Cultural Center of the Philippines
Encyclopedia
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation
established to preserve, develop and promote arts
and culture
in the Philippines
. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President
Ferdinand Marcos
. Although an independent corporation of the Philippine government, it receives an annual subsidy and is placed under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for purposes of policy coordination. The CCP is headed by an 11-member Board of Trustees, currently headed by Chairperson Emily Abrera. Its Chief Operating Officer is President Raul Sunico.
The CCP provides performance and exhibition venues for various local and international productions at its eponymous 62-hectare complex located in the Cities of Pasay and Manila
. Its artistic programs include the production of performances, festivals, exhibitions, cultural research, outreach, preservation, and publication of materials on Philippine art and culture. It holds its headquarters at the Tanghalang Pambansa , a structure designed by National Artist
for Architecture, Leandro V. Locsin. Locsin would later design many of the other buildings in the CCP Complex.
, constructed in the mid-19th Century, served as the primary venue for many stage plays, operas and zarzuelas and other notable events of national significance. Conditions improve with the construction of the Metropolitan Theater
in the 1931 and smaller but adequately equipped auditoriums in institutions like Meralco
, Philam Life, Insular Life, Ateneo de Manila University
and Far Eastern University
. In 1961, the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation started to raise funds for a new theater. The structure, designed by Leandro Locsin, was to be built on a 10-hectare lot in Quezon City. In the meantime in 1965
, Imelda Marcos
at a proclamation rally in Cebu for her husband's
bid for the Presidency, expressed her desire to build a national theater. Marcos would win his election bid and work on the theater started with the issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 20 on March 12, 1966. Imelda, now the First Lady, persuades the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation to relocate and expand plans for the still-born theater to a new reclaimed location along Roxas Boulevard
in Manila. To formalize the project, President Marcos issues Executive Order No. 60, establishing the Cultural Center of the Philippines and appointing its board of directors. The board would elect Imelda as chairperson, giving her the legal mandate to negotiate and manage funds for the center.
Prior to her husband's inaugural, Marcos already started fund raising for the Cultural Center; an initial half-a-million pesos was made from the proceeds of the premiere of Flower Drum Song
in the University of the Philippines
, and another ninety-thousand pesos turned over from the Filipino arm of the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation. This was however, insufficient to cover the projected cost of PHP
15 million needed to construct the theater. Much of the theater's funding came from a war damage fund for education authorized by the US Congress
during President Marcos's state visit to the United States. In the end, the theater would receive USD 3.5 million from the fund. To make up for the rest of the construction costs, Imelda approached prominent families and businesses to donate to her cause. Carpets, draperies, marble, artworks to decorate the interior of the theater and even cement were all donated. Despite the success of the First Lady's fund raising, the project cost ballooned to almost 50 million pesos, or 35 million over the projected budget by 1969. Imelda and the CCP board took a USD 7 million loan through the National Investment Development Corporation to finance the remaining amount, a move that was heavily criticized by government opposition. Senator Ninoy Aquino strongly objected to the use of public funds for the center without congressional appropriation and branded it as an institution for the elite. Unfazed with the criticism, Marcos went ahead with the project and the Theater of Performing Arts (Now the Tanghalang Pambansa) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines was opened on September 8, 1969, three days before the President's 52nd birthday, with a three-month long inaugural festival opened by Lamberto Avellana's musical Golden Salakot: Isang Dularawan, an epic portrayal of Panay Island
. Among those who attended the inaugural night were California Governor Ronald Reagan
and his wife, Nancy
, both representing United States President Richard Nixon
.
Early into the 1970s, the Center was in the red mainly due to the costs of constructing the Theater of Performing Arts. In 1972, the board of the CCP asked Members of Congress to pass House Bill 4454, which would convert the Center to become a non-municipal public corporation and allow it to use the principal of the CCP Trust Fund to pay off some of its debt. The bill would also continually support the center through a government subsidy amounting to the equivalent of 5% of the collected Amusement Tax annually. The proposed piece of legislation was met with strong opposition, and was never passed. However, with the declaration of Martial Law on September 23, 1972, Congress was effectively dissolved; and President Marcos signed Proclamation No. 15 s. 1972, essentially a modified version of the proposed bill. The proclamation also expands the Center's role, from that of being a performance venue to an agency promoting and developing arts and culture throughout the country. Other notable developments during the year included the institution of the National Artist Awards
and the foundation of the CCP Philharmonic Orchestra, the center's first resident company that would later become the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
.
During this period of the Marcos Presidency, the CCP Complex played host to major local and international events under the guise of the Bagong Lipunan (New Society), which would mark the start of a series of major construction projects in the area. When Filipino Margie Moran won the 1973 Miss Universe Pageant
, the Philippine Government agreed to stage the succeeding year's contest
, and plans for an amphitheater commenced. Weeks of planning and discussions resulted to the commissioning of the Folk Arts Theater (Now the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas), an open-air but roofed structure that could seat up to 10,000 people. Construction of the new theater, which was also designed by Leandro Locsin, was completed in a record 77 days and was inaugurated on July 1974 with the grand parade, "Kasaysayan ng Lahi" ("History of the Race"). Right after the inauguration of Folk Arts, ground was broken for the Philippine International Convention Center
and the Philippine Plaza Hotel, both for the country's hosting of the IMF
-World Bank
Annual Meeting
in 1976. Although not owned by the Cultural Center, the building was nevertheless built at the complex and designed by Locsin. One of the more infamous additions to the Center was the Manila Film Center, built in 1981 for the Manila International Film Festival. The structure was built on a strict critical path
schedule, requiring 4,000 workers working in 3 shifts across 24 hours. An accident occurred on November 17, 1981, when scaffolding collapsed and sent construction workers into quick-drying cement. Despite this, construction proceeded and the Center was opened for the Film Festival, some 15 minutes before opening night. The building's ownership would be transferred to the CCP in 1986, when the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines was dissolved. Straying from the brutalist style typical of the buildings in the CCP is the Coconut Palace
, a showcase on the versatility of coconut as an export product and construction material, designed by Francisco Mañosa
. The financial and human costs of constructing these buildings, in a time of widespread poverty and corruption, was seen as symptomatic of the First Lady's edifice complex, a charge Imelda has nevertheless welcomed in her later years.
