pundasyon ng gusali ng Tanghalan. Noong 1858, ginawang isang Jardin Botanico ang pook na ito na nagsilbing pasyalan. Noong 1913, ipinangalan ang lugar kay John Mehan, ang Amerikanong hepe ng kalinisan at tagapamahala ng mga liwasan noong panahong iyon, at naging mas kilala sa tawag na Mehan Gardens. Noong 1894, isang bagong tanghalan, La Perla del O r i e n t e , a n g i m u n u n g ka h i n g i pa t ayo b i la n g “pambansang teatro” para sa lungsod ng Maynila at pamalit sa Teatro del Prinsipe. Taglay nito ang istilong Neo-Renaissance at may 2,776 upuan mas higit pa sa Metropolitan eater ngayon nang 1,000. Ang proyekto ay hindi naisakatupuran dahil sa kagipitan sa pananalapi at paglubog ng imperyong Espanya mula kapangyarihan. Sa halip ang Insular Ice Plant and Cold Storage ang pumalit sa lugar na ito na itinayo noong 1902, at ang plantang ito ang siyang nagbigay ng mga Bago pa man maipatayo ang Met ay may tanghalan pangangailangan para sa pagpapalamig ng Met sa nang naroroon sa lugar, ang Teatro del Prinsipe Alfonso pamamagitan ng tubo sa ilalim ng lupa na konektado sa XII na itinayo noong 1862. Naging tanyag ang tanghalan planta ng yelo. sa pagpapalabas ng mga sarswela at komedya na siyang bantog noong panahong iyon. Pumagitna ito sa malawak na lupain ng Campo Arroceros, ang lugar sa The Manila Metropolitan Theater 03 Genesis ofthe Cultural Landmark The idea to construct a new theater for the city of Manila came in 1924, during the onset of American rule, when the Philippine Legislature approved a project presented by SenatorJuan B. Alegre to build a people's theater in the Mehan Gardens. However, the plan yet again failed to materialize. In response to the need for a “national theater” for concerts, operas and theatrical performances, the City of Manila, acting on the appeal of Mayor Earnshaw, leased in 1929 to the Metropolitan Theater Company (represented by Horace Pond, Antonio Melian, Leopoldo Khan, Manuel Camus, Enrique Zobel and Rafael Palma) 8,293.58 square meters of public land, then being used as the flower market of the Mehan Gardens. A contest was subsequently held to select the name of this proposed theater. The entry of Evelyn Thorstensen, otherwise known in Philippine cinema as Eva Lyn, was chosen - The Metropolitan Theater. Driven by civic pride, leading citizens and various chambers of commerce in Manila – the American, Chinese, Spanish and Filipino – pledged support for the project. To jumpstart the construction of this world-class theater, the Philippine Magazine encouraged support from its readers and persuaded investors that they would be sorry if they did not invest in the project, for which the Philippine International Corporation offered stocks for P100 and P5 to raise the P1,000,000 capital needed to finance the project. NewArchitecture and the Art Deco Pioneer Filipino architect, Juan M. Arellano was commissioned by the government to prepare the blueprints for the Met, and was sent to study the latest technologies in theater construction in the United States under the tutelage of Thomas W. Lamb, a renowned figure in theater architecture in America who also served as Consulting Architect for the project. Arellano had designed the Legislative Building (now the National Museum) and the Post Office Building, in the neoclassical style that embodied the American Republican ideals in colonial Manila. The plan forthe Met was completed early in 1930. Departing from the stately and monochromatic classicism, Arellano's aesthetic for the Metropolitan Theater was stunningly different from his previous works as it eagerly embraced a colorful new style – the art deco. It was an architectural confection fueled by exoticism and fascination with non-classical ornamentation. The site of the Metropolitan Theater at the Mehan Garden (1933) The Metropolitan Theater as part of the civic core of 1930s Manila 04 METAMORPHOSIS An advertisement for the generating the funds for the Met Simula ng Muhong Pangkultura naghihikayat sa mga mambabasa nito na tumulong at mamuhunan sa planong proyektong ito. Kaalinsunod Unang lumutang ang mungkahing magpatayo ng bagong tanghalan para sa lungsod ng Maynila noong 1924, nang pahintulutan ng Lehislatura ng Pilipinas ang proyektong inilatag ni Senador Juan B. Alegre na nito, nag-alok ang Philippine International Corporation ng mga stock na P100 at P5 upang makakalap ng kinakailangang P1,000,000 na kapital na panustos sa proyekto. magpatayo ng pampamayanang tanghalan sa Mehan Gardens, ngunit hindi naisakatuparan ang plano. Bagong Arkitektura at ang Art Deco Bilang tugon sa pangangailangan para sa isang "pambansang tanghalan" para sa mga konsiyerto, mga Ang Pilipinong arkitektong si Juan M. Arellano ang opera at dula, pinaupahan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, sa naatasan ng pamahalaan na maghanda