52. 9 KAPAMPANGAN ZARZUELAS

Zarzuelas were Spanish musical play productions that were introduced in the Philippines in 1879. Three years later, the performing troupe of Sr. Alejandro Cubero staged a zarzuela in San Fernando that inspired Kapampangan playwrights, poets, dramatists and musicians to create local zarzuelas.  It is said that zarzuelas spurred the golden age of Pampango literature, that saw the rise to prominence of great writers like Soto, Galura and Pabalan Byron.

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ING MANAGPE (1900, Mariano Proceso Pabalan Byron)

The very first zarzuela in Kapampangan was written by the Bacolor playwright, Mariano Proceso Pabalan Byron (2 Jul. 1862/d.1 Jan. 1904). Entitled “Ing Managpe” (The Patcher), it premiered at the famed Teatro Sabina in September 1900. The one-act comedy revolved around the marital spats of Don Diego and her jealous wife Dña. Juana, that were always “patched” by their maid Sianang. The other “patcher” refers to Sianang’s boyfriend, Pablo, who pretended to be a spotted dog. Amado Gutierrez David provided the music for this popular zarzuela that struck a chord with the audience for its very Filipino theme of domestic quarrels. “Ing Managpe” also earned for Pampanga the distinction of being the first province to have a zarzuela in the vernacular. In fact, it is much older than Severino Reyes’ “Walang Sugat”. “Ing Managpe” was last staged at Holy Angel University, Angeles City in 2006.

ALANG DIOS (1901, Juan Crisostomo Soto)

Juan Crisostomo C. Soto’s (b. 27 Jan. 1867/d. 12 Jul. 1918) “Alang Dios” (There is No God) is a 3-act zarzuela grande that was first staged at the Teatro Sabina in Bacolor on 16 Nov. 1902, a year after it was written by Pampanga’s best known literary great. It is a tragic love story that involves Enrique, an impoverished painter,  and Maria Luz, daughter of a wealthy Don Andres. Enrique, falsely accused of stealing a diamond crucifix belonging to the Don, is jailed. Upon release, he learns of Maria Luz’s impending wedding to Ramon. Meanwhile, Clara, a maid of Maria Luz, confesses to have faked the theft that led to Enrique’s incarceration; this was too late to stop the wedding. To prevent a duel between Enrique and Ramon, Don Monico intervenes and reveals that Enrique and Ramon are really half-brothers, and that Clara and Maria Luz are half-sisters. Finally reconciled, the brothers come home to find Maria Luz dead, leading them to exclaim, “there is no God!”.  The music was composed by Pablo Palma. Soto’s masterpiece was staged at Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1975. On the writer’s 150^th birth anniversary, “Alang Dios” was once again staged in Angeles City on February 2017, featuring many Soto descendants as performers.

ING POETA (Aurelio Tolentino)

The prolific and controversial writer from Guagua, Aurelio Tolentino (b. 15 Oct. 1868/d. 3 Jul 1915) wrote proficiently in 3 languages: Spanish, Tagalog and Kapampangan. Of his 69 known literary works, 21 are in Kapampangan—and his zarzuela “Ing Poeta” is one of them, a comedy of errors revolving around the exploits of poet Augusto and how he won the hand of Maria, after successfully staging a merry mix-up of a play in response to Maria’s father’s (Don Pedro) challenge to put up an entertainment, in time for the fiesta. The clever Augusto hatched a plan in which Don Pedro, Don Cumeris, his wife Calara, plus the town people became the actors themselves, of the real-life zarzuela--without their knowledge.

ING MORA (Felix Napao Galura)

Felix Galura Napao (b. 21 Feb.1866/d. 21 Jul. 1919) was a brilliant grammarian, poet, translator, editor, journalist, patriot and town leader of Bacolor. Because he believed that Spanish literary forms with nonsensical, fantastic scenes were the main cause of the backwardness of Filipinos, Galura began translating Spanish works into the vernacular. With Juan Crisostomo Sotto, he wrote the zarzuela “Ing Singsing A Bacal” (The Ring of Steel) which was based on a Spanish play. His only surviving zarzuela today is “Ing Mora” (The Moslem Woman). An undated typescript of the one-act zarzuela in verse is kept at the University of the Philippines library.

EMU CU TATAGQUILAN ( ca. 1915-18, Juan Elias de Guzman)

Juan Elias de Guzman, a Mabalacat resident, is the first known writer in Spanish and Pampango. He took Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and transformed it into a Kapampangan zarzuela entitled “Emu Cu Tatagquilan” (Don’t Touch Me). The lead performers were Gerardo Castro as Crisostomo Ibarra, Amalia Malig as Maria Clara and Mariano de la Cruz as Pilosofo Tacio. Francisco Siopongco (Alcalde), Emilio Dominguez (Padre Salvi), A. de la Cruz (Elias).There were no theaters to speak of; instead, plays were staged on platforms constructed near the San Felipe Bridge.  The play was directed by J. L. Mendoza. When de Guzman died, it was said that Rizal's portrait fell from the wall at the precise moment of his death 1. He was the first to be interred in the Municipal Cemetery of Mabalacat, constructed in 1907.

