The Manila Metropolitan Theater or MET is an art deco building designed by the Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano, and inaugurated on December 10, 1931, with a capacity of 1670 (846 orchestra, 116 in loge, and 708 in balcony). Read more: You always have to balance the idea of modernizing the structure while maintaining its identity,” Ong says. For more information, follow METamorphosis on Facebook. “It won’t be commercialized, but it will be more of a cultural hub and [a space where anyone can] appreciate the arts,” Lico describes. It’s difficult to predict what could possibly take place at the Met. Before the Nora-Vilma hullabaloo, the Met also witnessed the audacity of national artist for film Lino Brocka. It saw the golden ages of Philippine cinema, the glory days of theater, the rise of boxing, the lives of homeless families, the decay of heritage and culture, and now, the renewal of Manila’s splendor. Ang Maníla Metropolítan Theater ay isang makasaysayang gusali na may disenyong art deco at matatagpuan sa daang Padre Burgos sa Lungsod Maynila. The Manila Metropolitan Theater building was designed by the Filipino architect Juan Arellano, who stated that he drew the plans for the building with the phrase, “On Wings of Song”, in mind. Like the rest of Manila, it was partially destroyed during World War II. The Tragic Theatre: Manila Film Center. All Rights Reserved. “Up until now, we still receive volunteer requests. We had to kill it as it was already destroying the foundation,” says architect Timothy Ong of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Zorilla Principe Alfonso Variedades Quiapo Theater Tondo Theater Manila Grand Opera House Metropolitan Theater Philippine Opera Theatres 6. "The sequences of events today, I believe, were orchestrated by the spirit of the Metropolitan Theater who led us to this discovery," Lico wrote in a Facebook post. However, it will never be the same again. By continued use, you agree to our privacy policy and accept our use of such cookies. On February 19, 2013, a three-hour fire damaged the film center. The structure is clearly decaying. We no longer have zarzuelas nor actresses like dela Rama; operas are rare. However, I only remember the Met as a curious-looking abandoned pink building I’d pass by on my train route. Months after the tragedy, Betty Benitez died in a freak accident. Find out more here. On the awards night at the Manila Metropolitan Theater, however, the superstar broke the prediction and rose as the best performer. It’s a document of 20th-century popular history,” Lico says. Although its vicinity is supposedly part of Manila’s cultural zone, the area is stereotyped as a stronghold of snatchers and pickpockets. However, we have to refuse because we are already in the process of construction.”. On Inday Badiday’s TV show Would You Believe?, the fortune teller declared Aunor’s role in Atsay as her “last card” in the entertainment industry. Wild plants have also grown in various nooks. Save. “[The restoration] will spark a cultural renaissance within this area,” Lico says with hope. The bas reliefs served as exquisite designs on the top part of the stage’s proscenium. What it means to be a curator, according to Joselina Cruz However, the Art Deco qualities were appropriated to suit the culture at the time. And that’s where the wealthy Philippine imagery comes in. “As an architectural work, it’s a testament to the ability of a structure to transmit cultural memories. Metropolitan Theater. Its ornamentations are remarkable and affluent; an apparent decadence to our country’s better off times. SPOT.ph is property of Summit Media, What to watch, what to eat, and where to shop from home, What you need to know to stay safe when heading out. “During the process, we saw the interest of the public [in heritage],” Lico recalls. For more than a decade now, the Manila Metropolitan Theater has looked less like a national cultural treasure and more like a forgotten piece of history. Loving with the title “ The Dreamed Alliance” Sandugong Panaginip Close Encounters The Manila Metropolitan Theater (Filipino: Tanghalang Pangkalakhan ng Maynila, or MET) is a Philippine Art Deco building found near the Mehan Garden located on Padre Burgos Avenue corner Arroceros Street, near the Manila Central Post Office.It was designed by architect Juan M. Arellano and inaugurated on December 10, 1931. The Metropolitan Theater. Enter the email address associated with your account, and we'll email you a link to reset your password. The Metropolitan Theater is at Antonio Villegas Street, Ermita, Manila. When it opens again, the shows it will exhibit won’t resemble its original acts. PHOTOGRAPHY MIGUEL NACIANCENO. (SPOT.ph) It's been two years since the Metropolitan Theater started its renovations, but the 1931 structure still doesn't fail to surprise the architects, restoration groups, and volunteers with things hidden within its walls. TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING Step 3: A Fountainhead In 1978, the old Metropolitan Theatre had undergone a complete restoration after its destruction in the Battle for the Liberation of Manila in 1945 and Post-War decline and misuse. The