ng mga plano pangunguna ng Alkalde nitong si Tomas Earnshaw, para sa Met. Ipinadala siya sa Estados Unidos upang noong 1929 sa Metropolitan eater Company mag-aral ng mga pinakabagong teknolohiya sa pag- (kinatawan nina Horace Pond, Antonio Melian, Leopoldo disenyo ng tanghalan sa ilalim ni omas W. Lamb, Khan, Manuel Camus, Enrique Zobel at Rafael Palma) isang kilalang personalidad sa arkitekturang ang 8,293.58 metro kwadradong pampublikong lupain pangtanghalan sa Amerika na siya ring nagsilbing na siyang ginagamit noon bilang pamilihan ng bulaklak Tagapayong Arkitekto para sa proyekto. Si Arellano ang ng Mehan Gardens. Inilunsad ang isang paligsahan nagdisenyo ng Gusaling Pambatasan (ngayon ay upang bigyang pangalan ang mungkahing teatro. Ang Pambansang Museo o National Museum) at ang Gusali pangalang isinumite ni Evelyn orstensen, na siya ring ng Tanggapan ng Koreo (Post Office Building). Hango sa kilala bilang Eva Lyn sa larangan ng pelikulang Filipino, estilong Neoklasiko ang mga disenyo niya para sa mga ang napili – Ang Metropolitan eater. ito na kumatawan sa pamantayan ng pamahalaang Amerika na siyang sumasakop sa Maynila sa panahong Ang mga pamilya mula sa mga tanyag na angkan at iyon. Natapos ang plano ng Met sa unang bahagi ng mga nagmamay-ari ng pangunahing komersyo sa 1930. Taliwas sa nakagisnang istilong klasikal ng mga Maynila ay nangako ng suporta sa proyekto. Naglabas naunang gusali ni Arellano, niyakap ng Met ang makulay naman ang Philippine Magazine ng panawagan na at bagong istilo – ang art deco. Ito ang kaayaang Juan Arellano Poster for the 1925 Art Deco Paris Exposition The Manila Metropolitan Theater 05 Blueprint of the Metropolitan Theater The architecture of the Met is energized by a mélange of ornaments with allure and fantasy. Juan Arellano adapted the stylistic language of art deco which had originated in the Paris Exposition of 1925 to convey local identities and meanings using native decorative forms and subject matter. Arellano explored native motifs with the aim of asserting cultural independence in a colonial social order. The country's distinct flora and fauna replaced classical ornamentation. Native art provided new forms that were both "exotic" and national that were expressed in vibrant tile ornamentation, stained glass, friezes, sculptures, and wall textures. Nativist iconography is expressed in telltale Philippine details such as bamboo banister railings, carved banana and mango relief, and batik mosaic patterns. Stylized from Philippine vegetation and wildlife, the motifs were executed with the assistance of Arellano's elder brother Arcadio, and Isabelo Tampinco, the leading decorative sculptor ofthe day. estetikong pang-arkitektura ng binubuhay ng Work on the foundation commenced in July 1930. A cornerstone was laid on November 10, 1930. The construction went into full swing with Santa Clara Lumber Company as the general contractor. Sidney Davis Rowlands, an American architect and engineer, supervised the construction and installation of equipment. In the style which Philippine Magazine editor A.V.H. Hartendorp hailed as “modern expressionistic,” the Metropolitan rose magnificently from the ground, a rectangular- kanyang nakatatandang kapatid na si Arcadio, at si eksotisismo at pagkahumaling sa di-klasikong ornamentasyon. Ang makulay at mapalamuting sumisibol na estilong art deco ang kanyang piniling gamitin para sa Tanghalan. Iniangkop ni Arellano ang art deco na nagmula sa Paris Exposition ng 1925 upang maihatid ang mga lokal na pagkakakailanlan gamit ang mga palamuting hango sa katutubong anyo at paksa. Masigla, nakakatawagpansin, at malapantasya ang mga palamuti at detalye ng gusali. Ngunit higit pa sa kaakit-akit na pormang taglay nito, hinango mula sa mga katutubong sining ang mga bagong anyong nagpaparating ng pambansang katangian, na ipinamamalas sa makukulay na baldosang palamuti, bintanang stained glass, iskultura, at yari sa mga haligi at dingding. Ipinamamalas ang katutubong ikonograpiya sa mga detalye tulad ng kawayang barandilya, iniukit na saging at mangga, at mga mosaik na hango sa hulagway ng batik. Naging katuwang ni Arellano sa paggawa ng mga ito ang Isabelo Tampinco, ang pangunahing iskultor ng panahong iyon. Sinimulan hukayin ang pundasyon noong Hulyo 1930. Nailatag ang simbolikong muhon noong Nobyembre 10, 1930. Iniatas ang pagtatayong gusali sa Santa Clara Lumber Company bilang pangkalahatang kontraktor. Pinangasiwaan ni Sidney Davis Rowlands, isang Amerikanong arkitekto at inhinyero, ang konstruksyon at The Manila Metropolitan Theater 07 Facade of the Metropolitan Theater Floor plan of the Metropolitan Theater The grand staircase with the figure of Adam and a mural by Amorsolo shaped auditorium flanked on each side by pavilions, which were separated from the theater proper by open