National Parks Development Committee, Paco Park Presents and the Opera Workshop Class of Dr. Alegria O. Ferrer present Mayo…Bisperas ng Liwanag on Friday, May 24, 2024 at 6 in the evening at Paco Park. The adaptation features the music of Reynaldo T. Paguio and libretto by National Artist for Music, Fides Asensio. Neo-Romantic lyricism is the characteristic of the piece and the music was arranged for orchestra by Mr. Nick Pacis.
The concept on the subjectivity of time as a directorial view of Ferrer changed the overall staging. The turn of the century elite setting, costumes and refined movements are transformed to a more realistic condition “without having to compromise the beauty of the libretto and music.”
The PRESENT becomes the FUTURE, as the FUTURE becomes the PAST, and the PAST becomes the PRESENT. The beauty of the presentation involving the changing passages time is that all will happen right before the spectator’s sight.
The story begins with an old Badong walking tirelessly, as he had been walking for decades, with flowers to give to his beloved Agueda. In a wink of an eye, the first meeting between the two ill-fated lovers came to life once again.
The narrative then shifts to the past and viewers are introduced to Agueda, a young woman disillusioned with love due to her parents’ unhappy marriage. The flowers on Badongs hands, on the eve of May Day, will never reach its destination. The flowers are fictional in itself and were never mentioned by Nick Joaquin nor by librettist, Fides Asensio in Mayo, Bisperas ng Liwanag. The flowers remain symbolic up to this day symbolizing love and hope — love for a beloved and love for country. Agueda was introduced to Badong’s yaya or caretaker named Anastacia, who is also a palm reader. She tells Agueda and the guests the story of a woman who saw her future husband’s face by staring into a mirror on May Day Eve. Agueda will try the same, hoping to catch a glimpse of her future husband. To her surprise and disappointment, she sees Badong’s face in the mirror and in reality. Mesmerized by the beauty of the moon and stillness of the night, she fell momentarily in love, but not for long.
The new concept did not have them continue a full relationship but was stopped at the same night that they fell in love. Agueda flees to choose her love for the country as told by Anastacia, rather than choosing her romantic love for Badong.
Badong lived a long life filled with bitterness, only to find out in the end, when a long-lost letter from Agueda reached his hands, that he was indeed loved by his beloved. Only, Agueda’s love for the country transcended romantic love. Finally, Badong, in his dying moments, was able to give Agueda’s bouquet of flowers.
Mayo…Bisperas ng Liwanang will be staged at the Paco Park Chapel on Friday, May 24, 2024 at 6 p.m.
