THE VOCAL event of the month is the Philippine debut of Filipino tenor Arthur Espiritu at Philamlife Theater on Aug. 14, 8 p.m.

Espiritu, a native of Morong, Rizal, became the only Filipino tenor to sing at La Scala di Milan when he performed Ferrando in Mozart?s ?Cosi Fan Tutte? in 2007.

(But the first Filipino singer to make it to La Scala was really bass baritone José Mossesgeld-Santiago Font, a cousin of Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil; he was Sparafucile in ?Mefistofele? in the 1932-1933 season of La Scala.)

The tenor got to La Scala when he joined the Belvedere Voice Competition in Vienna and got the Scala award.

For his Manila debut, Espiritu will share the limelight with soprano Rachelle Gerodias and pianist Najib Ismail. The concert will highlight the art of beautiful singing (bel canto).

Espiritu has just wrapped up an engagement in Stadt Theatre St. Gallen in Switzerland, where he sang Donizetti?s ?Il Diluvio Universal? and a ?Messa di Requiem.?

Rare interpreter

?The venue is an open-air theater and in a big cathedral where the acoustics are always a challenge,? Espiritu said. ?It takes a while for the sound to travel so you have to wait a little bit longer in between phrases. It was the first time I?ve ever sung opera in an open-air venue. I did remember singing my premiere performance, and towards the end of the opera, it started raining. We did not stop! It was very fitting because the opera was about the story of Noah?s Ark?my character Cadmo [King of the Satraps] gets drowned by the deluge. So it was quite fitting that it rained at the end. The audience had their umbrellas and stayed the whole time for about 10-15 minutes. It rained even harder after the opera ended.?

For his debut, Espiritu will be heard as a rare interpreter of Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti?a rare and a most welcome departure from the Puccini and Verdi favorites of music-lovers obsessed with nothing but high notes.

But are Rossini and Mozart arias just as tough as Verdi and Puccini?

?Rossini, Donizetti and Mozart or even the earlier music of Bach and Handel are, in fact, just as tough as those of Puccini?s and Verdi?s,? Espiritu explained. ?It requires a different voice, of course, but it also requires good command of the coloratura passages, a good technique to sing right at the passaggi area of your voice. This is when your voice begins to shift from chest to head. It is quite hard especially when you sing Mozart. It requires musicality, sensitivity and a good sense of the language to communicate the little fine simple details that Mozart expects in his compositions. With Puccini and Verdi, you as a singer are given a road map with chords and harmonic structures to guide you musically. In bel canto, you are the instrument to follow, you have to shape the phrase, and you must give the conductor a clear indication of your phrases. If not, you?ll end up having some problems.?

Pleased with Gerodias, Ismail

Espiritu said he was pleased no end with Gerodias. ?She is a true artist and someone to look up to as a singer. The level of artistry and singing on her end is top-notch! I look forward to singing with her more. If it wasn?t for her, I will not be debuting here in Manila.?

The tenor said he also found pianist Ismail an amazing musician. ?Mr Ismail is one of a kind, and I don?t really have to worry about anything. He supports me anywhere I go in the music, which is very rare to find in a pianist. I?m really, really lucky to be performing with them. I am honored to be on stage with the both of them.?

Espiritu finished Bachelor of Arts and Master of Music degrees at the University of New Orleans. He has an Artist Diploma in Music from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.

Before he discovered opera, he said he was a fan of Gary Valenciano. As a kid, he said he used to mimic Rico Puno.

He said he was a big American football fan . He added he liked to drive a lot, get lost on purpose and find his way back. (He nearly joined the US Air Force.) ?I?m recently enjoying driving around Manila. Lots of places to see and discover. And I love traveling!?

After Manila, the tenor will be singing Elvino in Bellini?s ?La Sonnambula? in Switzerland. He will sing Beethoven?s 9th Symphony in Finland, then do Rossini?s Messa di Gloria in Hong Kong.

The Aug. 14 Manila debut of tenor Arthur Espiritu is presented by the Klassikal Music Foundation and ROS Music Center. For tickets, call 0906-5104270 or 3573811.