Marawing Salamat: A Synergy of Fashion and Opera for Marawi

Fashion and opera are favored by those on taller pedestals in the society usually. They say that the higher you go, the more opportunity you have to help people. On April 6, 2018 at 8 o'clock in the evening, the top fashion icons and opera singers in the country will unite to raise funds for those besieged by the war in the southern city. 

Spearheading this tribute and fundraising project for Marawi are arts impresario Zardo A. Austria, former president of Fashion Designers Association Lito N. Perez, renowned tenor and co-founder of Lyric Opera Philippines Sherwin K. Sozon, and award-winning actress cum educator Lorli Villanueva. They have unanimously chosen the Duyog Marawi project of the Prelature of St. Mary's in Marawi to be the beneficiary of Marawing Salamat fundraising event.

Well-loved opera arias from Tosca, Carmen, La Traviata, Rigoletto, I Pagliacci, Romeo & Juliet, La Boheme, and Turandot, among others, will be performed for the The Best of Opera. They will be interpreted by an all-Filipino cast from Lyric Opera Philippines comprised of renowned opera tenors Sherwin Sozon, Randy Gilongo & John Glenn Gaerlan, baritone Noel Azcona, sopranos Ana Feleo, Rica Nepomuceno, Mary Patrice Pacis, Ton Ton Pascual, and Naomi Sison. Carlitos Siguion-Reyna directs while a guest American conductor Maestro William Barkhymer will lead the 70-piece UST Symphony Orchestra.

The Best of Fashion, touted as the "biggest fashion for a cause project" will be participated in by over 100 designers, artistic team,  and production staff. Zardo A. Austria provides the script and concept while joint direction will be by Raymond Villanueva & Nathan De Leon. The precursor for modern day beauty pageants, Carnival Queens (1908-1939), will be the main concept for this endeavor. The models will showcase their fabulous outfits to during the live singing of immortal kundiman and Filipino classical songs accompanied live by the UST Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Herminigildo Ranera, current resident conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

There will also be a tribute for the opera and fashion icons. This event is presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Lyric Opera Philippines in cooperation with E. Zobel Foundation, Inc. Interested parties who wish to book their seats as early as now may do so by contacting Ticketworld at 891-9999.