courtyards, with flagstone paths cutting across green lawns serene with flowers and statuary. formed pillars which go alternately with the theater's entrances. The theater proper was flanked by garden courts around which were two-story buildings housing the ballroom, restaurant, offices, and shops. The front of the theater was crowned by a wall gently curved at the top, against which rose a series of pinnacles. The entrance resembled a proscenium. On the lower half were doors with iron grills depicting stylized birds of paradise, and on the upper half was a large window of stained glass. This exterior proscenium was set against undulating walls decorated with brilliantly colored tile works reminiscent of traditional Southeast Asian batik patterns. Sponged multicolored paint rendered the wall surface with a heavy texture. A row of finials inspired by the pinnacles of Southeast Asian Hindu-Buddhist temples crown the top of the concave roof. Figures of exotic female dancer grace the parapet. Greek allusions to theater, such as the comedy and tragedy masks, can also be found among the plethora of motifs. Accenting the ground level are capiz lamps and banana-leaf 08 METAMORPHOSIS The auditorium is accessed through a wide foyer having a two-story semi-vaulted ceiling, flanked on both sides by wide marble stairways leading to the loges and balcony. Two mural paintings of Fernando Amorsolo, e Dance and History of Music, were placed above the stair landings. Modern reclining statues depicting Adam and Eve by Italian sculptor Francesco Monti placed on opposite ends enhanced the opulence ofthe lobby. The original capacity of the auditorium was 1,670: 846 in the orchestra, 708 in the balcony, and 116 in the loge. Enshrined above the proscenium were figures depicting Music, Tragedy, Comedy, and Poetry, set amid a cascade of jewel-like plaques. Adorning the plain walls were lamps, tall tapering tubes of translucent glass in the form of bamboo stalks, which terminates to the ceiling bursting with a luxuriant cornucopia of tropical fruits and foliage such as mangoes and bananas. It was for its time technically at the cutting edge, in which Hartendorp described the acoustics as “faultless,” the lighting as “excellent,”and the air-cooling system as “pleasant.” The ballroom Banana ceiling relief The stage and proscenium Audience seating paglalapat ng mga kagamitan sa gusali. Tumindig ang Hindu-Budistang matatagpuan sa Timog-Silangang Metropolitan nang maringal mula sa lupa. Mayroon Asya. Taglay ng rabaw ng mga pader ang saganang itong awditoryum na naliligiran ng mga pabilyon, kayarian dahil sa inesponghang makulay na pintura. patyong luntiang damuhan na nilatagan ng mga bato Nakaptuong naman sa mga pangsanggalang pader o upang magsilbing lakaran, hardin ng mga bulalak, at parapeto ang mga rebulto ng babaeng mananayaw. Ilan mga rebulto. Napalilibutan rin mismo ang tanghalan ng pa sa makikitang palamuti ang mga maskara ng mga patyong hardin. Mayroon itong dalawang palapag komedya at trahedya, mga lamparang kapis, at mga na siyang kinalalagyan ng ballroom, restawran, mga haliging pinormang dahon ng saging na halinhinan sa tanggapan, at mga tindahan. mga pintuan ng pangunahing lagusan ng tanghalan. Lubhang masinsin ang disenyo ng harapan ng tanghalan. Waring nagtatagpong mga alon ang dalawang mataas na pader sa magkabilang gilid ng Ayon kay A.V.H. Hartendorp, ang patnugot ng Philippine Magazine, “modernong ekspresyinistiko” sa kabuuan ang estilo ng tanghalan. dayag ng tanghalan. Napapalamutian ito ng makikinang Mararating ang mismong tanghalan sa pamamagitan ng at makukulay na baldosang maihahalintulad ang isang malapad na bulwagang pasukang may dalawang disenyo sa mga tradisyonal na batik ng Timog- palapag at arkong kisame. Mayroong marmol na Silangang Asya. Pumapagitna sa pagtatagpong ito ang hagdanan sa magkabilang gilid ng bulwagang patungo pangunahing lagusan ng gusaling tila isang proscenio sa mga loge at balkonahe. Matatagpuan sa itaas ng mga ng entablado. Gawa sa bakal na parilya ang mga hagdanan sa magkabilang panig ng bulwagan ang mga p i n t u a n g m ay d i se nyo n g b i rd s of pa ra d i se . mural na e Dance (Ang Sayaw) at History of Music Pumapaibabaw sa lagusan ang isang malaki at (Kasaysayan ng Musika) na kapwa gawa ni Fernando magarang bintanang stained glass. Bilang korona ng Amorsolo. Bumubuo sa marangyang pangunahing gusali, mayroong arkong pader sa ibabaw ng pasukan bulwagang ito ang mga rebultong nakahilig sa kung saan umuusbong ang isang serye ng mga patulis magkabilang dulo na naglalarawan kina Adan at Eba na na finial na may hawig sa mga tore ng mga templong gawa ng Italyanong iskultor na si Francesco Monti. The Manila Metropolitan Theater 09 The Metropolitan Theater in the 1930s The World is a Stage Met was formally inaugurated on December 10, 1931. The