The grounds of the Cultural Center of the Philippines became a venue of the showcase of Spanish-influenced dances, songs, and costumes during the Pasinaya Open House Festival.
“Pasinaya” means an inauguration or a grand opening of the many arts and cultural presentations offered by the CCP.
Pasinaya aims to provide a platform for artists and cultural groups from different fields, such as music, theater, dance, spoken word, and visual arts. It seeks to showcase talents while nurturing the broadest public and creating new audiences through interactions and performances.
With the “experience-all-you-can, pay-what-you-can” scheme, the largest multi-arts festival in the country once again filled various venues of CCP, such as the Front Lawn, Liwasang Kalikasan, Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez and its surroundings, and the parade grounds of Vicente Sotto Street.
The theaters inside the CCP were not used due to the closing of the iconic 53-year-old main building in January for a three-year renovation project.
This year’s theme of the “Pasinaya” is “Piglas Sining,” which CCP artistic director Dennis Marasigan described as a “breaking away from the notion that the CCP is just the building.”
“We are emphasizing that CCP can be anywhere,” he said.
“Pasinaya” returned onsite last February 3 to 5, 2023, after being cancelled as a face-to-face gathering for three years because of the pandemic.
At least 3,000 artists participated in the 75 performances of 89 groups from Baguio to Tawi-tawi with more than 21,000 people in the audience.
I overheard many students saying that they were amazed seeing the performers in Spanish-influenced costumes popularied by the television series “Maria Clara at Ibarra.”
Directed by Zig Dulay, the series is based on José Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not, 1887) and El Filibusterismo (The Subversive, 1891).
Noli centered on the atrocities done by priests during the Spanish era and the abuses that occurred in society when the country Was still under Spanish rule. In Fili, Crisóstomo Ibarra returns for vengeance as Simoun.
Noli described Philippine society with its memorable characters — the melancholic fate of Maria Clara and the insanity of Sisa characterized the country’s pitiful state.
El Fili’s dark theme departs dramatically from Noli’s hopeful and romantic atmosphere. It signifies Simoun’s resort to solving his country’s issues through violent means after his previous attempt in reforming the country’s educational system.
“Pasinaya” featured Spanish dances, such as the waltz, mazurka, the Spanish jota, paso doble, and others with costumes that were transformed to suit the climate and the temperament of the people.
Known as the “traje de mestiza” during the Spanish colonial era, the María Clara gown is a traditional dress worn by women in the Philippines.
It is an aristocratic version of the baro’t saya and is traditionally made out of piña, the same material used for the barong tagalog.
The Maria Clara gown traditionally consists of four parts: a blouse (baro or camisa), a long skirt (saya), a kerchief worn over the shoulders (pañuelo, fichu, or alampay), and a short rectangular cloth worn over the skirt (the tapis or patadyong).
Rizal’s novels are part of our student life, along with his other great literary works.
We were required to memorize “Mi Ultimo Adios” in Spanish classes at the University of the Philippines.
Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail [email protected], or call 09175025808 or 09088665786.
