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'Rama Hari' returns to the stage 4 decades after debut

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Monica Gana as Sita with Ronelson Yadao as Rama in the new restaging of " Rama="" Jojo="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/09/14/gana.jpg"/><figcaption>Monica Gana as Sita with Ronelson Yadao as Rama in the new restaging of &#x27;Rama Hari.&#x27; Jojo Mamangun</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- Forty-four years ago, maestro Ryan Cayabyab, who would later become the National Artist for Music, received a call from poet and dramatist Bienvenido Lumbera, who later became National Artist for Literature.Cayabyab was being tapped then to create the music for “Rama Hari,” a Filipino modern rock opera ballet that is an adaptation of the Sanskrit epic poem, “Ramayana.”&quot;Everything that you hear today, that was the original from ‘Rama Hari’ in 1980. So, we just kind of enhanced it,” Cayabyab told ABS-CBN News. “Rama Hari” tells the adventures of Rama, prince and incarnation of the god Vishnu, who comes down to earth to save the world from the powerful demon Ravana.Rama falls in love with Sita, daughter of the king of Mithila, Janaka and eventually marries her. The evil Ravana attempts to separate the lovers only to find himself defeated and his demonic plans thwarted.“Rama Hari” holds distinction of being the first OPM music and dance theater masterpiece Lumbera wrote the libretto, Cayabyab composed the score, National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes did the distinctive choreography.National Artist for Theater and Literature Rolando Tinio created the English translation, and National Artist for Theater Design Salvador Bernal made the costumes.First staged by Ballet Philippines in 1980, “Rama Hari” was reimagined in 2012 with Karylle Tatlonghari and Christian Bautista playing the leads.“Rama Hari” is “very special,” according to Karylle Tatlonghari, who played Sita in 2012. “We have a lot of videos that we’ve been watching. Seeing my baby self previously, it was kind of fun.“In 2012, we only did a few performances, so bitin na bitin ako... Sita has sunk in deeper through the years, so I really want to play her again. I’m also trying to learn who is Sita in a new level na hindi ko na-arok dati. ‘Yan ang mga binibigkas naming salita sa ‘Rama Hari.’”Tatlonghari recorded her version of “Magbalik Ka Na Mahal,” with her band The Passport Holders and the song is on Spotify.“It’s one of those songs that’s calling you through the years,” she said about the ballad. “It growing on you and I think it’s building something, so the song still has a lot to say and I have to rediscover what that is. So my journey begins.”After the 2017 ASEAN opening summit in Manila, where Arman Ferrer and Lara Maigue performed excerpts from “Rama Hari” at the CCP Main Theater, the young tenor received a message from Cayabyab. “Mr. C told me, ‘You should at least do Rama in your lifetime,’” Ferrer recalled. “I think Rama, kailangan daanan mo siya in your theater career. It’s a milestone in a theater career of a guy. It’s similar to Marius and Valjean in ‘Les Miserables.’“Then, the local actors who portrayed Rama included Basil Valdez, Leo Valdez, Christian Bautista, OJ Mariano and even Bimbo Cerrudo. It’s nice if you can also play Rama, because your teachers and predecessors did that role. To play Rama is really an honor.”Sheila Valderrama-Martinez gets to alternate as Sita in the 2023 version. “I didn’t see that 2012 version, but I auditioned for it,” honestly disclosed Martinez. “Obviously, I wasn’t taken in. But it has always been my dream to be part of ‘Rama Hari.’“When I learned that ‘Rama Hari’ would be restaged and they are going to do it, I said I want to audition.”Thankfully, Martinez got into the musical this time. “I would portray Sita as myself. I think I always have to put a little bit of myself in every role that I do, so it’s personal.”Audie Gemora is perhaps the only cast member in the present staging who saw the original “Rama Hari” in 1980, calling it “an amazing performance I will never forget.”“What we’ll bring to the plate this time around, where musical theater actors are primarily actors who sing for this staging, is to being able to bring life to the characters first and foremost before we even think about the singing,” Gemora said.“Rama Hari” goes onstage September 15 and 16 at the Metropolitan Art Theater and September 22 and 23 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

'Rama Hari' goes onstage September 15 and 16 at the Metropolitan Art Theater and September 22 and 23 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. 