Tenor Otoniel Gonzaga at San Francisco Opera and at Philamlife Theater in Manila

TENOR OTONIEL GONZAGA AT SAN FRANCISCO OPERA

When you come to think of it, luck almost always hounds the last-minute replacements in the performing arts.

A year ago, Canadian pianist Louie Lortie became ill on the night he was supposed to be soloist of the Buffalo Philharmonic. Filipino pianist Cecile Licad came in as a last-minute substitute and American critics said the performance “provided more sparks than a welder on overtime.”

Romanian diva Nelly Miricioiu did not have the benefit of a proper American debut even after her triumphs in Europe until soprano Katja Ricciarelli got too ill to sing Traviata in San Francisco Opera. La Miricioiu planed in at the last minute and got one standing ovation after another and more invitations to sing all over the USA.
Filipino tenor Otoniel Gonzaga is used to covering for opera superstars from Placido Domingo in National Opera in Washington (excerpts from Merry Widow and Otello) to Luis Lima (Tosca in Salzburg with the late Herbert von Karajan on the podium).

From Washington D.C. Otoniel Gonzaga flew to San Francisco to cover for tenor Thomas Moser for the role of Florestan in Beethoven’s opera, Fidelio.

Otoniel Gonzaga did not expect to sing the part as covers attend all rehearsals but get to sing only if the featured artists lose their voice.

But in the last two performances of the Beethoven opera at the War Memorial Opera House, tenor Moser got ill and Otoniel Gonzaga was asked to take over at the last minute. The notice was so sudden there was no time to manage the usual insert sheet in the souvenir program. At happened, the new tenor was a mystery even after the verbal announcement.

After the performance, there was pandemonium and they learned that the “instant” Florestan was no other than the Filipino tenor Otoniel Gonzaga.

Said a singer in the audience of Otoniel Gonzaga’s performance: “The voice is that of an incredible Verdi baritone, with an odd top past a A-Flat. He has all the top tenor notes, and they are a completely different voice.”

Like La Miricioiu, Otoniel Gonzaga made his San Francisco Opera debut through a last-minute notice. By coincident, Otoniel Gonzaga sang Rodolfo and Miricioiu was Mimi in a Boheme performance at the Frankfurt Opera some years back.

The latest from Otoniel Gonzaga is that after his triumphant concert up with Lea Salonga early this year, he will team up with singer Dulce (two time grand prizewinner of the Asian Singing Competition in Hong Kong) and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra with Rodel Colmenar on December 9 in a concert called Christmas Spectacular and Immortal Arias at the Philamlife Theater.

“It is a highlight of my singer’s life to be able to sing with the great Otoniel Gonzaga,” said Dulce whose last appearance with the PPO ended in a rousing standing ovation. Other guest artists include sopranos Rachelle Gerodias, Camille Lopez Molina and flutist Christopher Oracion, two time first prize-winner of the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA).

Otoniel Gonzaga will open the Great Performance Series at the Philamlife Theater to be followed by Russian pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy on December 13 and Romanian violinist Alexandru Tomescu on February 24, 2007.

For tickets call tel. 9007023 or 9017156 or cell 09065104270.