ornaments found at the Met are said to be inspired by Heinrich Heine’s poem “On Wings of Song,” which, at its core, is a call to return to nature. The restoration of the Metropolitan Theater (MET) is well underway and its metamorphosis from an old decrepit structure back to being the Grand Old Dame of Manila signals the revival of a Philippine architectural heritage. We are people who easily forget. In the main lobby of the theater, Monti’s sculpture of Adam and Eve are still in place. Click on the link in the email. We’ve lost the Met twice, but how do we save it again? “It was a Friday, and we went here to watch Vilma Santos’ Vilma in Person.” He even remembers watching a play starring Beverly Salviejo as a bold star when he was in first year high school. It begins with a slow pull, its facade greeting you with a lyrical prelude and inviting your steps into the cadence of a pianoforte’s tempo. While it had played host to vaudevilles… But it is slowly coming back to life. In 2011, the band Wolfgang held a concert here, then in 2016, the Met exhibited “London Biennale Manila Pollination.” Beyond that, the youth did not have any avenue for a personal encounter with the structure other than a project that had started in December 2015. Photo by Patrick Roque via Wikimedia Commons. You always have to change the approach. 37 years ago, the Manila Film Center tragedy occurred. After reconstruction by the Americans, it gradually fell into disuse in the 1960s. “It has to [thrive] in the 21st century, but theater-going is no longer a mode of entertainment now,” Lico acknowledges. The concept of the theater was explained by Juan M. Arellano, the architect, during one of his interviews in January 1930. Collective Memory What are the issues concerning MET? First Filipino opera By Pedro Paterno First performed in the Zorilla Theater on August 2, 1902. later translated by the Englishman M.W. As it turns out, the missing reliefs were boarded up and covered behind the proscenium arch to give way for the air-conditioning ducts that were constructed during the theater's renovation in 1978. The façade bears a huge tarpaulin that tells its history. The extant pieces will be carefully restored along with the rest of the proscenium. But despite its horrible state, it still emits the sanctity of a temple and the comeliness of a goddess. On June 28, Dr. Gerard Lico, consulting architect of the project, and his team accidentally discovered the Art Deco bas-reliefs by Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti that everyone thought were completely destroyed. The extant pieces will be carefully restored along with the rest of the proscenium. Back in the day, Manila was a place of endless possibilities. Beyond the magnificent bits and pieces of Philippine popular culture, the Met has also been shaped by political history. For instance, the original color of the structure has yet to be uncovered. Although its details are an amalgam of the original 1930s structure and of the reopened one in 1978, the ceremony spearheaded by then First Lady Imelda Marcos, the rich Art Deco details are still intact. The day of the shoot was my first close encounter with the Met. The theatre is an example of Philippine art deco for its native designs and carvings. Built in 1931 by Juan Arellano, architect of many Manila landmarks such as the Post Office Building, the Legislative Building, Jones Bridge and among others. In response to these changes, the new Met will have a black box theater for small productions and a cinematheque. Anonymous said... Hi I am Jan, an architecture undergraduate at the National University of Singapore. IMAGE Marvin Alcaraz, National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Conceptualized in 1924, broke ground in 1930, and finally completed a year later, the Metropolitan Theater played host to different theatrical performances during its prime, which included zarzuelas, operas, and concerts. “The Met was a symbol of creating a national identity in a colonial social milieu,” consulting architect Gerard Lico says of the structure that was inaugurated in 1931. Noticeable on the floor of the theater are holes where ducts used to emit cool air from the nearby Insular Ice Plant. For the theater seats, the team referred to the iconic 1985 film Bituing Walang Ningning. Manila became one of the destinations of international artists in the ’30s and ’40s,” Lico explains. And when we forget, we forget the important things. Manila’s Oldest Cinemas and Theaters Cine […] “As we go through the process of surveying the building, we revealed layers of history. [1] Contents. The pros and cons of the growing Manila art scene We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on Spot.ph. On the roof deck of the building, although some parts have faded, the original hand-painted tiles still adorn the walls of the deck; “70 Jim” is sculpted on one of the tiles, an unsolicited memory of decay. [1] Air-conditioning may have been difficult at that time, but the ambitious edifice was kept cold—almost freezing cold. One/Zero finds its haven in Escolta The restoration team takes cues from popular culture. 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