First Pinoy-penned musical to debut in London now looking for investors
The concert version of the musical “Marco Polo: An Untold Love Story” played before an SRO crowd at the Meralco Theater on August 10.
In his introduction, executive director Olivier Leonard, who is from Belgium, announced the presence of the diplomatic corps in the audience. The music’s preview in Manila was intended to attract investors to its eventual run at the West End in London and in Broadway in New York.
Leonard added that it will be the first musical with Belgian participation to grace the West End. “Marco Polo: An Untold Love Story,” by stage actor, singer and director Rogelio Saldo Chua, will also be the first musical written by a Filipino to debut on the world’s premier stages.
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Adventure and romance
The musical tells of the adventures of Marco Polo as he traveled from ancient Venice to the East in his quest for gold and new lands.
In 1271, Marco Polo joined his father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo on their returm to Shangtu in faraway Cathay. They were on a mission for the Great Kublai Khan who ruled an empire that stretched from the Danube to the Sea of Japan. Despite the threats of conflicts among feuding Mongol warlords, the Polo caravan courageously trekked across the now famous silk road to their destination.
In Cathay, Marco Polo fell in love with the lovely Kogajin. There was just one major problem. Kogajin was a princess in the royal Mongol bloodline while Marco was not only a foreigner but also the son of an ordinary merchant from a faraway land.
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The potential for dramatic intrigue
The accompanying repertoire unveiled at the Meralco Theatre milked the potential for dramatic intrigue in the journey of Marco Polo from his homeland, the encounter with Princess Kogajin, and the hurdles in the quest for love between two people from different cultures.
The songs on the repertoire echo such universal themes as: destiny, will, the divide between East and West and the cultural barriers in the quest for true love.
The costumes of the players themselves also reveal a contrast between East and West. The Mongols including Kublai Khan were costumed in bright colors silk while the actors playing the Westerners wore gray, everyday clothes.
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Full musical to preview in 2014
The cast was headed by baritone David Bianco in the title role and soprano Stephanie Reese as Kogajin. Both had the vocal chops to deliver the emotional demands of the repertoire. Filipino theater professionals composed the majority of the supporting ensemble.
A 16-man orchestra led by conductor Joseph Tolentino provided a neo-classical flow to the music without detracting from the pop sensibilities of a modern audience.
The Manila previews of the full musical will be held in February 2014. The Asian premiere will kick off in Singapore by the third quarter of next year. Concerts and performances are set for other major Asian cities to drum up more investor interest in the West End production.
For investor inquiries on the London production of “Marco Polo: An Untold Love Story,” email artiststheater@live.com.
