Handel’s “Messiah,” one of the most iconic oratorios in classical music, will be performed virtually Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. on Facebook. It is produced by Independent Philippine Art Ventures Inc., a company that aims to promote local and international talents, especially classical musicians, through various media.

As the concert’s music director, international soprano and vocal coach Evelyn Mandac, writing from her home in the United States, said, “The ‘Messiah’ is traditionally performed, completely or in part, during the Christmas season. It starts with the birth of Christ to his death and resurrection. This has been a very challenging past couple of months for so many people across the globe. Many have lost loved ones, many are separated from their friends and family. It has also been a particularly financially challenging time.”

Asked about the challenges of having talents from different time zones all over the world, she said, “Stefanie Quintin-Avila, our soprano soloist, Jasper Domingo and Paolo Panagsagan, our pianists, are based in the Philippines. Nox Chea, our alto soloist, and Ramon Gabriel Tenefrancia, our tenor, are based in New York, and Austin Allen, our bass soloist, is in Oregon. You can imagine how difficult it was to coordinate and synchronize everyone’s schedules.”

On the difference between a live rehearsal and one done on Zoom, Mandac, known for her voice’s beauty and her dramatic prowess on stage, said, “One aspect of the rehearsal process that we take for granted is the fact that when people are in the same room, there is no delay in the sound. Over Zoom, there is a slight delay between when you say or sing and when everyone else hears it. We overcame this particular roadblock with a lot of prerecording.”

Performer to mentor

She has enjoyed her transition from full-time performer to mentor, explaining, “It’s a different kind of exhilaration to help a singer unlock their potential and see them grow as performers, musicians, and in the case of many of my longtime students, as people.”

She continued, “I never stopped being a student. I believe that musical education does not end at the conservatory. Our voice and what it is capable of changes throughout our lifetime. You get a foundation while you are in the conservatory, but as you develop as a singer and as a musician, you continue to refine what you know and learn things you did not previously know. In the case of an opera singer, early on in your career, your repertoire will consist of lighter, more lyric roles. You grow into more mature roles in your 30s and grow even more in your 40s. During those periods of rapid growth, you need a coach to help you navigate the development and changes in your voice.”

She said she “grew into different roles throughout my career, my portrayals changed as I changed as a person. With maturity came different perspectives and interpretations of different roles.”

For this production, she was approached by her student Tenefrancia and Avila. Throughout the quarantine, both had been dabbling in recording and video production. They pitched the idea to Mandac and managed all of the logistics from casting, recording, marketing, to coordinating rehearsals over Zoom.

The older soprano said, “As we got into the project, it became clear how the technology available to us today can make this project a reality without sacrificing quality and artistic integrity.”

Lightening the load

She praised Avila for “having a beautiful voice. She handles the coloratura with such ease and clarity. Nox possesses such a rich beautiful and warm tone that is always a treat to hear. Ramon not only possesses a commanding lyric tenor that I have had the opportunity to watch develop, but also uses it to dramatic and emotional heights throughout the work.”

Avila said their aim is “to uplift people’s spirits through the beautiful music of Handel and through the message that it conveys: hope in the midst of tribulations.”

Involved are two choirs from Laguna that devoted much of their time in recording the pieces: Koro San Miguel (conducted by Miguel Javier) and Himig Sanghaya (under Mary Katherine Trangco). Noemi Binag volunteered to help edit the audio recordings of the choral parts. Tenefrancia and Avila will work on it on the video editing.

She said, “The space which we occupy as musicians has changed because of the pandemic, limiting our capabilities to create music as an ensemble. We decided to find ways to keep on making music despite this situation. The only way to do this is through a prerecorded performance in which we can assure the quality of the music.”

Tenefrancia said “The ‘Messiah’ is our way of bringing everything we’ve learned in the past couple of months and using it to lighten the load for people in need through this fundraiser.”

The production will benefit the feeding program of Project Joyride, conceived by harpist Jo-Ann Cerdenia and her businessman husband Gideon. Tenefrancia said, “At the onset of the pandemic, they happened to see many people on the streets begging for food, people who lost their livelihoods, people who were left with no other option. Because of this unfortunate sight they thought of giving food to people who are most in need.” —CONTRIBUTED

The performance will be streamed through the Facebook page of Independent Philippine Art Ventures Inc., Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Manila time.