Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber

SYDNEY, Australia – The always enthralling and timeless music of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber brought us to Australia recently upon the invitation of James Cundall, chief executive of Lunchbox Theatrical Production Limited, which is bringing to Manila the musical presentation simply billed as “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.”

To be staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) starting on June 24, the concert is a celebration of the music of the “maestro of musicales” who is one of the biggest forces to reckon with in the world of theater music. Philippine Air Lines flew us there – business class! (By the way, the direct air link between the Philippines and Australia was pioneered and developed by PAL. Now on its 46th year, it has cultivated a vibrant exchange of trade, culture and arts, technology, students and recently human resource.)

Cundall, along with Manila production partner Bambi Verzo of Concertus, revealed they also intend to bring to Manila in the near future other exciting musicales among them “Stomp,” “Mama Mia,” “Jersey Boys” and “Phantom of the Opera,” though not necessarily in that order.

With “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber,” certainly a stunning production with its state-of-the-art technology and great images and footages to go with the songs, audiences will definitely fall in love again (as we did!) with the master’s music from 14 of the world’s best-loved musicals. These stage masterpieces have been seen by hundreds of millions all over the world, translated into dozens of languages and won every major entertainment award.

“The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber” is directed by Stuart Maunder who said, “the emotional force of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s songs is undisputed. We want to celebrate the extraordinary variety of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s output and the emotional force of his songs by presenting an intimate affair with all the emotion, all the tunes whilst taking you on a musical journey – one that is stylist, inventive, and surprising and also offers some rare insights into the mind of this genius creator…”

Knighted in 1992 and made an honorary life peer in 1997, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who has been referred to by the UK Daily Mail as “one of the most prolific-ever composers of musicals,” has composed 16 musicals, several film scores, a Latin Requiem Mass, and continues to compose every day. His musical “Cats” was the longest-running musical on Broadway, only to be overtaken by another of his hits “The Phantom of the Opera.”

His awards include seven Tony’s, three Grammys including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for “Requiem,” seven Oliver’s, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, two international Emmys, etc.

The most loved music from “Evita,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” “Sunset Boulevard,” among others, are performed by a multi-talented cast composed of Blake Bowden, Alinta Chidzey, Andrew Conaghan, Michael Cormick, Trisha Crowe, Delia Hannah, Kirsten Hobbs and Shaun Rennie.

The cast expressed excitement to be in Manila, looking forward to see the sights and to sample the food. Most of them have Filipino friends in Australia who had regaled them with the allure of Filipino cuisine. Kirsten, Blake, and Alinta are all agog to taste native delicacies as well as to imbibe local scene.

All of the cast have extensive training in theater and a vast experience performing in musicals in Australia and other countries, including the US, Taiwan, and Korea.

“The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber” is presented in Manila by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, David Atkins Enterprises, All Youth Channels and Concertus in association with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Really Useful Company of Asia Pacific.

Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and David Atkins Enterprises have been responsible for outstanding productions over the years including “Miss Saigon,” “Singin’ in The Rain,” “The Phantom of the Opera” (Singapore 2007 season), etc.

“The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber” will be at the CCP’s Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo until July 3. Tickets priced at P700 to P6,000 are available at all Ticketnet outlets, selected National Bookstore branches, Robinsons Department Store (Galleria, Malate, Metro East, Festival Mall and Starmall Pampanga), and Ayala Center (Greenbelt 1, Glorietta 5, and Trinoma Mall cinema booths) and Ticketworld Office at 6793 Ayala Ave., Makati City. A Family Package is available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday shows only. Senior citizens and students get discounts too.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, June 5, go to former Ilocos Sur Gov. Carmeling Crisologo, Dr. Nelly Ledesma, Dr. Margarita Holmes, Rikki Jimenez, PR girl Rikka Dy Lim, Maria Paz Mendoza-Santiago, Bingboy Valera, Florida-based former rock artist JL Concepcion, Aaron Tabios, Tita Gutang, Charina Tupaz, Richard Gonzalez, Judy Kwan of Metrobank, Dr. Leilani Mercado-Asia of UST Hospital and Infant Jesus Hospital, and award-winning actor Baron Geisler of Star Magic… Happy wedding anniversary to Rudy and Lorie Lizardo of New Jersey, USA…