Kay Habana concert: Music reminiscent of a lullaby or, maybe, a love not meant to be

Posted: February 9th, 2015 ˑ Filled under: Entertainment ˑ No Comments

Talented soprano pays tribute to her grandmothers. Photos by Lumen Castaneda

By Cristina DC Pastor

Kay Habana, an impressive fast-rising soprano, gathered her closest friends in the music business and together they quilted a lively repertoire of songs from long ago. Some are songs I remember being hummed by my father to put me to sleep or reminiscent of a once-upon-a-time romance not meant to be. The Carnegie Hall audience was moved by the emotions the artists’ music evoked.

When I saw young theater actor Bonale Fambrini (“Oliver”) tap-dance to “The Way You Look Tonight,” I knew this concert has gotten to me. Bonale was joined by young singers Sydney Veloso, Phoebe Young, and Gabby Gutierrez in the opening act. Gabby, who sang “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” channeled Barbra Streisand’s vocal flutter in “Funny Girl.” This girl had an energetic stage presence.

The Philippine Chamber Singers of Los Angeles followed the young quartet with their ‘kundiman’ selection and a couple of Gershwin standards. I love George Gershwin to a fault and studied him in college as an elective course. His “Our Love is Here to Stay” is one of my favorite among his hundreds of memorable compositions. But the choral arrangement is not something I know how to appreciate, so while Gershwin’s music was divine, it did not have the pop-jazz beat I prefer to have this song done.

Kay Habana was Act 3 of the concert. She is a talented soprano whose performance was warm, sensitive and technically proficient as she hit the high notes. Some sopranos sing with difficulty, and you can tell it from their expression and body language. Kay radiated stage presence, and from her voice just flowed six rapturous numbers including Mike Velarde’s “Minamahal Kita.”

But hers was a segment fraught with uncomfortable moments of stooping down to get her bottled water on the floor and back up to start singing. This went on so many times, it was painful to watch. Carnegie Hall, I’m sure, could have spared a little table on which that bottled water should have sat.

And here I impose concepts I would have wanted to see: I would have wanted Kay do a duet with one — or all — of the child singers. I would have wanted her to do a number where she dances or displays a little more swingy movements. That would have given the show some variety and given the audience a full measure of Kay’s many talents. Her song numbers with her son, Kael, were touching.

Intermission performer Dennis Sy was a delight with Sharon Cuneta’s “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko.” The balcony section where I was seated just grooved to his music by singing along.

The February 4 benefit concert, “Handog kay Lolo at Lola,” (Dedicated to Grandfathers and Grandmothers) was produced to raise awareness on the needs of FilAm senior citizens.