How I met Fides Cuyugan Asencio
How I met Fides Cuyugan Asencio
Miss Fides Cuyugan Asencio picture with her signature.
By Joel Recla
I went home to my motherland, Philippines in 2010. But before I left Toronto. I planned to see and probably interview the greatest soprano the Philippines could ever had, Miss Fides Cuyugan Asencio.
In time my request was granted. We negotiated when and where to do the interview. Which she was very glad to do so, as a matter of fact. I felt she seemed to be excited about the whole scenario. So we finalized that I would call Miss Asencio as soon I arrive in Manila. And I will conduct the interview from that point. But as soon I arrived in Manila I had to attend to dinner, lunch, concerts, appointments and invitations. And the biggest problem was transportation. But lucky me, General Alexander Yapching, my cousin, was so generous to let me use one of his cars including a chauffer. Oh! I was so delighted, knowing it would be much easier for me to move around, most especially, around a busy metropolitan city like Manila.
After two weeks I called Miss Asencio at her sprawling residence in Quezon City. All alone she’s been waiting for my call. She wanted me to go with her to Iloilo City, where her group and company were performing an opera which she wanted me to witness. Naturally I apologized for my slack and other reasons which she completely understood.
Fides Cuyugan Asencio is one of the most celebrated classical opera singers in the Philippines. She is an Actress, Librettist, Lyricist and a Pedagogue, (meaning acquisition of specific skills), Producer and Director.
Born August 1. 1931. She is the daughter of Dr. Gervacio Cuyugan and Jacinta Beiza of Lucena, Quezon province. She graduated from the Philippine Women’s University in Manila. In 1954, she was the first Filipina scholar to be accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Miss asencio and me (on my back jotting down some notes), notice the black birds cage underneath the spiral stair case.
In 1969, she married Manuel Asencio Jr., the love of her life. From opera she went into producing a television show, Sunday Sweet Sunday, from 1969 to 1974, showcasing operatic virtuosity. In 1986, she established “The Music Theatre Foundation of the Philippines” a non-profit organization to promote young classical singers. In 2005 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her long outstanding contribution to theatre and the art of music. Now she is currently professor Emeritus at University of the Philippines at the voice and music theatre department.
Came the day I was to interview Miss Asencio for my radio show, (Pearl of the Orient Show) at C.H.I.N. Radio and Television International, in Toronto. We arrived at noon time, got lost but finally found the place at Monteverde Subdivision in Quezon City. Her house is on top of a hill and from the gate you will be enchanted with the beautiful garden with hedges, the grass is so green, the flowers are so gay, and the voice so thrilling of spring time from the cuckoo-bird.There are steep concrete steps to go up, to the front door, which was opened for us by the maid and as I was seated, I quickly realized I forgot my camera. I won’t let this memorable event without a memento with a legendary lady. Lucky me, Alih, the driver with me, had his smart phone that could take pictures.
But while we were discussing about the camera, a bird in a cage was mimicking our conversation and the bird actually saying all the words we both said. I was so amused, never seen a bird so politically inclined.
Well, finally Miss Asencio came down from from a spiral stair case. And her first words she said to me, “Joel I am now 80 years old.” I smiled and gave her a kiss. We talked first about our lives and opera, then the interview. To me I hope this interview will be eternal. We had so much fun and the chemistry was overflowing. Then she invited me for a tour of her private library of music. A black grand piano was in the middle of the room, manuscripts on frames hanging on the walls, of her performances, from different theatres and concert halls, and posters of her Filipino opera momentos, like Noli Me Tangere, La Loba Negra and Mapulang Bituin, all to critically acclaimed performances. Books, sheets, and I was surrounded with a much fascinating atmosphere. Then we said goodbye to each other. I expressed to her my gratitude and the knowledge I had gained that short period of time. How lucky can I be, I said to myself. Oh God what an ending.
As a parting gift, I handed her a CD of my favorite soprano singer, Kathleen Battles Grace. I also gave the same CD to other sopranos I interviewed like the beautiful coloratura Miss. Eleanor Calbes and Denise Williams, both from Toronto and Evelyn Mandac from New York City. Other great sopranos in the Philippines that also made history, Atang de La Rama. Conching Rosal from Batangas and a University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of music graduate. She left us in 1985 of cancer. And the recording soprano and actress Sylvia la Torre.
Philippines is unfortunately not much known for having many an opera listeners. Europe is the home of such great operas, La Bohamme, Aida, La Traviata, Don Giovanni from Italy and the home of great baroque composers, Puccini, Vivaldi, Mozart and many more. But slowly we are getting there and maybe one day we will have our own Milans La Scala or the New York Metropolitan Opera House.
This experience is an equilibrium of my love of music. Opera is an art form which singers and musicians perform in harmony. This is called (Libretto) Opera and will be with us forever and will always give us love, happiness, and make us seek loftier goals and maybe we read our hopes and dreams through the lyrics and melodies of these powerful compositions that are being delivered in an operatic ensembles. If Opera will make you a better person, then why not? Try and listen.
———————
Joel Recla is Producer/Radio Host, C.H.I.N. Radio and Television International.
Comments (5)
Categories