Twenty–six years ago, the Friends of the Cultural Center of the Philippines was established which later metamorphosed into the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines which gave it a broader base for its benefits.
Through the years, the FCCP supported cultural institutions such as the PREDIS (Philippine Research for Developing Instrumental Soloists) which set many a young artist on a musical career. It supported other scholars in the performing arts.
In order to afford its good works, the FCCP would hold a grand benefit ball to raise funds.
This year, FCCP president Mellie Ablaza and her FCCP members decided to hold a "Carnevale di Venezia" at the NBC Tent.
It was indeed a grandiose affair with jugglers, mimes, magicians, a man on stilts and other circus performers to entertain the guests.
Dinner music was provided by the Manila Symphony Orchestra with opera singers like the beautiful soprano Lena Austria Mckenzie and well–known tenor Frankie Aseniero. Then, there was the Brazilian Embassy’s singing envoy Señor Carlos de Carvalho who sang Italian arias accompanied by FCCP past president Nori Ongsiako on the accordion.
Mellie’s son, well–known interior decorator Junjun Ablaza decked the NBC Tent with huge crystal balls, giant harlequins, masks, gondolas to recreate Piazza San Marco of Venice.
But no doubt, the grander spectacle were the FCCP members and their guests, dressed to the nines in costumery, plummed and glittering, bearing ornate carnival masks. If you forgot to bring one, you could buy one at the entrance, which added to the FCCP kitty.
And the cause was the National Museum, strapped always as it is for cash, which needs to renovate a wing. So the highlight of the evening was a ceremonial turn–over of the proceeds of the ball amountng to the magnificent amount of three million pesos.
The symbolic check was turned over by FCCP president Mellie Ablaza, the Annual Ball chairpersons Nene Leonor and Helen Ong, to Dionisio Pangilinan on behalf of the National Museum.
For most folks, it would seem glitzy madness. The stylized Venetian dance choreographed by Bujing Danao (who stayed hidden behind a big mask) along with the Sayaw Foundation ballet scholars was elegant.
There was an excess of Marie Antoinettes and Cleopatras. One Cleopatra kept complaining that her costume weighed a ton because the designer had used "metal" painted in gold… dear, dear. We know Boysie Villavicencio made at least 15 costumes and goodness knows, how many masks.
Johnny Litton, who emceed, strutted about as a Russian prince.
Even the diplomatic community was there, decked out in costumes for the carnevale.
We imagine that if everybody simply donated half of what they spent on their costumes (although a few, mind you, were rented though you couldn’t tell the difference), the FCCP might have raised an extra one million bucks!
There was, though, a silent auction handled by Mari Lacson and ChaCha Camacho, though we don’t know what they are auctioning off.
Dinner catered by Mandarin Oriental was supplemented with Twinnings tea and fresh croissants as well as excellent coffee by Delifrance.
The list of donors and sponsors is too long. We hope they were generous!
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BY THE WAY…. Birthday greetings this week go to — the lovely Lovely Romulo, concert queen Pops Fernandez, my heart doctor Dr. Benjie Alimurung, Bobby Joseph of NAITAS, former hotelier Roger Begre, Winnie Noriega of Ayala, Fe Ng, today, Dec. 12; Mario Katigbak of Bulgari, Robert Yupangco, Senator Manny Villar, Dr. Sonny Ong, Robert Castaneda, designer Efren Ocampo, publicist Charlie Agatep, Dec. 13; balladeer/ actor Leo Valdez, longest playing Engineer of "Miss Saigon", Dec. 14; Rose Castro, Dec. 15; actress Gloria Romero, Kerima Polotan Tuvera, travel exec Sharon Laurente of Cebu, Dec. 16; QC councillor Aiko Melendrez, Dec. 17; ex–senator Nikki Coseteng, Atty. Espiridion Laxa, Anita R. Carpo, Frank Evaristo, Dec. 18… condolences to Vera Isberto on the death of her brother Noel Enriquez last Thursday, Dec. 8…. Counting the days till Christmas, do we have time to prepare our hearts as well? SMILE!
