Erehwon Center Brightens the Holidays and the Coming Year with the Music of Erehwon Cantabile

Erehwon Center for the Arts introduces its group of classical singers, known as the Erehwon Cantabile, indicative of their smooth and melodious singing style.  They are all highly experienced, formally trained classical singers with diverse experiences performing in operas, concerts, and musicals.  They have gained awards and other recognition for their achievements.

 

They are versatile performers, with a wide repertoire, from operas, to broadway tunes, to classical melodies, to pop.

 

Meet the EREHWON CANTABILE

 

GREG ABELARDO DE LEON, baritone

Greg de Leon is a talented baritone and veteran theater and television actor. Throughout his career, Greg has graced countless operas, musicals, and straight play productions both locally and internationally. One of his notable roles was as Kabesang Tales/Matang Lawin in Floy Quintos’ play “Isang Panaginip na Fili” under Dulaang UP. He also showcased his versatility by portraying multiple roles in “Noli Me Tangere, The Opera” staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Resorts World Manila, performing as Elias, Padre Damaso, Pilosopo Tasyo, and Kabesang Tales.  In 2018, he took on the role of Betto in the opera “Gianni Schicchi” held at the Esplanade Theater in Singapore, and in 2024, he was Simone in the opera’s performance at Arete Ateneo de Manila University.  He also portrayed the dual roles of Piscal and Jocson in 2Bayani, a rock opera dedicated to Andres Bonifacio, directed by the late Ricardo Abad.

 

NERISSA DE JUAN, soprano

She is a recipient of the OPPA (Original Pilipino Performing Arts) Foundation Scholarship Grant and was awarded the Benavides Outstanding Achievement Award in 2022.  At age 19, Nerissa made her professional operatic debut as Maria Clara in Felipe Padilla De Leon’s “Noli Me Tangere: The Opera” for its 60th-anniversary production in February 2017, reprising the role in March 2019 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater. Her other operatic roles include La Zia Principessa in “Suor Angelica”, La Ciesca in “Gianni Schicchi” (Puccini at 100), Mme. Silberklang in Mozart’s “Der Schauspieldirektor,” and Susanna/Berta in an abridged version of “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” and “Le Nozze di Figaro” titled “Figaro! Figaro!!” Additionally, she has performed as a chorus member in Puccini’s “Le Villi,” Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” (PPO Switch Concert VII), as well as Anita in Pasipo’s adaptation of “West Side Story,” showcasing her versatility in both classical and contemporary roles. Nerissa has appeared as a soprano soloist with prominent orchestras, including the UST Symphony Orchestra, ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

ANGELICA BENIPAYO, soprano

Angeli has portrayed a diverse range of roles, including Zemire in Zemire und Azor, Nella in Gianni Schicchi, Le Suore Infermiera in Suor Angelica, Agueda in Mayo, Maria in West Side Story, Susanna in Figaro! Figaro!, Angelina in Trial By Jury, Rosina in Barber of Seville, Titania in The Fairy Queen, Mimi in La Boheme, Cecily in La Divina and Nati in Sa Bunganga ng Pating. She sang in CCP’s big productions like Lucia di Lammermoor, Turandot, Noli me Tangere and local productions like Amahl, the Night Visitors and Edgar, and Le Villi.  She was the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO)’s featured soloist of Mozart concert Arias in their Zobel de Ayala’s exhibit concert, the soprano solo of Mozart’s Coronation mass in collaboration with the Musicam Sacram Ensemble, the DFA Colonial Music concert with the MSO and also performed the soprano solo in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the University of the Philippines Symphony Orchestra (UPSO).

 

RUZZEL CLEMENO, lyric tenor

Ruzzel is a young Filipino baritenor, opera singer, conductor, and composer. He made his professional opera debut as Manlilibing (2017) and Don Filipo Lino (2019) in the opera Noli Me Tangere at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. His opera credits include Gherardo in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Riff and Officer Krupke in Bernstein’s West Side Story (2023) and Conte d’Almaviva in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He was a soloist of Mozart’s Kronungsmesse, Messa da Requiem, Dubois’ Les Sept Paroles du Christ and Gillaume Tell’s Finale: Tutto Cangia Il Ciel S’abella. He was one of the very few Filipinos who were hired in Hong Kong to perform in the opera chorus of La Boheme. Locally, he sang in Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, Tosca, Suor Angelica, Le Villi, Edgar, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and Bach’s Magnificat, with different local theaters and orchestras. Ruzzel’s received the 2010 Music Artist of the Year award and competed in the 2018 Singapore Lyric Opera ASEAN Vocal Competition and the 2019 Fides Cuyugan Vocal Competition where he became a finalist and received the Esther Reyes special prize.  In 2022, he performed in a prestigious world event — the ‘FIFA WORLD CUP’ in Doha, Qatar and conducted the Qatar Performing Arts Music Ensemble at Mtskheta-Telavi Drama Theater in Georgia.

 

GABRIEL ALLAN PAGUIRIGAN, musical accompanist

Gabriel is a pianist, musical director, and teacher.  He is a graduate of the Philippine High School for the Arts and the University of the Philippines College of Music.  He has been first prize winner twice of the National Music Competitions for Young Artists Piano Competition, in 2011 (junior category) and in 2015 (senior category).  He has also won top prizes in other local competitions sponsored by the Piano Teachers’ Guild of the Philippines Foundation Inc, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lyric Piano and Organ Corporation, and several others.

 

He is a sought-after collaborating artist, having worked with the Philippines’ best singers and collaborating artists. As a concert pianist, he has been the featured soloist of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Manila Symphony Orchestra, and the Cardona Ocho Symphonic Band in several concerts.  He has also performed solo recitals in the most prestigious venues all over the Philippines.  He is the musical director of Pasipo, a small vocal  ensemble.  Gabriel has taken master classes with several prominent artists from the Philippines and internationally.