If our very own Claire dela Fuente is ecstatic and super excited these days, it’s because she did a duet with fellow world-class artist Michael Bolton for her latest album, “The Claire dela Fuente Christmas Album” for Viva Records. The song is the Yuletide classic “The Christmas Song.” This certainly is an important highlight in Claire’s singing career, and her meeting the international singing idol is one of the most unforgettable moments in her life.

“Parang panaginip,” Claire said of her meeting Michael at a most auspicious venue, the plush Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills Los Angeles. Michael was instantly smitten by Claire and vice versa? Was it love at first sight, we kidded her. Claire just giggled like a teenager.

At that meeting, Michael told Claire that he was readily impressed by Claire’s talent when he first listened to her “Something In Your Eyes” CD which was given to him by record producer Christian de Walden.

He declared: “Claire’s voice is so beautiful. She has beautiful tones and beautiful pitch.” Also at that moment, Michael knew that his and Claire’s voice will blend perfectly in a duet. Through the magic of sound technology, the new singing tandem was able to record “The Christmas Song,” although they were thousands of miles apart.

The song is a bonus cut in “The Claire dela Fuente Christmas Album,” while Michael will include it in his own holiday package, to be distributed worldwide.

Michael approved the recording when he first heard it, suggesting just a small change. “It is already fine, so if Claire would like to retain it as is, it’s okay with me.”

After staging one of the most successful comebacks in local music history, Claire is on the brink of international stardom. Her “Something In Your Eyes” CD has been certified platinum, while her newly released “Timeless, Songs Of My Life” (both from Viva Records) is now nearing the precious metal mark.

On that Los Angeles meeting, Michael gave Claire 24 long-stemmed pink roses. She gave her a set of kulintang, which he said could be used in his future concerts.

He added that his first duet with Claire jives with the theme of his forthcoming album, “One World, One Love,” which is on global unity.

Bolton also looked forward to a future project with Claire, maybe another duet early 2010 and a live concert next fall. He wants a popular Pinoy ballad for their next duet, in which he can add English lyrics, so it could be marketed abroad.

Claire is all praise for Michael Bolton’s kindness and generosity. She is very thankful that he agreed to collaborate with her.

As Claire anticipates other big happenings with Bolton, she is now busy preparing for the live concert “Simply Unforgettable,” with our very own pop icon Jose Mari Chan, to be staged at the SM North Edsa Skydome on Nov. 13 and 27.

Still, she is still ecstatic with her meeting with Bolton, spiced up by some romantic moments. At the Pen’s driveway in Beverly Hills, Michael was standing on the driveway, staring at Claire who was across him. Claire could no longer contain her emotion, so she ran to Michael and they hugged each other!

On that informal date, Claire got eight kisses and six tight hugs from Michael Bolton!

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Cybernetic Existentialism

Dr. Carmen Gallo, a New York art collector who is a friend of my cousin Ruby Velasco-Remie, told me that a major fine art retrospective will document half a century of technology in honor of the art movement called Cybernetic Existentialism. It is now available for traveling exhibition and auction, she said.

This art exhibit is curated by Dr. Gallo, who in the past 30 years has promoted cultural events and art exhibitions both in Italy and in the United States. She said that the exhibition aims to demonstrate the presence of technology in art and showcases the work of 77-year-old Italian Artist Ruffo Caselli.

Dr. Gallo added that since the ’50s, the obsession of Ruffo Caselli has been to capture transient phenomena of the world and to describe the parallel evolution of our way of thinking to contemporary scientific and technological discoveries.

Ruffo is known as the “Painter of Integrated Circuits” and as the “Father of Cybernetic Existentialism,” “A modern-day Leonardo Da Vinci.”

“Each and anyone of his paintings is a mystery explained,” she explained. “But let’s not ask him to give us the answer, because he will politely decline. He used to paint, with oil colors, a world populated by microchips, even before the majority of us were aware of their invention.”

A strong temperament is evident in his work, always complex and dense of metaphors and emotional recollections, characterized by an extremely accomplished style with subtle musical values.

Ruffo Caselli was born in Florence but spent the majority of his life in Milano. During the ’50s and ’60s he was a friend of Italian Argentinean artist Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) considered the father of Spatialism.

Ruffo has been quoted as saying “I’ve always believed that there is a power beyond anything tangible and that our mind is an incredible computer and we are the creators of its program. We are all self-programmed.”

For more information, you can see Ruffo Caselli on Facebook, or at the webpage: www.cyberneticexistentialism.com where part of the retrospective is illustrated.

The curator of the exhibition can be contacted at itamnet@aol.com.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Oct. 6 go to Justice Mila German, Queen of Jazz Annie Brazil, Lou Bonnevie, Susan Joven, Elena Chiongbian Young, Ma. Victoria Araneta-Concepcion, Letty M. Talag, Marivic Tengco, Elena Dizer, Rosario Agustin, Jiggy Cruz, Carmen Dy-Liaco, Doña Rosario Sevillano Aclan, Sonia Domingo Sadsad, Cory Gayon, Chef Joey Carbon, and Lilibeth Josue… Happy wedding anniversary to Prof. Manny and Lulu Geslani… You can post your videos and photos on Typhoon Pepeng at www.gmanews.tv/stormwatch or text balitamms to 4627 for Globe and Smart for your MMS, photos and videos.