inauguration program included three types of performances. Musical numbers were provided by Ernesto Vallejo who played Albeniz' Tango, Monserrat Iglesias who sang two arias from Samson and Delilah, and the Manila Music Academy conductor Alexander Lippay who played the Coronation March from Meyerbeer's e Prophet. The Circulo Escenico presented a one-act comedy, the Operation Quirurgica by Jacinto Benavente. Finally, a Movietone showed Tito Schoipa of the New York Metropolitan Opera singing selections from Marta and the Spanish ballad Princesita. Through the next decade, it seemed all the great artists of the world traveling through the Far East were booked to appear at the Met, which featured seasons of opera, ballet, orchestral music, theater, and film. Under the guidance of its manager Antonio Melian and Conde de Perecamps, it hosted international artists like Ted Shawn, Heifetz, GalliCurci, and Kreisler, while simultaneously providing a venue for local presentations, like Smiles of 1936 (directed by Joaquin Pardo de Tavera), Querer Ranchero (presented by the Mexican honorary consul Alfredo Carmelo, for President Quezon), and Luisa Fernanda (which starred Serafin Garcia, Josefina Brias, Luis Garchitorena and Elsa Oria). 10 METAMORPHOSIS It was in its last four years of existence, however, that the Met reached the peak of its cultural activities. During the Japanese Occupation, the most important concerts were held in the Metropolitan. On July 26, 1942, the New Philippines Symphony Society (of which Eulogio Rodriguez was president and Lucrecia Kasilag, secretary) presented Santiago's Taga-ilog Symphony . In November 29, the organization again sponsored an all-Filipino concert featuring Lucio San Pedro's Malakas at Maganda, Juan Hernandez' Simoy sa Ating Kabundukan, and Catalino Dionisio and Felipe Padilla de Leon's Song For the Creation of the New Philippines. The concert to celebrate the inauguration of the Philippine Republic under Japan was held in the Metropolitan on October 17, 1943, and featured Antonino Buenaventura's Rhapsodetta (which was based on Manuvu themes) and Antonio Molina's arrangement of Rizal's Alin Mang Lahi. Among the many concerts held at the Metropolitan, noteworthy were those which featured Japanese artists, like pianist Huriko Tominaga and soprano Teruko Tsuyi, and Filipino musicians like pianist Beatriz Pilapil and violinist Conrado de la Cruz. Of the operas presented at the Metropolitan, outstanding were Gounod's Fausto (Compania de Opera Nacional, with Bonifacio Abdon as director, September 18, 1939), Verdi's Rigolleto (Musical The newly opened Metropolitan Theater in 1931 with shopping arcade and cafe Ang orihinal na kapasidad ng awditorium ay 1,670: 846 Escenico , ang Operation Quirurgica (Operasyong sa orkestra, 708 sa balkonahe, at 116 sa loge. Sa itaas ng Quirurgica) ni Jacinto Benavente. Bilang pangwakas, mismong proscenio ang mga lilok na naglalarawan sa nagkaroon ng isang pelikula na nagpapakita kay Tito Musika, Trahedya, Komedya, at Tula. Nakagayak naman Schipa ng New York Metropolitan Opera na umaawit ng sa mga pader ang mga lampara, mga matataas na mga seleksyon mula sa Marta at ang Espanyol na balad hugis-kandilang tubong gawa sa salamin na na Princesita. nakapormang tangkay ng kawayan. Umaabot ang mga ito sa kisame, at nagtatapos sa malabay na kasaganahan ng mga tropikal na prutas at mga dahon tulad ng mga magga at saging. Maituturing na nasa rurok ng teknolohiya ang tanghalan sa mga panahong iyon, at pinuri ni A.V.H. Hartendorp ang akustika nito bilang "walang mintis," ang pag-iilaw nito bilang "napakahusay," at ang sistemang pagpapalamig nito bilang "maaliwalas." Sa sumunod na dekada, maraming indibidwal at grupo na alagad ng sining mula sa iba't ibang panig ng daigdig ang nagtampok ng mga opera, ballet, musikang pangorkestra, teatro, at pelikula. Sa ilalim ng paggabay ng kanyang tagapamahalang si Antonio Melian at Conde de Peracamps, nagkaroon ng pagtatanghal mula sa mga banyagang alagad ng sining, tulad ni Ted Shawn, Heifetz, Galli-Curci, at Kreisler, gayundin ang mga lokal na pagpapalabas, tulad ng Smiles of 1936 (na idinirihi ni Joaquin Pardo de Tavera), Querer Ranchero (itinanghal ng Ang Daigdig ay Entablado Mehikanong konsul pandangal na si Alfredo Carmelo, Pormal na pinasinayaan ang Met noong Disyembre 10, para kay Pangulong Quezon), at Luisa Fernanda (na 1931. Kinabibilangan ng tatlong pagtatanghal ang kinatampukan ni Serafin Garcia, Josefina Brias, Luis programa ng inagurasyon. Tinugtog ni Ernesto Vallejo Garchitorena at Elsa Oria). ang Tango ni Albeniz, samantalang umawit si Monserrat Naabot ng Met ang rurok ng kanyang mga gawaing Iglesias ng dalawang arya mula sa Samson and Delilah pangkultura sa kanyang huling apat na taon ng pag-iral. (Samson at Delilah), habang tinugtog naman ng Manila Ginaganap