1986 saw the end of the Marcos regime through the peaceful People Power Revolution. Consequently, the CCP underwent a period of reform and "Filipinization". President Corazon Aquino
appoints Maria Teresa Roxas as the first President of the Cultural Center in the post-Marcos era; and once critic of the center for its promotion of elitist culture, Nicanor Tiongson
, accepted the position to be the new artistic director. Together with its vice president, Florendo Garcia, the new leadership consulted with various stakeholders to formulate a new direction for the CCP and officially redefine its mission and objectives in pursuit of "a Filipino national culture evolving with and for the people". To set about decentralization, the Center formulates guidelines for setting-up local arts councils in local government units and establishes the CCP Exchange Artist Program to provide opportunities for regional groups to showcase their talents across the country. For the first time in her presidency, Aquino visits the center on January 11, 1987 to confer the National Artist Award to Atang de la Rama, marking the first time the awards were conferred through a process of democratic selection in addition to rigid criteria. Aquino would later confer the same award to Leandro Locsin in 1990, in recognition of his contribution to the field of architecture in the Philippines and in spite of his many contributions to the Imelda Marcos's architectural projects. Also in 1987, three groups joined the roster of the Cultural Center's resident companies: the Philippine Ballet Theatre
, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group
and Tanghalang Pilipino
. As part of its outreach and research programs, the CCP produces a number of notable publications, including: Ani (English: Harvest) (1987), an arts journal; the Tuklas Sining (English: Discover Arts) (1989) series of monographs and videos on Philippine arts and the landmark 10-volume CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (1994). Despite its attempt at reforms, some people still see the center in a less positive light. For instance, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
said that she finds the CCP to be "imposing, unapproachable, and elitist" for Filipino masses.
, Plácido Domingo
, Marcel Marceau
, the Royal Ballet, the New York Philharmonic
, and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra among many others.
Since 1972, the CCP administered the Order of the National Artists
, which is the highest recognition the government of the Philippines gives to individuals who made significant contributions to the development of arts in the country. The Order was established in 1972 after the death of renowned painter Fernando Amorsolo
, through the auspices of Proclamation No. 1001. A year later, the Board of Trustees of the Center was designated as the National Artists Award Committee. Today, the CCP administers the Order in conjunction with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
.
Since its reform for democratization in 1986, the center has undertaken steps to bring culture and arts more accessible to a larger segment of the Filipino society. Its Outreach Program conducts fora and art appreciation activities in various parts of the country, which includes the Sopas, Sining at Sorbetes Program (English: Food to Taste, Arts to Appreciate. Literally, Soup, Art and Ice Cream), a unique appreciation activity coupled with a feeding program for underprivileged youth. Since 2005, the center organizes the open house festival Pasinaya (English: To Show. Literally, Debut or Inauguration) during February, which is designated as the National Arts Month in the Philippines. The Pasinaya festival features performing arts group from all over the country, led by the center's resident companies, in a one-day showcase of local talent entirely held in the Tanghalang Pambansa's numerous venues. In 2007 alone, the festival was visited by some 10,000 people. The CCP also provides institutional support to the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and the Philippine High School for the Arts.
The President and Chief Operating Officer is Raul Sunico, while Chris Millado is Vice President and Artistic Director. Emily Abrera is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The other members of the Board of Trustees are:
Advisers
. It houses three performing arts venues, one theater for film screenings, galleries, a museum and the center’s library and archives. Being a work of a National Artist, the brutalist structure is qualified to be an important cultural landmark as stipulated in Republic Act No. 10066.
Construction began in 1966, with Alfredo Juinio
serving as structural engineer and Filipino firm DM Consunji as builder. Originally called the Theater of Performing Arts, it was completed and inaugurated in 1969. Its first major renovation occurred in 2005 for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 112th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Manila. Included in the renovation were cleaning and replacement of the marble trim, installation of a new air-conditioning system and new carpeting.
chandeliers hang from the third floor ceiling, each symbolizing the three main geographical divisions of the Philippines: Luzon
, Visayas
and Mindanao
. At the orchestra entrance, a brass sculpture, The Seven Arts by Vicente Manansala
welcomes the audience into the main theater. From the pedestrian entrance, Arturo Luz's Black and White is displayed as spectators enter the little theater or ascend to the main lobby through a massive carpeted spiral staircase. Most of the interior is lit artificially, as there are few windows, most of which are located along the sides of the main lobby. Large areas on the upper floors are open to the ground floor lobby, emphasizing the large chandeliers and fluid interior spaces on northeast side of the building. Galleries and other rooms surround these open areas, occupying the space created by the huge cantilevered block. Whenever possible, the walls surrounding these rooms are used as additional venues for displaying art works.
Much of the criticism of the building’s architecture is directed towards its vehicular ramp. Since there are usually no valet services or parking areas directly accessible from the lobby entrance, the ramp’s use is ideal only for audience members who are chauffeur-driven; at the expense of pedestrians, who may enter through the side entrance or a narrow (and potentially hazardous) pathway on the ramp. In defense of the design, Andy Locsin (a partner of his father's firm) explained that the decision of raising the whole structure on the podium (and consequently, the addition of the ramp) was in response to the high sea levels on the reclaimed land, and was not intended to promote an elitist view of art and culture.
or the Main Theater is the largest performance venue inside the Tanghalang Pambansa. It can accommodate up to 1,853 people in four levels: Orchestra, Boxes and two Balconies. The stage is 25 m (82 feet) from the main curtain line to the back wall and 38.8 m (128 feet) from the left wall to the right wall. The proscenium
opening has a height of 9 meters (25 feet) and width of 18 m (58 feet). An orchestra pit
measuring 5.6 m (18 ft (5 m). 6 in.) in depth contains two elevators that can accommodate up to 62 musicians. The stage floor, unwaxed and painted black, is made from a species of Philippine Mahogany
. The main stage curtain is patterned after the painting Genesis, a work of National Artist Hernando Ocampo
. A variable acoustics hall designed by BBN Technologies
, the Main Theater was planned for flexibility. It was built to accommodate sound requirements of various types of presentations, and can typically hold opera and orchestra performances without further amplification.
Inaugurated a few years after the opening of the CCP, the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, commonly known as the Little Theater is a conventional proscenium stage, designed for drama, chamber music, solo recitals, lectures, and film screenings. It seats 421 people in one orchestra section. From the main curtain line to the back wall, the stage measures 13.6 m (44 feet) and features the same Philippine Mahogany flooring as the larger Main Theater. A covered orchestra pit extends into the apron gives additional performance space, similar to a thrust stage
. The stage curtain is a tapestry made in Kyoto
, Japan
, based on a painting of Roberto Chabet
, visual artist and former director of the CCP Museum. The theater was named after Aurelio Tolentino, a Filipino playwright and dramatist whose works at the turn of the 20th century depict his desire to see Philippine independence from its colonizers.
