A rousing morning musicale was held in Atty. Antonio Pastor’s ancestral home in Batangas City Thursday, July 23, 2026. It was held in celebration of the 250th year anniversary of the founding of Batangas City, his hometown.
The spacious sala of the Acosta-Pastor 143-years-old Antillan house, referred to as bahay na bato, served as the venue for the chamber performance of violin, cello and singing.
A considerable audience came all the way from Metro Manila to listen to the performing artists, joined by music lovers from Batangas itself and the neighboring towns.
Soprano Bianca Lopez Aguila
Coming from Quezon City, we arrived just in time for the opening number of soprano Bianca Lopez Aguila singing National Artist for Music Lucio San Pedro’s Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, with Lionel Guico on the piano.
Host Atty. Pastor was the program’s emcee, announcing the names of the performers in his brilliant tenor voice.
Tenor Nomer U. Nival
The quiet ambiance of the piece was later a contrast to the soaring voice of tenor Nomer U. Nival who kept the audience in awe, with Jude Areopagita on the piano. Jude provided collaborative assistance to all the performers.
Nomer sang first Nicholas Brodsky’s Be My Love, immortalized by tenor Mario Lanza. He did so with such aplomb to draw the audience’s hearty applause. Next he sang another favorite, Romberg’s Serenade from The Student Prince, which all the more enthralled the audience. He concluded his rendition with Francisco Santiago’s kundiman, Pakiusap, which he sang with tender savvy. The audience burst into a warm applause.
Instrumental music followed with violinist Ralph Waldo Taylan. The audience listened intently as he played John Williams’ theme from Schindler’s List. This was followed by the lyrical yet fiery Romanza Andaluzza by Spanish composer Pablo Sarasate. He concluded his performance with Nicanor Abelardo’s moving and lyrical Cavatina.
Cellist Dr. Renato Lucas
Veteran cellist Renato Lucas kept the audience in awe with Antonio Molina’s Hatinggabi, George Canseco’s Hiram, and Willy Cruz’s Bituing Walang Ningning
More instrumental music followed. Veteran cellist Renato Lucas kept the audience in awe with well-projected and resonant playing. He drew nostalgia as he played National Artist for Music Antonio Molina’s immortal Hatinggabi. His playing was akin to heartfelt singing, moving some of the youngsters to unabashedly sing along with the next two movie themes, George Canseco’s Hiram and Willy Cruz’s Bituing Walang Ningning. His performance met thunderous applause in the end.
Baritone Byong In Park
Next came the husband-and-wife duo of soprano Rachelle Gerodias and baritone Byong In Park. They did not sing a duet, but sang songs alternately. Byong In Park sang Leoncavallo’s Neapolitan song Mattinata, which Rachelle answered with Manuel Velez’s Ako’y Kampupot, its opening, catchy cadenza at once getting the audience’s attention. The song was popularized by the legendary singer Sylvia La Torre, whom Rachelle idolized. (She performed Ibyang Mahal Kita recently at Metropolitan Theater in honor of the great music artist of ’50s and ’60s, Sylvia “Ibyang” La Torre a household word of that era.)
Soprano Rachelle Gerodias
Byong In Park followed with another popular Neapolitan song, De Curtis’ Torna a surriento, which Rachelle answered with the flirty aria Quando m’en vo from Puccini’s La Boheme. Then a request was made by the amiable host Atty. Pastor for Rachelle to sing Abelardo’s immortal kundiman, Mutya ng Pasig. It deserved a vigorous applause from the audience.
Soprano Jennifer Uy
From among the audience, a Canada-based Filipino soprano, Jennifer Uy, daughter of the late tenor Anthony Uy, was requested to sing. She sang warmly a Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway hit, You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel. She was well applauded.
A surprise duet followed when Atty. Pastor and Rachelle sang Minamahal Kita. Atty. Pastor, soon to be 98, can indeed still carry a melody! He studied voice from the then University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music, and received coaching from Arrigo Pola when he visited the conservatory briefly in the 1950s. Pola was the teacher of the legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
After the duet, the entire cast with the host gloriously sang George Canseco’s Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal, all to the enjoyment of the audience. A sumptuous lunch followed, following the traditional practice of celebrating the foundation day of Batangas City.
The artists at the end of the performance
Congratulations and bravi!