sa Metropolitan ang mga mahahalagang Music Academy kasama ang kanilang konduktor na si konsyerto sa panahon ng Pananakop ng Hapon. Noong Alexander Lippay ang Coronation March (Martsa ng Hulyo 26, 1942, ipinalabas ng Philippines Symphony Koronasyon) mula sa e Prophet (Ang Propeta) ni Society (na pinamumunuan ni Eulogio Rodriguez bilang Meyerbeer. Nagtanghal rin ng komedya ang Circulo Pangulo, at nagisilbing kalihim si Lucrecia Kasilag) ang The Manila Metropolitan Theater 11 Philippines, Inc., with Jose Mossesgeld SantiagoFont as director, December 2, 1943) and Aida (Musical Phil., Inc., with Mossesgeld as director, January 18, 1944); Puccini's La Boheme (Jovita Fuentes, director, March, 1944); and Tosca (Musical Philippines, Inc., Ramon Tapales, director, August 10, 1944). Of the plays shown at the Metropolitan, those staged by a very talented group of actors and playwrights called Dramatic Philippines (to whom the theater was leased) were outstanding. This group composed of Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo, Narciso Pimentel and Emma Benitez, among others presented “legitimate plays” like Rodrigo's absolutely inspired translation of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, his adaptation of Julian Cruz Balmaseda's Sangkuwaltang Abaka (retitled Sino Ba Kayo?) and his own original play entitled Sa Pula, Sa Puti, as well as plays like Bayan Ko (the translation of Vidal Tan's famous Daughters of Destiny), which had General Emilio Aguinaldo as special guest. play to end all passion plays, Ang Martir sa Golgota, which, had stunning effects, like clouds sailing across the horizon, and lighting flashes that struck from heaven and went right through Judas' trembling body. As cinema palace, the Met was equipped with a modern projector. It was an important venue for exhibiting Hollywood and local films. Mickey Mouse, made its debut in the Philippines at the Metropolitan Theater. Local studios, most notable of which is LVN Pictures, Inc. released its inaugural film, the critically acclaimed Giliw Ko on July 29, 1939 at the Metropolitan Theater with no less than President Manuel Quezon attending the film's premiere. It was a box-office sensation which catapulted LVN Pictures as a major film studio in the history of Philippine cinema. Giliw Ko is one of the very few pre-war Filipino films that survives to this day. Crowd drawers, too, were the zarzuela Ang Aking Ina, written and directed and acted in, by the zarzuela queen, Atang de la Rama, and the passion Jovita Fuentes 12 METAMORPHOSIS Atang de la Rama Taga-ilog Symphony (Ang Simponiya ng Taga-ilog) ni Abdon bilang direktor, Setyembre 18, 1939), Rigolleto ni Santiago. Noong Nobyembre 29, ang organisasyon ay Verdi (Musical Pilipinas, Inc., kasama si Jose Mossesgeld muling nagtangkilik ng mga Pilipinong konsiyerto na Santiago-Font bilang direktor, Disyembre 2 , 1943) at nagtatampok sa Malakas at Maganda ni Lucio San Aida (Musical Phil, Inc., kasama si Mossesgeld bilang Pedro, Simoy sa Ating Kabundukan ni Juan Hernandez, at direktor, Enero 18, 1944), La Boheme ni Puccini (Jovita Song For the Creation of the New Philippines (Awit Para Fuentes, direktor, Marso, 1944), at Tosca (Musical sa Paglikha ng Bagong Pilipinas) nina Catalino Dionisio Pilipinas, Inc., Ramon Tapales, direktor, Agosto 10, 1944). at Felipe Padilla de Leon. Namumukod-tangi rin sa mga dulang ipinalabas sa Nagkaroon ng konsyerto para sa pagdiriwang ng Metropolitan ang mga itinanghal ng napakahuhusay na pagpapasinaya ng Republika ng Pilipinas sa ilalim ng grupo ng mga aktor at mandudula na tinawag na Hapon noong Oktubre 17, 1943, at itinampok ang Dramatic Philippines na siyang nangungupahan sa Rhapsodetta ni Antonino Buenaventura na batay sa mga tanghalan. Kinabibilangan ito nina Francisco "Soc" temang Manuvu) at ang pagsasaayos ni Antonio Molina Rodrigo, Narciso Pimentel, Emma Benitez at iba pa. Ilan ng Alin Mang Lahi ni Rizal. Kapansin-pansin na kabilang sa kanilang itinanghal na "mga lehitimong dula" ay ang sa maraming mga konsiyerto na ginanap sa salin ni Rodrigo ng Cyrano de Bergerac ni Edmond Metropolitan ay itinampok ang mga alagad ng sining na Rostand, ang kanyang adaptasyon ng Sangkuwaltang Hapon, tulad ng piyanistang si Huriko Tominaga at ang Abaka (na muling pinamagatan na Sino Ba Kayo?) ni sopranong si Teruko Tsuyi. Subalit may ilang mga Julian Cruz Balmaseda at ang kanyang sariling orihinal Pilipinong musikero tulad ng piyanistang si Beatriz Pilapil na dulang pinamagatang Sa Pula, Sa Puti. Kabilang rin sa at biyolinistang si Conrado de la Cruz ang nabigyan din mga piling obrang itinanghal ng kanilang grupo ang ng pagkakataon na makapagtanghal noong panahong Bayan Ko (na pagsasalin ng tanyag na dulang Daughters iyon. of Destiny ni Vidal Tan), kung saan naging mahalagang Sa mga opera na itinanghal sa