The Center has a lone black box theater
named Tanghalang Huseng Batute, after the pseudonym of Filipino poet José Corazón de Jesús
. Depending on the size of the stage or acting area, it can seat up to 240 people in two levels. The 100-seat Tanghalang Manuel Conde
, a joint project of the CCP and Dream Broadcasting
, is used as a venue for film screenings and lectures; and has the capability to receive and show films directly through satellite.
, which serves as the Main Gallery. Located at the third floor, it has a floor area of 440 sq. m. Two smaller galleries are named after Filipino painters Fernando Amorsolo
and Carlos Francisco
. The latter is usually used for large scale installations and is located at the lobby of the Little Theater. Hallways lining the Main Theater on the upper three storeys are also used for display and measure 2.4m high by 30.2m wide each. These spaces are named after visual artists Victorio Edades
, Guillermo Tolentino and Vicente Manansala
.
Established in 1988 the Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino, also the CCP Museum, is an integrated humanities museum that studies, collects and preserves Filipino artistic traditions. It has two permanent exhbitions: one on Filipino tradition, art and aesthetics; and the other showcasing the Center's collection of traditional Asian musical instruments. The museum also presents special changing exhibitions, provides curatorial assistance, and organizes workshops on indigenous art forms.
and the Privatization Management Office. Development of the complex was stalled until 2000, when the Philippine Supreme Court ruled with finality the Center's ownership of some 35 hectares of prime real estate in the complex. A comprehensive master plan for development of the complex was unveiled in 2003.
The plan would divide the CCP complex into six clusters. First, the Promenade, which will tentatively be named after Lucresia Reyes-Urtula, will include retail and other mixed-use facilities, as well as dock facilities.
The second cluster will be the Arts Sanctuary, which will serve as the complex's cultural core. To be anchored by the Tanghalang Pambansa, it will contain a new performing arts theater, the artists' center, a bandstand
, the Center's Production Design Center, as well as other open areas. Third, the Green Zone cluster will contain a mix of museums, parks with commercial and office spaces. Fourth, the Creative Hub cluster, containing spaces for creative industries. Fifth, The Arts Living Room, envisioned to be a high-density, high-rise establishment that will house condominiums and a network of plazas and pedestrian ways. The final cluster, the breezeway, will be located by low-rise, low-density commercial structures with seafront entertainment facilities.
The master plan is envisioned to be completed in four phases, from 2004 to 2014; 5 billion pesos
will be needed for the plan's first five years, and another 8 billion pesos for the plan's latter half.
On December 8, 2005, the Center announced the winners of its design contest. Three firms won for their concepts, Syndicated Architects, Manalang-Tayag-Ilano Architects, and JPA Buensalido Design. The concepts of each winner will then be presented to prospective investors and stakeholders for final approval.
The Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas, more commonly known by its original name of Folk Arts Theater, this covered proscenium
amphitheater is where popular concerts are usually staged. It has a seating capacity of 8,458 in ten sections. The theater takes its name form Francisco Baltazar also known as Francisco Balagtas, revered as one of the country's greatest poets. Florante at Laura
is one of his best known and most beloved works and his poetry Balagtasismo has shaped generations of Filipino poets. The popular debate in verse, balagtasan is also named after him.
The building was originally built to seat an audience of 10,000 and was commissioned by then First Lady
Imelda Marcos
in 1974 for the Miss Universe
Pageant, which was to be held in Manila. The theater was built in record time of seventy-seven days in time for the pageant and was designed by Leandro V. Locsin.
Many Concerts both local & foreign were held at the theater, namely the concerts of 1980s supergroup Menudo, British Pop Group 5ive, the 1993 Janet. Tour of Janet Jackson, the Pure Enery Concert of Gary Valenciano & the solo concert of Philippine's Jay-R.
The Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas is also used as a site of different religious groups. The Day by Day Christian Ministries
, a large international religious organization, has leased the area since 2005. They have dedicated the Theatre as Bulwagan ng Panginoon (The Hall of the Lord).
. As CCP’s Satellite Venues in the East and in the South, these institutions commit to benefit from the exchange of goodwill and assistance through move-over productions, performances and artistic training workshops. Eventually, the center hopes to establish another satellite venue in the Northern part of Metro Manila.
De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School established the Angelo King
Center for the Performing Arts in 2000 with the aim of supporting the holistic development of its students. The Center pushed the development of theatrical and musical talents on campus. Activities, which have been organized at the Center, have been facilitated by highly acclaimed one located in this part of Metro Manila
.
and to serve as a venue for cultural education and development not only of its students, faculty and parents but also for members of the outside communities and schools neighboring municipalities of the Rizal Province.
The Assumpta Theater is home to modern light and sound equipment, 17 manual fly battens, a manual curtain system, a spacious stage area, an orchestra pit, fully air-conditioned dressing rooms, a docking area, stage wings, three-level seating arrangements, a lobby, and comfort rooms. The house area can accommodate 2,001 guests.
Government-owned corporation
A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
established to preserve, develop and promote arts
Arts of the Philippines
Arts of the Philippines is diverse. Weaving is popular in the northern part of the Philippines. Pottery is also common in pre-Hispanic societies. Ornate carvings are found in the southern Philippine islands...
and culture
Culture of the Philippines
Philippine culture is related to Micronesian, Bornean, Mexican and Spanish cultures. The people today are mostly of Malayo-Polynesian origin, although there are people with Spanish, Mexican, Austro-Melanesian and Chinese blood. Geographically, the Philippines is considered part of Southeast Asia...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
. Although an independent corporation of the Philippine government, it receives an annual subsidy and is placed under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for purposes of policy coordination. The CCP is headed by an 11-member Board of Trustees, currently headed by Chairperson Emily Abrera. Its Chief Operating Officer is President Raul Sunico.
The CCP provides performance and exhibition venues for various local and international productions at its eponymous 62-hectare complex located in the Cities of Pasay and Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Its artistic programs include the production of performances, festivals, exhibitions, cultural research, outreach, preservation, and publication of materials on Philippine art and culture. It holds its headquarters at the Tanghalang Pambansa , a structure designed by National Artist
National Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
for Architecture, Leandro V. Locsin. Locsin would later design many of the other buildings in the CCP Complex.
