Star Powerhouse

  The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now accepting applications for Batch 13 of the CCP Kabataang Gitarista (KG) Program, a project spearheaded by the Artist Training Division under the CCP Arts Education Department. The CCP KG Program provides classical guitar training and performing opportunities for aspiring guitarists while developing an increased appreciation for classical guitar. Interested applicants must be a bona fide Grade 7, 8, or 9 student in a public high school within the National Capital Region, with good moral character and an average or higher scholastic standing. Applicants may apply by downloading and filling out the Application Form (downloadable through https://linktr.ee/CCPKGProgramAuditions2025 ) and submitting the duly accomplished form via email to artist.training@culturalcenter.gov.ph on or before September 5, 2025 (Friday), 12:00 NN.  Auditions will be held on September 6, 2025 (Saturday), 7 AM, at the Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP...

  The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO), the premier orchestra of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), successfully championed the brilliance of Filipino talent to international audiences on its recent concert tour to the United Kingdom (UK). “It was a hectic schedule for the PPO with nine concerts in 11 days, but the orchestra was up to the challenge. They were inspired, and their performances showed it,” said CCP President Kaye C. Tinga. The PPO delivered exceptional performances night after night, feeding its audiences with heartfelt symphonies. Music critic Garry Fraser from the Perth Festival of the Arts described the tour as an exhibition of “skill and stamina,” exceptionally guided by its music director and principal conductor, Maestro Grzegorz Nowak. Fraser continued: “They are as good as any you’ll hear and excellent in every single department, as fresh and engaging in the last bar of the Beethoven as they were in the first bar of the Bizet. The PPO and [its...

  The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) presents Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s brilliant arias in “Le Nozze di Figaro” as the sixth installment of CCP’s The Met: LIVE in HD - Season 10 this July 1, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., at Glorietta 4, Cinema 1 in Makati City. Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) centers on servants Figaro and Susanna, who are about to marry. The Count and Countess, each with personal reasons, hope to stop the wedding. While trouble lurks in the shadows, Figaro and Susanna juggle shocking truths with their immense love for each other. Chasing greater fame and financial security, Mozart based Le Nozze di Figaro on Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, which Beaumarchais’s Le Barbier de Séville had influenced. He worked with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte to finish the opera. The then-emperor had refused permission to stage Beaumarchais’s iteration because of its German translation. As a precaution, Da Ponte omitted political content from Mozart’s w...

Queer representation has always had a home in Filipino theater. Over the years, it evolved from subtle innuendos and comic relief to a more nuanced, empowering portrayal that challenges societal norms and celebrates diverse identities. These plays assert the importance of inclusive human narratives and provide an opportunity for self-discovery – both for LGBTQIA+ individuals and audiences. Today, a growing number of playwrights, directors, and theater companies in the Philippines have embraced the responsibility of telling queer stories with authenticity and depth. For years, the Virgin Labfest puts the spotlight on queer characters, particularly their struggles, joys, and triumphs. Their stories are brought to full bloom in the 20th edition of the country’s theater festival of untried, untested, and unstaged plays. Mga Magindara sa Siyudad In the play written by CJ Junio, two friends Maureen and Maylene are known as the magindara (mermaids) of the local carnival. Together with their ...

  The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) proudly joins the global celebration of Pride Month with a stunning façade lighting display that honors the rich diversity, individuality, and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community. Starting June 25, the iconic façade of the CCP Main Building will be transformed into a living canvas of light, bathed in a vibrant spectrum of rainbow colors and complemented by GOBO projections with a dynamic interplay of patterns resembling intricate human fingerprints. Designed by CCP Production Design and Technical Services Division, the concept draws from the idea that every fingerprint is unique to every individual, mirroring the individuality and distinct journeys of the members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Just as no two fingerprints are alike, the stories and experiences of those who continue to push for equality and acceptance are equally distinct. The centerpiece of the Pride Month celebration, the façade lighting reflects the CCP’s longstanding co...

  The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), through the Cultural Exchange Department (CED), brings the 2025 Kaisa sa Sining (KSS) Apprenticeship Program to Bacolod City from July 15 to 24, 2025. Now in its seventh edition, the University of St. La Salle (USLS) will be the official venue of the program, specifically at the Gallaga Theater and the Coliseum. This year’s apprenticeship program welcomes 24 participants from 18 KSS organizations nationwide (eight from Luzon, eight from Visayas, and eight from Mindanao).   The hands-on training modules are designed to enhance the competence level and skills of regional cultural workers in technical theater (sound and lights), stage management, and production-tour management. The program will feature mentorship sessions focused on specific areas of arts and theater, accompanied by lectures, interactive sessions, demonstrations, case studies, and practical applications. The roster of trainers, facilitators, and resource speake...

After intensive deliberation, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) proudly announces the eight (8) aspiring playwrights selected for the Virgin Labfest XX Writing Fellowship Program (VLF XX WFP), which will be held both online and onsite at the CCP Complex from June 17 to 29, 2025. This year’s Writing Fellows are: Ace Abu Aldrine Anzures Princess Joy Buenafe Mark Joseph Briones Laurence Miguel De Vera Maleah Rae Frange Bradley Jason Pantajo Qashrina Musa The VLF XX WFP is an intensive two-week mentorship initiative on the study and practice of dramatic writing for the stage. Under the guidance of multi-awarded playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas, the program offers a platform for selected writing fellows to engage in lectures, workshops, and discussions on playwriting and script critiquing.  Fellows will also be granted access to this year’s festival plays and take part in talkbacks and interactions with known playwrights and directors. The Virgin Labfest Writing Fellowship Progra...