Metropolitan, namumukod-tangi ang Fausto ni Gounod Fausto (Compania de Opera Nacional, kasama si Bonifacio panauhin si Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo. Nakahatak din ng maraming manonood ang sarswela na Ang Aking Ina, na isinulat, dinirekta at ginampanan ng reyna ng 1940s fan magazine Films shown at the Metropolitan The Manila Metropolitan Theater 13 The Metropolitan Theater in the aftermath of WWII 14 The Metropolitan Theater in the 1940s The bombing of the Metropolitan Theater in 1945 Of Met and Guerillas Post-war Decline and Rebirth Paradoxically, it was the same Met which showcased the “flowering” of Filipino arts under Japan. While all presentations here were controlled by the Japanese Cultural Office, Filipinos were able to circumvent censorship. During this time, it served as the venue for presentations which partially supported the guerilla underground. Calling themselves the VSAC (or Volunteer Social Aid Committee), Manila girls, like Conchita Sunico, Helena Benitez, Nenita Barrios, Trophy Ocampo, Pilar Campos, and others dedicated themselves during the war years to running a hospital for the wounded, community kitchens for the starving, and a secret personal mail service for the citizens of Manila and, their relatives imprisoned in Capas or Cabanatuan. To support their volunteer services, VSAC mounted several opera productions at the Met such as La Traviata and Cavalleria Rusticana; and pageants such as e Four Seasons, with participants Totoy de Oteyza, Cecile Yulo, Chloe Cruz and Josefina Sabater. Like many a young Filipino gallant, it was at its prime that the Met was sacrificed in the Battle for the Liberation of Manila (February 3, 1945 – March 3, 1945) in the last days ofWorld War II. Like most of the other buildings that lay in the path of retreat of the Japanese soldiers, the Met was ruthlessly bombed and indiscriminately shelled by the American liberation forces. Met was a survivor, unlike most of the buildings in Manila, it merely lost its roof, but its walls withstood the barrage of enemy and ally fires. Some of the battle scars are still left in some parts of the building. METAMORPHOSIS Financial difficulties would thrust the Met into limbo, with performances being inadequate in generating funds to keep the Metropolitan Theater Company afloat. The structure would be mortgaged to the El Hogar Filipino. The Melian brothers, being representatives of El Hogar Filipino, partially renovated the theater and made it a movie house forAmerican films. The bombed out shell of the Metropolitan Theater after the Battle of Manila in 1945 sarswelang si Atang dela Rama. Itinanghal rin sa Met ang dulang pasyong Ang Martir sa Golgota, na naging tanyag dahil sa kanyang nakamamanghang special effects tulad ng mga ulap at kidlat na humaplit mula sa langit at tumama sa nanginginig na katawan ni Hudas. Ang Tanghalan sa Panahon ng Pakikibaka Bukod sa pagpapalabas ng mga sining sa ilalim ng ideolohohiyang isinusulong ng Hapon noong panahon ng pananakop nito, naging kanlungan rin ang Met para sa pakikibaka. Nagsilbi itong lugar para sa mga Mayroong ring modernong aparatong pang-sinehan pagtatanghal na sumuporta sa lihim na gerilya. Tinawag ang Met tulad ng projector kaya naman naging na VSAC (o Volunteer Social Aid Committee), ang pangunahing lugar ito para sa pagpapalabas ng mga kababaihan sa Maynila, tulad nina Conchita Sunico, pelikulang lokal at mula sa Hollywood. Sa Met unang Helena Benitez, Nenita Barrios, Trophy Ocampo, Pilar ipinakilala sa mga Filipino si Mickey Mouse. Isa sa Campos at iba pa, na inilaan ang kanilang mga sarili mahahalagang pelikula na ipinalabas dito ang Giliw Ko, noong panahon ng digmaan sa pagpapatakbo ng isang ang unang pelikula na ginawa ng bagong tatag na LVN ospital para sa mga sugatan, kusinang pang-komunidad Pictures, Inc. noong 1938. Naglabas ang istudyo ng para sa mga nagugutom, at isang lihim na serbisyong kanyang pampasinayang pelikula noong Hulyo 29, koreo para sa mga mamamayan ng Maynila at ng 1939 sa Tanghalang Metropolitan kung saan dumalo kanilang mga kamag-anak na nabilanggo sa Capas o ang Pangulong Manuel Quezon. Naging tagumpay ito Cabanatuan. Upang suportahan ang kanilang mga sa takilya at naglunsad sa LVN Pictures bilang isang kusang-loob na serbisyo, nagkaroon ang VSAC ng ilang pangunahing istudyong pampelikula sa kasaysayan ng produksiyong opera sa Met tulad ng La Traviata at pelikula sa Pilipinas. Cavalleria Rusticana, at maringal na pagtatanghal tulad ng e Four Seasons, kasama ang mga kalahok na sina The Manila Metropolitan Theater 15 Byvirtue ofthe Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946, partial restorations were made after World War II, but luster was gone from the Art Deco gem. In the three decades after the war, the Met, still partly in ruins, experienced a gradual