History
Before the turn of the 20th Century, artistic performances were primarily held in plazas and other public places around the country. In Manila, the Manila Grand Opera HouseManila Grand Opera House
The Manila Grand Opera House was a theater and opera house located in the Santa Cruz district of Manila on the intersection of Rizal Avenue and Doroteo Jose Street. Built in the mid-19th century as the H.T...
, constructed in the mid-19th Century, served as the primary venue for many stage plays, operas and zarzuelas and other notable events of national significance. Conditions improve with the construction of the Metropolitan Theater
Manila Metropolitan Theater
The Manila Metropolitan Theater or MET is an art deco building designed by the Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano, and inaugurated on December 10, 1931, with a capacity of 1670...
in the 1931 and smaller but adequately equipped auditoriums in institutions like Meralco
Meralco
The Manila Electric Company , also known as MERALCO or Meralco, is the Philippines' largest distributor of electrical power.The word MERALCO, is an acronym for Manila Electric Railroad And Light COmpany, which was the company's original name from 1903 to 1919.MERALCO is the Metro Manila's only...
, Philam Life, Insular Life, Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
and Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of...
. In 1961, the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation started to raise funds for a new theater. The structure, designed by Leandro Locsin, was to be built on a 10-hectare lot in Quezon City. In the meantime in 1965
Philippine general election, 1965
A senatorial election was held on November 19, 1965 in the Philippines. The Nacionalista Party wrestled back control of the Senate; originally a Liberal, Senate President Ferdinand Marcos defected to the Nacionalistas, became their presidential candidate and won this year's election...
, Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
at a proclamation rally in Cebu for her husband's
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
bid for the Presidency, expressed her desire to build a national theater. Marcos would win his election bid and work on the theater started with the issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 20 on March 12, 1966. Imelda, now the First Lady, persuades the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation to relocate and expand plans for the still-born theater to a new reclaimed location along Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard is a boulevard in Metro Manila, and an eight-lane arterial road that connects the center of Manila with Pasay City, Parañaque City. It is one of the major arteries in the city's metropolitan network, designated as Radial Road 1...
in Manila. To formalize the project, President Marcos issues Executive Order No. 60, establishing the Cultural Center of the Philippines and appointing its board of directors. The board would elect Imelda as chairperson, giving her the legal mandate to negotiate and manage funds for the center.
Prior to her husband's inaugural, Marcos already started fund raising for the Cultural Center; an initial half-a-million pesos was made from the proceeds of the premiere of Flower Drum Song
Flower Drum Song
Flower Drum Song was the eighth stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was based on the 1957 novel, The Flower Drum Song, by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee. The piece opened in 1958 on Broadway and was afterwards presented in the West End and on tour...
in the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
, and another ninety-thousand pesos turned over from the Filipino arm of the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation. This was however, insufficient to cover the projected cost of PHP
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
15 million needed to construct the theater. Much of the theater's funding came from a war damage fund for education authorized by the US Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
during President Marcos's state visit to the United States. In the end, the theater would receive USD 3.5 million from the fund. To make up for the rest of the construction costs, Imelda approached prominent families and businesses to donate to her cause. Carpets, draperies, marble, artworks to decorate the interior of the theater and even cement were all donated. Despite the success of the First Lady's fund raising, the project cost ballooned to almost 50 million pesos, or 35 million over the projected budget by 1969. Imelda and the CCP board took a USD 7 million loan through the National Investment Development Corporation to finance the remaining amount, a move that was heavily criticized by government opposition. Senator Ninoy Aquino strongly objected to the use of public funds for the center without congressional appropriation and branded it as an institution for the elite. Unfazed with the criticism, Marcos went ahead with the project and the Theater of Performing Arts (Now the Tanghalang Pambansa) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines was opened on September 8, 1969, three days before the President's 52nd birthday, with a three-month long inaugural festival opened by Lamberto Avellana's musical Golden Salakot: Isang Dularawan, an epic portrayal of Panay Island
Panay Island
Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoro and northwest of Negros, separated by the...
. Among those who attended the inaugural night were California Governor Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and his wife, Nancy
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
, both representing United States President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
.
Early into the 1970s, the Center was in the red mainly due to the costs of constructing the Theater of Performing Arts. In 1972, the board of the CCP asked Members of Congress to pass House Bill 4454, which would convert the Center to become a non-municipal public corporation and allow it to use the principal of the CCP Trust Fund to pay off some of its debt. The bill would also continually support the center through a government subsidy amounting to the equivalent of 5% of the collected Amusement Tax annually. The proposed piece of legislation was met with strong opposition, and was never passed. However, with the declaration of Martial Law on September 23, 1972, Congress was effectively dissolved; and President Marcos signed Proclamation No. 15 s. 1972, essentially a modified version of the proposed bill. The proclamation also expands the Center's role, from that of being a performance venue to an agency promoting and developing arts and culture throughout the country. Other notable developments during the year included the institution of the National Artist Awards
National Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
and the foundation of the CCP Philharmonic Orchestra, the center's first resident company that would later become the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is the nation's leading symphony orchestra and a resident company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines , located on Manila's shoreline...
.
During this period of the Marcos Presidency, the CCP Complex played host to major local and international events under the guise of the Bagong Lipunan (New Society), which would mark the start of a series of major construction projects in the area. When Filipino Margie Moran won the 1973 Miss Universe Pageant
Miss Universe 1973
Miss Universe 1973 was held at the 2,000-year-old amphitheatre of Odeon of Herodes Atticus, at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece on July 21, 1973...
, the Philippine Government agreed to stage the succeeding year's contest
Miss Universe 1974
Miss Universe 1974, the 23rd Miss Universe pageant, was held in Manila, Philippines on the early morning of July 21, 1974 before a live audience of an estimated 10,000 at the Folk Arts Theater and broadcast live by CBS and Radio Philippines Network . The pageant was hosted by Bob Barker and Helen...