LA INDEPENDENCIA (Jose Gutierrez David)

 The acclaimed Supreme Court justice from Bacolor, Jose Gutierrez David (b.19 Jan. 1891/d. 27 Mar. 1977) was, on the side, an accomplished Kapampangan writer, poet, dramaturgist, playwright and zarzuela actor. In conjunction with his friend, Zoilo Hilario, he wrote several dramas like “Amanda”, “Migdusang E Micasala” and “La Independencia”. The latter was converted into a Kapampangan zarzuela by inserting some songs in between scenes and dialogues.  The zarzuela repertory Compania Sabina, performed  this zarzuela with a patriotic theme similar to the plays of Aurelio Tolentino, that bordered on the seditious, all over Pampanga, Tarlac and Manila. It is unfortunate that the original scripts written in long-hand by Gutierrez-David were all lost when his Manila home was burned during the Liberation.  

KING BINGID NING BARIKULKUL (1925-29, Jacinto Tolentino)
Aurelio’s older brother, Jacinto Tolentino (b.1865/d.1932) also wrote literary pieces whose style and content was more artistic rather than nationalistic. A prolific writer of zarzuelas, he produced “Ing Mangaimbugan” (The Lustful One, 1901) stated at Teatro Trining in Guagua, “Tusu Ya Man ing Matsin”, a one-act comedy, and “King Bingid ning Barikulkul” (At the Edge of a Pit), expressedly written for daughter Tereza, in the lead role. The musical play is effectively supported by separate male and female choruses, and the inclusion of a play within a play. A commentary about “the unfaithful wife”, the zarzuela tells of jealous Librada, who entertains the advances of Ramon, to spite husband Manuel. But before Librada consummates the affair, she and husband Manuel are invited to watch Ramon’s zarzuela whose plot uncannily resembled their real-life situation. Ridden with guilt, Librada admits to Manuel her unfaithfulness, and all is forgiven.

BAYUNG JERUSALEM (1932, Urbano Macagapal)

Urbano Macapagal (b. ca,1883/d. 30 Jan. 1946) is better known as the father of Pres. Diosdado P. Macapagal, but this former  farmer gained local fame as a playwright, man of letters and founder of Compania Lubeña of Lubao. Together with his son, Diosdado, Macapagal wrote “Bayung Jerusalem” (The New Jerusalem) which was first shown at a barrio fiesta in San Nicolas Primero, Lubao on 5 May 1932. It is said that the zarzuela is ranked equal in popularity with Soto’s “ Alang Dios!”.  Its appeal lies in the romantic episodes and comedic moments involving  the characters of Sebio and Sebia. Macapagal also saw fit to inject gentle satire in the characterization of minor characters, such as the policeman and the gambler, as well as Sebio and Sebia. This zarzuelang Kapampangan was directed by Severo Vitug in its premier staging, with music composed by Victor Lumanug.

CRUCIFIJONG PILAK (1956, Jose Gallardo)
A revival in the interest for zarzuela was sparked in the 1950s by Jose M. Gallardo (b. 20 Jan. 1918/ d.1986 ), a Candaba prodigy who, at 14, could memorize poems read from magazines, wrote for "Bulaklak” at 16, and finished his first verse narrative at 17, "Apat a Banua,". In all, Gallardo wrote 200 poems, 26 plays and zarzuelas, 30 crissotans, 6 novels and countless short stories. His best known work is "Crucifijong Pilak," (Silver Crucifix) staged more than 100 times between 1956 and 1972. The plot is about the broken vow of Fidel and Laura, former sweethearts who once swore their love for each other upon the silver crucifix worn by the latter. Fidel’s infidelity results in the imposition of a curse by Laura, which opens a floodgate of catastrophic events that  befell the lives of all the characters. The story concludes with every one finding repentance, forgiveness and redemption. Most, if not all, the stagings of “Crucifijong Pilak” were directed by Gallardo himself, considered as the most prolific and influential Kapampangan writer of his generation.

PHOTOS

Ing Managpe:  Singsing Magazine, Holy Angel University

Alang Dios: Sapni nang Crissot Literary & Cultural Foundation, https://www.facebook.com/lsapni/?hc_ref=SEARCH\

Emu Cu Tatagquilan: Alex R. Castro Collection

Ing Poeta , Ing Mora, La Independencia, Bayun Jerusalem: representational photos from Alex R. Castro Collection

Crucifijong Pilak: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Palipas_ng_Dilim_scene_zarzuela.jpg