decline, being leased and sub-leased, passed on from one management to another, fighting the slow descent to obscurity by transforming its space into the Besa Boxing Arena, cheap motels and gay bars, basketball court, garage and warehouse and finally, home for about 50 informal settler families. Of all its pre-war establishments, only the Magnolia Rendezvous stood ground on the site, loyally embracing the Met despite its tarnished image. The very first comprehensive renovation effort on the Met came from former First Lady Imelda Marcos in 1978, and was overseen by Conchita Sunico, who served as Executive Director of the theater later on. The building was restored under the supervision of Otilio Arellano, a nephew of Juan Arellano, and was reinaugurated on December 10, 1978. The restoration expenditure reached 30 million pesos from an initial budget of 21 million pesos. The Met benefitted from the facelift and just as soon started sharing the spotlight with the more prominent Cultural Center of the Philippines. Ironically, A rare colored photograph of the Met taken in 1953 16 METAMORPHOSIS Metropolitan Theater in 1945 The newly opened Magnolia Rendezvous at the Met in 1948 Totoy de Oteyza, Cecilia Yulo, Chloe Cruz, at Josefina ng Besa Boxing Arena, mga mumurahing motel at Sabater. inuman, garahe, basketbulan, mga bodega, at sa huli, Pagbagsak at Pagbangon Pagkaraan ng Digmaan mga ilegal na tahanan ng humigit-kumulang 50 pamilya. Sa lahat ng mga establisimento bago ang Tulad ng maraming magigiting na kabataang Pilipino, digmaan, tanging ang Magnolia Rendezvous lamang nasa kanyang kalakasan ang Met nang isinakripisyo ito ang nanatili sa kinatatayuan nitong lugar, matapat na sa labanan para sa pagpapalaya ng Maynila (Pebrero 3, niyayakap ang Met sa kabila ng kanyang pumusyaw na 1945 – Marso 3, 1945) sa mga huling araw ng digmaan. imahe. Tulad ng karamihan sa iba pang mga gusali sa Kamaynilaan, walang habas na binomba ang Met at walang pakundangang kinanyon ng pwersang Amerikano bilang bahagi ng pagtugis sa mga sundalong Hapon. Isa ang Met sa mga nakalogtas mula sa tuluyang pagkasira, ngunit lubhang napinsala ang bubong at mga pader nito. Mababakas pa rin sa ilang bahagi ng gusali ang mga galos na dulot ng labanan. Sa kalaunan, naremata ang Met at napunta sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Maynila ang pamamalakad nito. Pinangunahan ni dating Unang Ginang Imelda Marcos ang pinakaunang komprehensibong rehabilitasyon ng Met, at pinamahalaan ito ni Conchita Sunico na tumayong Executive Director nito. Pinangasiwaan ni Otilio Arellano, pamangkin ni Juan Arellano, ang rehabilitasyon at muling pinasinayaan ang tanghalan noong Disyembre 10, 1978. Ginugulan ng pangunahing badyet na 21 milyong piso ang proyekto, na umabot ng 30 milyong piso nang matapos. Nakinabang ang Met sa muling pagsasaayos, at agad rin itong nakipagsabayan Sa bisa ng Batas ng Rehabilitasyon ng Pilipinas ng 1946, sa mas kilalang Cultural Center of the Philippines nagkaroon ng bahagyang restorasyon ng gusali (Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas). Ganoon pa man, pagkatapos ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig, ngunit ang dating Unang Ginang rin ang siyang naghatid sa Met naglaho na ang kanyang dating ningning bilang isang sa kanyang muling pagsasara. Bunsod ito ng pagtatalo hiyas ng Art Deco. Sa tatlong dekada pagkatapos ng dahil sa pagkakautang at pagmamay-ari na naging dahil digmaan, nakaranas pa rin ang Met ng pagkalugmok sa upang maabandona itong ilang taon. Ginamit ni Marcos karimlan, dulot ng mga pagbabago sa paligid nito, at ng ang Met bilang panggarantiya para sa isang pautang ilang mga espasyo sa loob nito; tulad ng pagkakaroon mula sa Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Inauguration of the Met in 1978 led by Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos with (R-L) Mayor Ramon Bagatsing, Conchita Sunico and Otilio Arellano The Manila Metropolitan Theater 17 The newly restored Metropolitan Theater in 1978 though, it was also the former First Lady who led The Met into the long dispute of debt and ownership that left it abandoned for years. Marcos used The Met as collateral for a loan from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), but as the funds were never paid, the building went under the GSIS' possession, which led to the theater's closure in 1996. Before the 2010 reopening, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had already expressed interest in reviving the historical landmark. In 2004 the NCCA, GSIS and the City of Manila forged a tripartite agrement to rehabilitate the Met. 50 million Pesos was released to the City of Manila through the NCCA's National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA) for roofing works, sanitary and electrical works, and other civil works, which