, and plans for an amphitheater commenced. Weeks of planning and discussions resulted to the commissioning of the Folk Arts Theater (Now the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas), an open-air but roofed structure that could seat up to 10,000 people. Construction of the new theater, which was also designed by Leandro Locsin, was completed in a record 77 days and was inaugurated on July 1974 with the grand parade, "Kasaysayan ng Lahi" ("History of the Race"). Right after the inauguration of Folk Arts, ground was broken for the Philippine International Convention Center
Philippine International Convention Center
The Philippine International Convention Center is a convention center located in the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines...
and the Philippine Plaza Hotel, both for the country's hosting of the IMF
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
-World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
Annual Meeting
Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group
The IMF and World Bank meet each autumn in what is officially known as the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group and each spring in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group...
in 1976. Although not owned by the Cultural Center, the building was nevertheless built at the complex and designed by Locsin. One of the more infamous additions to the Center was the Manila Film Center, built in 1981 for the Manila International Film Festival. The structure was built on a strict critical path
Critical Path
Critical Path may refer to:*The Critical Path, the longest necessary path through a network of activities when respecting their interdependencies, which may be identified with the Program Evaluation and Review Technique and the Critical path method...
schedule, requiring 4,000 workers working in 3 shifts across 24 hours. An accident occurred on November 17, 1981, when scaffolding collapsed and sent construction workers into quick-drying cement. Despite this, construction proceeded and the Center was opened for the Film Festival, some 15 minutes before opening night. The building's ownership would be transferred to the CCP in 1986, when the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines was dissolved. Straying from the brutalist style typical of the buildings in the CCP is the Coconut Palace
Coconut Palace
The Coconut Palace, also known as Tahanang Pilipino , is the official residence and principal workplace of the Vice President of the Philippines. Located at the CCP Complex, in Pasay, south of the centre of Manila, it was commissioned by former First Lady Imelda Marcos for Pope John Paul II's visit...
, a showcase on the versatility of coconut as an export product and construction material, designed by Francisco Mañosa
Francisco Manosa
Francisco Mañosa is a Filipino architect and national artist noted for his Filipino inspired architectural designs. He designed The Coconut Palace.Manosa, on May, 2008 built his own Ayala alabang village Bahay Kubo mansion...
. The financial and human costs of constructing these buildings, in a time of widespread poverty and corruption, was seen as symptomatic of the First Lady's edifice complex, a charge Imelda has nevertheless welcomed in her later years.
1986 saw the end of the Marcos regime through the peaceful People Power Revolution. Consequently, the CCP underwent a period of reform and "Filipinization". President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
appoints Maria Teresa Roxas as the first President of the Cultural Center in the post-Marcos era; and once critic of the center for its promotion of elitist culture, Nicanor Tiongson
Nicanor Tiongson
Nicanor Tiongson is a leading critic, creative writer and academic from the Philippines. He holds a Bachelor of Humanities degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and M.A. and Ph. D in Philippine Studies from the University of the Philippines...
, accepted the position to be the new artistic director. Together with its vice president, Florendo Garcia, the new leadership consulted with various stakeholders to formulate a new direction for the CCP and officially redefine its mission and objectives in pursuit of "a Filipino national culture evolving with and for the people". To set about decentralization, the Center formulates guidelines for setting-up local arts councils in local government units and establishes the CCP Exchange Artist Program to provide opportunities for regional groups to showcase their talents across the country. For the first time in her presidency, Aquino visits the center on January 11, 1987 to confer the National Artist Award to Atang de la Rama, marking the first time the awards were conferred through a process of democratic selection in addition to rigid criteria. Aquino would later confer the same award to Leandro Locsin in 1990, in recognition of his contribution to the field of architecture in the Philippines and in spite of his many contributions to the Imelda Marcos's architectural projects. Also in 1987, three groups joined the roster of the Cultural Center's resident companies: the Philippine Ballet Theatre
Philippine Ballet Theatre
The Philippine Ballet Theatre is the pre-eminent classical ballet company in the Philippines. The Philippine Ballet Theatre was founded in 1987 out of an alliance of leading dance groups; it quickly won recognition as a resident ballet company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.The...
, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group
Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group
The Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group was founded in 1972, and started out as a fledgling folk dance company composed of some thirty performers. Leaning on the vast amount of data and artifacts that he has accumulated while doing research over the years, Ramon A...
and Tanghalang Pilipino
Tanghalang Pilipino
Tanghalang Pilipino is the leading exponent of Philippine theater and the resident drama company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines since its organization in 1987...
. As part of its outreach and research programs, the CCP produces a number of notable publications, including: Ani (English: Harvest) (1987), an arts journal; the Tuklas Sining (English: Discover Arts) (1989) series of monographs and videos on Philippine arts and the landmark 10-volume CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (1994). Despite its attempt at reforms, some people still see the center in a less positive light. For instance, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
said that she finds the CCP to be "imposing, unapproachable, and elitist" for Filipino masses.
Events and Programs
The scope of activities the center engages in include architecture, film and broadcast arts, dance, literature, music, new media, theatre and visual arts. Aside from the its promotion of local and indigenous artists, it has played host to numerous prominent and international artists like Van CliburnVan Cliburn
Harvey Lavan "Van" Cliburn Jr. is an American pianist who achieved worldwide recognition in 1958 at age 23, when he won the first quadrennial International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, at the height of the Cold War....
, Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, Marcel Marceau
Marcel Marceau
Marcel Marceau was an internationally acclaimed French actor and mime most famous for his persona as Bip the Clown.-Early years:...
, the Royal Ballet, the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra among many others.
Since 1972, the CCP administered the Order of the National Artists
National Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
, which is the highest recognition the government of the Philippines gives to individuals who made significant contributions to the development of arts in the country. The Order was established in 1972 after the death of renowned painter Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto is one of the most important artists in the history of painting in the Philippines. Amorsolo was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes. He is popularly known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light...
, through the auspices of Proclamation No. 1001. A year later, the Board of Trustees of the Center was designated as the National Artists Award Committee. Today, the CCP administers the Order in conjunction with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines)
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines is the official arts council for the Philippines.-History:In 1987, then President Corazon C. Aquino penned Executive Order No. 118 creating the Presidential Commission on Culture and Arts...
.
Since its reform for democratization in 1986, the center has undertaken steps to bring culture and arts more accessible to a larger segment of the Filipino society. Its Outreach Program conducts fora and art appreciation activities in various parts of the country, which includes the Sopas, Sining at Sorbetes Program (English: Food to Taste, Arts to Appreciate. Literally, Soup, Art and Ice Cream), a unique appreciation activity coupled with a feeding program for underprivileged youth. Since 2005, the center organizes the open house festival Pasinaya (English: To Show. Literally, Debut or Inauguration) during February, which is designated as the National Arts Month in the Philippines. The Pasinaya festival features performing arts group from all over the country, led by the center's resident companies, in a one-day showcase of local talent entirely held in the Tanghalang Pambansa's numerous venues. In 2007 alone, the festival was visited by some 10,000 people. The CCP also provides institutional support to the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and the Philippine High School for the Arts.
Resident Companies
- Ballet PhilippinesBallet PhilippinesBallet Philippines synthesizes diverse dance and movement forms, from classical ballet to avant-garde choreographies, from traditional to modern dance, from martial arts to aerial movements, into distinctively Filipino contemporary expressions....
- Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance CompanyBayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance CompanyThe Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company is the oldest dance company in the Philippines. A multi-awarded company, both nationally and internationally, Guillermo Gomez Rivera has called it the "depository of almost all Filipino dances, dress and songs."The company was founded in 1957 by...
- National Music Competitions for Young Artists FoundationNational Music Competitions for Young Artists FoundationThe National Music Competitions for Young Artists Foundation or NAMCYA was founded in the Philippines in 1973. It was created by virtue of President Ferdinand Marcos' Presidential Proclamation No...
- Philippine Ballet TheatrePhilippine Ballet TheatreThe Philippine Ballet Theatre is the pre-eminent classical ballet company in the Philippines. The Philippine Ballet Theatre was founded in 1987 out of an alliance of leading dance groups; it quickly won recognition as a resident ballet company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.The...
- Philippine Madrigal Singers
- Philippine Philharmonic OrchestraPhilippine Philharmonic OrchestraThe Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra is the nation's leading symphony orchestra and a resident company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines , located on Manila's shoreline...
- Ramon Obusan Folkloric GroupRamon Obusan Folkloric GroupThe Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group was founded in 1972, and started out as a fledgling folk dance company composed of some thirty performers. Leaning on the vast amount of data and artifacts that he has accumulated while doing research over the years, Ramon A...
- Tanghalang PilipinoTanghalang PilipinoTanghalang Pilipino is the leading exponent of Philippine theater and the resident drama company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines since its organization in 1987...
- UST Symphony Orchestra
Management
| Presidents of the Cultural Center of the Philippines |
| Jaime Zobel de Ayala Jaime Zobel de Ayala Jaime Zobel y Fitz , also known as Jaime Zobel de Ayala, is a prominent Filipino businessman and philanthropist. He was the last managing partner of Ayala y Compañía in 1967 when the company changed to a corporation. He served as both president and chairman of Ayala Corporation from 1983 to 2005... - 1969-1976 |
| Lucrecia Kasilag Lucrecia Kasilag Lucrecia Kasilag was a Filipino composer, music educator, and National Artist for Music.She studied composition with Wayne Barlow.... - 1976-1986 |
| Ma. Teresa Roxas - 1986-1994 |
| Francisco del Rosario, Jr. - 1994-1995 |
| Baltazar Endriga - 1995-1999 |
| Armina Rufino - 1999-2001 |
| Nestor Jardin - 2001-2009 |
| Isabel Caro Wilson - 2009-2010 |
| Raul Sunico - 2010–Present |
The President and Chief Operating Officer is Raul Sunico, while Chris Millado is Vice President and Artistic Director. Emily Abrera is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The other members of the Board of Trustees are:
- Florangel Rosario-Braid
- Jaime Laya
- Arsenio J. Lizaso
- Isabel Caro Wilson
- Zenaida R. Tantoco
- Cristina Turalba
- Antonio S. Yap
- Carolyn E. Espiritu
Advisers
- Baltazar N. Endriga
- Nestor O. Jardin
Tanghalang Pambansa
The Tanghalang Pambansa is the flagship venue and principal offices of the Center. Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, its design was based and expanded on the unconstructed Philippine-American Friendship Center. The Tangahalan is a primary example of the architect’s signature style known as the floating volume, a trait can be seen in structures indigenous to the Philippines such as the nipa hutNipa Hut
The nipa hut also known as bahay kubo, is an indigenous house used in the Philippines. The native house has traditionally been constructed with bamboo tied together and covered with a thatched roof using nipa/anahaw leaves....
. It houses three performing arts venues, one theater for film screenings, galleries, a museum and the center’s library and archives. Being a work of a National Artist, the brutalist structure is qualified to be an important cultural landmark as stipulated in Republic Act No. 10066.
Construction began in 1966, with Alfredo Juinio
Alfredo Juinio
Alfredo Lazarte Juinio was a civil engineer, educator, and public official of the Philippines. He served as the dean of the College of Engineering of the University of the Philippines. Alfredo Juinio Hall, the building that houses the National Engineering Center, is named after him...
serving as structural engineer and Filipino firm DM Consunji as builder. Originally called the Theater of Performing Arts, it was completed and inaugurated in 1969. Its first major renovation occurred in 2005 for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 112th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Manila. Included in the renovation were cleaning and replacement of the marble trim, installation of a new air-conditioning system and new carpeting.
Architecture
The façade of the National Theater is dominated by a two-storey travertine block suspended 12 meters high by deep concave cantilevers on three sides. The rest of the structure is clad in concrete, textured by crushed seashells originally found on the reclamation site. The building is built on a massive podium, and entry is through a vehicular ramp in front of the raised lobby and a pedestrian side entry on its northwest side. In front of the façade and below the ramp, there is an octagonal reflecting pool with fountains and underwater lights. On the main lobby, three large Capiz-shellPlacuna placenta
Placuna placenta, also known as capiz or windowpane oyster, is a bivalve marine mollusk in the family of Placunidae. Among the four species in the family, only the Placenta placenta has an outer shell translucent enough for commercial use.-Habitat:The distribution of the mollusk stretches from...
chandeliers hang from the third floor ceiling, each symbolizing the three main geographical divisions of the Philippines: Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
, Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
and Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. At the orchestra entrance, a brass sculpture, The Seven Arts by Vicente Manansala
Vicente Manansala
Vicente Silva Manansala was a Philippine cubist painter and illustrator.Manansala was born in Macabebe, Pampanga. From 1926 to 1930, he studied at the U.P. School of Fine Arts. In 1949, Manansala received a six-month grant by UNESCO to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Banff and Montreal, Canada...
welcomes the audience into the main theater. From the pedestrian entrance, Arturo Luz's Black and White is displayed as spectators enter the little theater or ascend to the main lobby through a massive carpeted spiral staircase. Most of the interior is lit artificially, as there are few windows, most of which are located along the sides of the main lobby. Large areas on the upper floors are open to the ground floor lobby, emphasizing the large chandeliers and fluid interior spaces on northeast side of the building. Galleries and other rooms surround these open areas, occupying the space created by the huge cantilevered block. Whenever possible, the walls surrounding these rooms are used as additional venues for displaying art works.
