Music, literature and social activism are intimately linked with each other due to their complementary nature.
People write, raise their voices to highlight injustice, and sing songs to memorialize their struggle.
Remembering the works on social activism of our heroes like Jose Rizal is made easy through the use of music as a medium of expression.
Rizal’s two novels, “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo,” inspired many of those who fought for freedom, including Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio. In turn, many playwrights and composers have honored Rizal through their works.
I watched last week two shows that paid tribute to Rizal’s works that coincided with the country’s 125th Independence Day: The musical “Ibarra” at the GSIS Theater and the “Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya” concert at the UP Theater.
“Ibarra” is a play originally titled “Kanser,” written by Jomar Fleras, which won in the 1979 playwriting contest of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) for the category of adaptation of a Filipino novel.
It is based on Rizal’s book “Noli Me Tangere,” published in 1887 and written in Spanish, which is a sweeping and passionate unmasking of the brutality and corruption of Spanish rule in the Philippines (1565–1898) that are seen as a disease of the society, thus the title, Latin for “touch me not.”
The story follows Crisostomo Ibarra, who went back home after his European studies. He rekindled his romance with childhood sweetheart Maria Clara, but triggered an old rift with the town friar, Padre Damaso. As the story progressed, Ibarra realized that the malady of oppression and colonial brutality has been killing not only his town, but his motherland as well.
Fleras said that playwriting “is a way to dramatize the plight of our people as well as to use the power of theater in awakening them from apathy and complacency.”
Kanser had its world premiere in 1980 at the CCP staged by the theater group Bulwagang Gantimpala with Tommy Abuel as Ibarra and Cora Alforja as Maria Clara.
Now on its 40th year staging as “Ibarra,” Fleras’ work is now considered as the longest running theater classic in Philippine history.
In 2015, it became a full blast musical adaptation by Gantimpala Theater with music composed by Joed Balsamo. There were only three songs in the 1980 version.
The 2023 production by Tanghalang Una Obra and directed by Frannie Zamora is topbilled by actor Piolo Pascual as Ibarra and Myramae Meneses as Maria Clara.
Fleras explained that “Kanser” was retitled into “Ibarra” so that the younger generation will associate the play more to the iconic character of Crisostomo Ibarra than the meaning of Noli Me Tangere (The Social Cancer).
It is also to accentuate Pascual’s role as Ibarra whom Fleras described as someone who metamorphosed into a professional stage musical actor.“This is a wake-up call for me to do something for the country. To be able to use my voice as a platform to remind people of our right to freedom of speech, our right to our culture, our independence, and a way of using my influence to attract more people to know about what we can do so that we can help each other. We can rise up,” Pascual said in an interview.
An overture of “Mi Ultimo Adios” was performed by the UP Symphony Orchestra (UPSO) and sung by the UPSO Chorus during the “Mga Tugtugin ng Paglaya” Independence Day concert on June 10, 2023 at the UP Theater.The song was composed by National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab for “Ilustrado Ang Buhay ni Rizal” musical by CCP’s Tanghalang Pilipino that premiered in 1998.
“Mi último adiós” or “My Last Farewell” in English is a poem written by Rizal before his execution by firing squad on December 30, 1896. The piece was one of the last notes he wrote before his death.
The poem is not a sad farewell, but appropriately a martyr’s ringing call for his countrymen to rise to the full measure of his supreme sacrifice.
The poem was an unsigned, untitled, and undated poem of 14 five-line stanzas. Rizal placed this poem in the cocinilla, the alcohol stove, and it was delivered to his family after his persecution.
The stove was given to him by Juliana Gorricho Pardo de Tavera who is the mother of Juan Luna’s wife Paz Pardo de Tavera.
Paz and Juliana soon met a tragic end at the hands of Juan Luna in the Pardo de Tavera house in Paris.
Though Juliana’s surname is spelled “GORRICHO,” I am still doing my research that there is a possibility that my surname is related to her though mine is spelled as “GORECHO.” I have also encountered persons carrying another variation of my surname, which is “GORICHO.”
Artists use their platform to raise awareness about social and political issues.
Regardless of the approach, musical activism will continue as artists use their music to inspire others to take action and make a difference in the world.
Peyups is the moniker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.