were completed in 2007. Another 50m was released in 2010 to fund the purchase of theater equipment and movable stage modules through the initiatives of then NCCA Executive Director Cecile Guidote Alvarez. The City of Manila, with its usufructory rights to the property, assisted in civil, electrical and painting works of the stage, auditorium, and dressing room areas. In June 23, 2010 President Arroyo unveiled the marker declaring the Metropolitan Theater a National Cultural Treasure. Circumstances again 18 METAMORPHOSIS convene to stall the progress of this rehabilitation initiative. In May 2015, the Department of Budget and Management released 270 Million from the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA) for the sale of the Met from its owner, the GSIS. In June 2015, the GSIS transferred the right of the Met to the NCCA to start the rehabilitation process of the Met. Clean-up drives were started in December 2015, to reintroduce the heritage structure to the new generation and to prepare the edifice for the actual restoration of the building in 2017. For the preparatory work, high-tech solutions were used, including 3-D scanning to determine the structural soundness of existing members, and ground-penetrating radarto studythe hidden parts ofthe foundation. Despite a brief attempt to revive the Met in the last decade, what is happening now represents the third — and hopefully far more lasting — founding of a cultural landmark that was originally envisioned as beautiful, modern, artistically diverse and excellent, operationally viable, and emblematic of the great worth given to culture by the Filipino people. We encourage you, the people, through our collective effort to ensure the completion of Met's latest metamorphosis. Program for the Metropolitan Theater inauguration in 1978 Performances at the Met in the 1980s kasangkapang pangkalinisan, at iba pang gawain na natapos noong 2007. Muling naglaan ang pamahalaan ng 50 milyong piso noong 2010 para sa pagbili ng mga kagamitang panteatro at mga movable stage module sa pangunguna ni Cecile Guidote Alvarez, dating Executive Director ng NCCA. Tumulong ang Lungsod ng Maynila, na may hawak ng karapatang gamitin ang gusali, sa The off-white facade of the Met in 1978 pagaayos ng mga gawaing elektrikal, ng entablado, pagpipinta ng loob at ng mga damitan ng tanghalan. ngunit dahil hindi nababayaran ang utang, ang gusali ay Noong Hunyo 23, 2010, pinangunahan ng Pangulong napunta sa ilalim ng pagmamay-ari ng GSIS, na Arroyo ang pagdedeklara sa Tanghalang Metropolitan humantong sa pagsasara ng tanghalan noong 1996. bilang Pambansang Yamang Pangkultura (National Bago ang muling pagbubukas noong 2010, nagpahayag ng interes ang Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo na muling buhayin ang makasaysayang tanghalan. Cultural Treasure). Sa kasawiang palad, muling natigil ang pagsasaayos nito dahil sa mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari. Nagkaroon ng kasunduan noong 2004 ang mga Noong Mayo 2015, muling nagbigay ng pondo ang institusyong nagtutunggalian sa pagmamay-ari ng Department of Budget and Management. Naglabas ng gusali -- ang NCCA, ang GSIS, at ang Lungsod ng 270 milyong piso mula sa NEFCA para tuluyang bilhin Maynila -- upang simulan ang rehabilitasyon ng Met. ang Met mula sa GSIS. Noong Hunyo 2015, isinalin ng Naglaan ang pamahalaan ng 50 milyong piso mula sa GSIS ang karapatan sa Met sa NCCA upang masimulan National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts ang proseso ng rehabilitasyon ng Met. Nagsimula (NEFCA) ng NCCA para sa pagpapaayos ng bubong, naman ang mga kampanya sa paglilinis noong mga pangangailangang elektrikal, pagbili ng mga Disyembre 2015 upang muling ipakilala ang gusaling The Manila Metropolitan Theater 19 President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo unveiled the marker declaring the Metropolitan Theater as a National Cultural Treasure in June 2010. The signing ofthe Deed ofAbsolute Sale ofthe Met at the GSIS office in June 2015. The purchase of the Met Theater by the NCCA was the first step in a conservation efforts spearheaded bythe cultural agency. pamana sa mga bagong henerasyon at maihanda ang gusali sa ganap na restorasyon restorasyon ngayong 2017. Ginamitan ng makabagong teknolohikal na solusyon ang restorasyon ng gusali, tulad ng 3D scanning upang matiyak ang katatagan ng nalalabing bahagi, at ground-penetrating radar upang suriin ang mga natatagong bahagi ng pundasyon. Nais ng restorasyong ito na muling pasiglahin ang Met at siguraduhing tatagal ang buhay nito. Hinihikayat namin kayo, ang mga mamamayan, na makibahagi sa adhikain 3-Dimensional laser scanning and digital imaging upang matiyak ang ganap na pagbabanyuhay ng Met sa pinakahuling pagkakataon. Met clean-up drive The Manila Metropolitan Theater 21