Much of the criticism of the building’s architecture is directed towards its vehicular ramp. Since there are usually no valet services or parking areas directly accessible from the lobby entrance, the ramp’s use is ideal only for audience members who are chauffeur-driven; at the expense of pedestrians, who may enter through the side entrance or a narrow (and potentially hazardous) pathway on the ramp. In defense of the design, Andy Locsin (a partner of his father's firm) explained that the decision of raising the whole structure on the podium (and consequently, the addition of the ramp) was in response to the high sea levels on the reclaimed land, and was not intended to promote an elitist view of art and culture.
Venues
The Tanghalang Nicanor AbelardoNicanor Abelardo
Nicanor Sta. Ana Abelardo was a Filipino composer who composed over a hundred of Kundiman songs, especially before the Second World War.-Life:...
or the Main Theater is the largest performance venue inside the Tanghalang Pambansa. It can accommodate up to 1,853 people in four levels: Orchestra, Boxes and two Balconies. The stage is 25 m (82 feet) from the main curtain line to the back wall and 38.8 m (128 feet) from the left wall to the right wall. The proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
opening has a height of 9 meters (25 feet) and width of 18 m (58 feet). An orchestra pit
Orchestra pit
An orchestra pit is the area in a theater in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music or in cases when incidental music is required...
measuring 5.6 m (18 ft (5 m). 6 in.) in depth contains two elevators that can accommodate up to 62 musicians. The stage floor, unwaxed and painted black, is made from a species of Philippine Mahogany
Philippine mahogany
Philippine mahogany is a common name for several different species of trees and their wood.*Botanically, the name refers to the species Toona calantas in the mahogany family Meliaceae....
. The main stage curtain is patterned after the painting Genesis, a work of National Artist Hernando Ocampo
Hernando R. Ocampo
Hernando R. Ocampo is a Filipino National Artist in the visual arts. He is also fictionist, a playwright and editor.-Profile of the Artist:Hernando Ruiz Ocampo was a leading radical modernist artist in the Philippines...
. A variable acoustics hall designed by BBN Technologies
BBN Technologies
BBN Technologies is a high-technology company which provides research and development services. BBN is based next to Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA...
, the Main Theater was planned for flexibility. It was built to accommodate sound requirements of various types of presentations, and can typically hold opera and orchestra performances without further amplification.
Inaugurated a few years after the opening of the CCP, the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino, commonly known as the Little Theater is a conventional proscenium stage, designed for drama, chamber music, solo recitals, lectures, and film screenings. It seats 421 people in one orchestra section. From the main curtain line to the back wall, the stage measures 13.6 m (44 feet) and features the same Philippine Mahogany flooring as the larger Main Theater. A covered orchestra pit extends into the apron gives additional performance space, similar to a thrust stage
Thrust stage
In theatre, a thrust stage is one that extends into the audience on three sides and is connected to the backstage area by its up stage end. A thrust has the benefit of greater intimacy between performers and the audience than a proscenium, while retaining the utility of a backstage area...
. The stage curtain is a tapestry made in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, based on a painting of Roberto Chabet
Roberto Chabet
-Career:Chabet studied architecture at the University of Santo Tomas where he graduated in 1961. He had his first solo exhibition at the Luz Gallery in the same year. He was the founding museum director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and served there as curator from 1967–1970...
, visual artist and former director of the CCP Museum. The theater was named after Aurelio Tolentino, a Filipino playwright and dramatist whose works at the turn of the 20th century depict his desire to see Philippine independence from its colonizers.
The Center has a lone black box theater
Black box theater
The black box theater is a relatively recent innovation, consisting of a simple, somewhat unadorned performance space, usually a large square room with black walls and a flat floor.-History:...
named Tanghalang Huseng Batute, after the pseudonym of Filipino poet José Corazón de Jesús
José Corazón de Jesús
José Corazón de Jesús , also known by his pen name Huseng Batute, was a Filipino poet who used Tagalog poetry to express the Filipinos' desire for independence during the American occupation of the Philippines, a period that lasted from 1901 to 1946...
. Depending on the size of the stage or acting area, it can seat up to 240 people in two levels. The 100-seat Tanghalang Manuel Conde
Manuel Conde
Manuel Conde was born on October 15, 1915 in Daet, Camarines Norte . He was an actor, director and producer. As an actor, he also used the screen name Juan Urbano during the 1930s aside from his more popular screen name. His first film was "Mahiwagang Biyolin" in 1935. He made almost three dozen...
, a joint project of the CCP and Dream Broadcasting
Dream Satellite TV
Dream Satellite TV is the first all-digital Direct-To-Home television broadcasting service via satellite in the Philippines.Broadcasting from the Dream Broadcast Center located at the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga...
, is used as a venue for film screenings and lectures; and has the capability to receive and show films directly through satellite.
Exhibit halls
The Tanghalang Pambansa has three exhibit halls and another three hallways that can be used for displaying artwork. The largest exhibition space is the Bulwagang Juan LunaJuan Luna
Juan Luna y Novicio was an Ilocano Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century...
, which serves as the Main Gallery. Located at the third floor, it has a floor area of 440 sq. m. Two smaller galleries are named after Filipino painters Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto is one of the most important artists in the history of painting in the Philippines. Amorsolo was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes. He is popularly known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light...
and Carlos Francisco
Carlos V. Francisco
Carlos V. Francisco , popularly known as Botong, was a muralist from Angono, Rizal.Francisco was a most distinguished practitioner of mural painting for many decades and best known for his historical pieces. He was one of the first Filipino modernists along with Galo Ocampo and Victorio C...
. The latter is usually used for large scale installations and is located at the lobby of the Little Theater. Hallways lining the Main Theater on the upper three storeys are also used for display and measure 2.4m high by 30.2m wide each. These spaces are named after visual artists Victorio Edades
Victorio C. Edades
Victorio C. Edades is a Filipino painter who was the leader of the revolutionary Thirteen Moderns who engaged their classical compatriots in heated debate over the nature and function of art. He was named a National Artist in 1976.-Biography:Victorio Edades was born on December 23, 1895 to Hilario...
, Guillermo Tolentino and Vicente Manansala
Vicente Manansala
Vicente Silva Manansala was a Philippine cubist painter and illustrator.Manansala was born in Macabebe, Pampanga. From 1926 to 1930, he studied at the U.P. School of Fine Arts. In 1949, Manansala received a six-month grant by UNESCO to study at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Banff and Montreal, Canada...
.
Established in 1988 the Museo ng Kalinangang Pilipino, also the CCP Museum, is an integrated humanities museum that studies, collects and preserves Filipino artistic traditions. It has two permanent exhbitions: one on Filipino tradition, art and aesthetics; and the other showcasing the Center's collection of traditional Asian musical instruments. The museum also presents special changing exhibitions, provides curatorial assistance, and organizes workshops on indigenous art forms.
Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex
The CCP Complex is an 88-hectare reclaimed property along Roxas Boulevard, most of which fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Pasay. It is part of the Boulevard 2000 property that spans 1,500 hectares of reclaimed land along Manila Bay. The Cultural Center owns 62 hectares of the land, with the rest being occupied by the Government Service Insurance System, the Bangko Sentral ng PilipinasBangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and commonly abbreviated as BSP is the central bank of the Philippines. It was rechartered on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993...
and the Privatization Management Office. Development of the complex was stalled until 2000, when the Philippine Supreme Court ruled with finality the Center's ownership of some 35 hectares of prime real estate in the complex. A comprehensive master plan for development of the complex was unveiled in 2003.
The plan would divide the CCP complex into six clusters. First, the Promenade, which will tentatively be named after Lucresia Reyes-Urtula, will include retail and other mixed-use facilities, as well as dock facilities.
The second cluster will be the Arts Sanctuary, which will serve as the complex's cultural core. To be anchored by the Tanghalang Pambansa, it will contain a new performing arts theater, the artists' center, a bandstand
Bandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
, the Center's Production Design Center, as well as other open areas. Third, the Green Zone cluster will contain a mix of museums, parks with commercial and office spaces. Fourth, the Creative Hub cluster, containing spaces for creative industries. Fifth, The Arts Living Room, envisioned to be a high-density, high-rise establishment that will house condominiums and a network of plazas and pedestrian ways. The final cluster, the breezeway, will be located by low-rise, low-density commercial structures with seafront entertainment facilities.
The master plan is envisioned to be completed in four phases, from 2004 to 2014; 5 billion pesos
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
will be needed for the plan's first five years, and another 8 billion pesos for the plan's latter half.
On December 8, 2005, the Center announced the winners of its design contest. Three firms won for their concepts, Syndicated Architects, Manalang-Tayag-Ilano Architects, and JPA Buensalido Design. The concepts of each winner will then be presented to prospective investors and stakeholders for final approval.
The Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas, more commonly known by its original name of Folk Arts Theater, this covered proscenium
Proscenium
A proscenium theatre is a theatre space whose primary feature is a large frame or arch , which is located at or near the front of the stage...
amphitheater is where popular concerts are usually staged. It has a seating capacity of 8,458 in ten sections. The theater takes its name form Francisco Baltazar also known as Francisco Balagtas, revered as one of the country's greatest poets. Florante at Laura
Florante at Laura
Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar is considered as one of the masterpieces of Philippine literature. Balagtas wrote the epic during his imprisonment. The work itself is dedicated to María Asuncion Rivera, his sweetheart, whom he nicknamed "M. A...
is one of his best known and most beloved works and his poetry Balagtasismo has shaped generations of Filipino poets. The popular debate in verse, balagtasan is also named after him.
The building was originally built to seat an audience of 10,000 and was commissioned by then First Lady
First Lady of the Philippines
The First Lady/ Gentleman of the Philippines is the unofficial title of the hostess/host of the Malacañang Palace, the nation's residence of its head of state...
Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
in 1974 for the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
Pageant, which was to be held in Manila. The theater was built in record time of seventy-seven days in time for the pageant and was designed by Leandro V. Locsin.
Many Concerts both local & foreign were held at the theater, namely the concerts of 1980s supergroup Menudo, British Pop Group 5ive, the 1993 Janet. Tour of Janet Jackson, the Pure Enery Concert of Gary Valenciano & the solo concert of Philippine's Jay-R.
The Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas is also used as a site of different religious groups. The Day by Day Christian Ministries
Day by Day Christian Ministries
Day By Day Christian Ministries is an Evangelical Christian organization headquartered in Makati City, Philippines.DBD was founded on June 6, 1985 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as a small fellowship of OFWs. But the start of the growth of the organization was in 1990s, when they had the organization set...
, a large international religious organization, has leased the area since 2005. They have dedicated the Theatre as Bulwagan ng Panginoon (The Hall of the Lord).
Satellite venues
In response to the need to widen its audience for the arts and to bring its programs closer to the people, the CCP has established a programmatic partnership with the Assumption University in Antipolo and De La Salle Santiago-Zobel School (DLSZ) in Alabang, MuntinlupaMuntinlupa City
The City of Muntinlupa is the southernmost city in Philippine National Capital Region. It is bordered on the north by Taguig City; to the northwest by Parañaque City; by Las Piñas City to the west; to the southwest by the city of Bacoor, Cavite; by the city of San Pedro, Laguna; and by Laguna de...
. As CCP’s Satellite Venues in the East and in the South, these institutions commit to benefit from the exchange of goodwill and assistance through move-over productions, performances and artistic training workshops. Eventually, the center hopes to establish another satellite venue in the Northern part of Metro Manila.
The Angelo King Center for the Performing Arts
Angelo King
Angelo King was a professional American football player who played linebacker for seven seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions.-References:...
Center for the Performing Arts in 2000 with the aim of supporting the holistic development of its students. The Center pushed the development of theatrical and musical talents on campus. Activities, which have been organized at the Center, have been facilitated by highly acclaimed one located in this part of Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
.
The Assumpta Theater, Assumption Antipolo
The Assumpta Theater was constructed in 1999 and inaugurated in 2001 and is located on the campus of Assumption Antipolo. It is envisioned to be a major cultural seat in the eastern part of Metro ManilaMetro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
and to serve as a venue for cultural education and development not only of its students, faculty and parents but also for members of the outside communities and schools neighboring municipalities of the Rizal Province.
The Assumpta Theater is home to modern light and sound equipment, 17 manual fly battens, a manual curtain system, a spacious stage area, an orchestra pit, fully air-conditioned dressing rooms, a docking area, stage wings, three-level seating arrangements, a lobby, and comfort rooms. The house area can accommodate 2,001 guests.
See also
- Culture of the PhilippinesCulture of the PhilippinesPhilippine culture is related to Micronesian, Bornean, Mexican and Spanish cultures. The people today are mostly of Malayo-Polynesian origin, although there are people with Spanish, Mexican, Austro-Melanesian and Chinese blood. Geographically, the Philippines is considered part of Southeast Asia...
- National Commission for Culture and the ArtsNational Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines)The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines is the official arts council for the Philippines.-History:In 1987, then President Corazon C. Aquino penned Executive Order No. 118 creating the Presidential Commission on Culture and Arts...