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Review: Celeste Legaspi enchants in artsy comeback concert

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Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/tvpatrol/08/10/celeste-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Celeste Legaspi returns to the concert scene. Gian Carlo Vizcarra, Star Cinema</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA – Coming on the heels of the successful shows of OPM icon Basil Valdez at The Theater at Solaire, the self-titled comeback concert of his contemporary Celeste Legaspi may seem like another nostalgia trip back to the ‘70s.Legaspi, after all, hasn’t had a major solo concert in 30 years. Her last one “Celeste Tunog PPO” was held back in 1987 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. It’s not that Legaspi, now 67, has completely dropped out of the limelight. She has appeared in several movies and has done plays (her most recent one, “Si Dr. Dolly Dalisay at ang mga Ladybugs,” drew raves at the recently concluded Virgin Labfest).But while OPM fans definitely missed hearing Legaspi sing, nostalgia wasn’t the main consideration why she finally agreed to return to the concert stage. The show, which was held last August 5, was her personal contribution to the centennial celebration of her father, National Artist for Visual Arts Cesar Legaspi.Mixing music with other art forms isn’t new to Legaspi, who had featured painting, photography, cinema and even comics illustrations in her previous shows like “Celeste Sine Sine” and “Komiks Konsyerto” in the ‘80s. Indeed, more than just the music, “Celeste” was a reminder of the concept concerts that were regularly staged then. Through strategically placed LED screens, the audience was treated to a personal annotation of the National Artist’s works as Legaspi regaled the crowd with stories about growing up in a household that encourages and nurtures creativity and love for the arts. No wonder Legaspi has always been known for her artistry, as exemplified by her career choices and decisions that include producing original Filipino musicals, including the upcoming movie adaptation of “Ang Larawan,” based on Nick Joaquin’s “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” with music by Ryan Cayabyab, who accompanied Legaspi on the grand piano for this concert.<div>BEAUTIFUL FILIPINO LANGUAGE</div>After making her simple entrance – seated on a sofa, recreating the concert’s main publicity photo – she launched into a lengthy spiel about her father’s centennial before singing her opening number, “Gaano Kita Kamahal” followed by her greatest song ever “Tuliro,” composed for her by her husband Nonoy Gallardo.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/tvpatrol/08/10/celeste-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Celeste Legaspi wears a dress inspired by one of her father&#x27;s paintings. Gian Carlo Vizcarra, Star Cinema</figcaption></figure></div>But “Celeste” isn’t just about Cesar Legaspi’s paintings. In one of her spiels, the singer paid tribute to another National Artist, poet and writer Rolando Tinio, for showing just how beautiful the Filipino language can be.While Legaspi’s discography isn’t as extensive as some of her contemporaries like Valdez, her songs boast some of the most beautiful lyrics ever written, which she delivered in an unmistakable style, caressing those notes with so much love and emotion,Legaspi and Tinio collaborated on an entire album that featured Filipino translations of Western hits and listening to their versions of Esther Satterfield’s “Love is Stronger Far Than We” and Minnie Ripperton’s “Loving You” was such a treat since one rarely hears such poetic language in pop music today.Even more dramatic was the translation of Burt Bacharach’s “One Less Bell to Answer/A House is Not a Home,” which Legaspi performed in perfect harmony with the jazz trio Baihana. (Baihana member Krina Cayabyab was also responsible for the new jazz arrangement of Legaspi’s big hit “Saranggola ni Pepe.”)<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/tvpatrol/08/10/celeste-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Celesta Legaspi with special guests The Company, Carlo Orosa, Baihana and Margarita Roco. Gian Carlo Vizcarra, Star Cinema</figcaption></figure></div>In an earlier interview, Legaspi mentioned that she was concerned about the stamina needed to do a concert. But as the show progressed, her vocals actually gained more strength and confidence. She did a duet with opera singer Margarita Roco on the traditional song “Ang Pipit” and sang the anthemic “Minsan ang Minahal ay Ako” from the musical “Katy” like it was 1988.By the time she paid tribute to composer Willy Cruz, her co-member in the Ambivalent Crowd, Legaspi was unstoppable. Joined by the vocal group The Company, they swept the audience with choice compositions – all movie themes, by the way – climaxing with the one-two punch of “Pangarap na Bituin” and “Bituing Walang Ningning.”Visibly tired yet obviously ecstatic, Legaspi took in an audience request to do “La Vie en Rose” – she actually forgot to sing it earlier – which she performed in Filipino (again translated by Tinio), English and in the original French, and this turned out to be one of the most applauded numbers of the night.Legaspi debuted a new song composed by her husband, the rather sad “Nagpapaalam na ang Araw,” then segued into her version of “Never Ever Say Goodbye,” and was rewarded with a rapturous standing ovation.&quot;Celeste&quot; was definitely more than just a trip down memory lane but a beautiful reminder of just how wonderful and powerful music can be.

Nostalgia wasn’t the main consideration why she finally agreed to return to the concert stage.

Nostalgia wasn’t the main consideration why she finally agreed to return to the concert stage.

Review: Celeste Legaspi enchants in artsy comeback concert

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Review: Celeste Legaspi enchants in artsy comeback concert

Vladimir Bunoan,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 11, 2017 01:48 AM PHT

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Celeste Legaspi

concert review

Solaire

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