'Art 2 Art' Airs Rizal Episodes

Art 2 Art scores a coup as it presents National Artist for Literature Virgilio “Rio Alma” Almario discussing national hero Jose Rizal as a writer in its episode on June 19, the 150th birth anniversary of Rizal.

This will be preceded on June 12, Independence Day, by another Rizal episode featuring multi-awarded composer/musical arranger Ryan Cayabyab who will talk about the making of his musical adaptation of Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere. With libretto by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and costumes, the critically acclaimedNoli Me Tangere The Musical will be restaged in August.

Hosted by prima ballerina Lisa Macuja and produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company, Art 2 Art is airednationwide every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on DZRH (666 khz on the AM band). It can also be viewed simultaneously on Cablelink cable television’s Channel 9 and accessed on the Internet through the website http://dzrh.tripod.com.

Almario, who translated both of Rizal's novels, Noli and El Filibusterismo into Filipino, shares the hero's literary legacy which also includes scores of poems, essays and “The Monkey and the Tortoise” cartoons. Based on his studies, Almario also reveals why one poem that has been attributed to Rizal could not have been the hero's work.

Meanwhile, Cayabyab recalls how the Noli musical came to be in 1995 and the process the production team underwent to turn Rizal's prose into music. He notes that the Fili adaptation came first, then later on was followed byNoli, and led to a third Rizal-themed musical, Ilustrado.

For its June 5 episode, Art 2 Art features sisters Jai Sabas-Aracama and Hazel Sabas-Gower who are accomplished in their respective fields of classical music and ballet. The Sabas sisters recall that growing up in a household filled with art and music inspired them to pursue careers as artists.

The program caps the month with a tribute to National Artist for Film Gerardo de Leon on June 26, with the assistance of resource speaker Ed Cabagnot of the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Visual, Literary and Media Arts Department.

For inquiries, please e-mail art2artdzrh@yahoo.com.ph. On Facebook, check out the account Ballerina ng Bayan for updates on Art 2 Art episodes and Ballet Manila performances.