Walang Sugat
Encyclopedia
Walang Sugat is an 1898 Tagalog-language zarzuela
a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that includes music, singing, and poetry written by Filipino
playwright Severino Reyes
. The music for the original version of the play was written by Filipino composer Fulgencio Tolentino. Walang Sugat was written when the zarzuela became a “potent means” of expressing Filipino nationalism
after the arrival of the Americans in the Philippines
. The Philippines was a territory of the United States from 1898 to 1946. Prior to American rule, the Philippines was a colony of Spain from 1521–1898.
Although Walang Sugat is one of the major and popular zarzuelas in the Philippines, it was one of the plays considered by the American authorities as a play that was “too subversive”, leading to Reyes’ imprisonment. A typical and traditional Filipino zarzuela known and spelled in Tagalog as sarsuwela or sarswela portrays the dilemmas of domestic life in the Philippines presented through dialogue, singing, and dance. In addition, the Philippine form of the zarzuela is laden with romance, humor, and conflict. Severino Reyes, known as the "Father of the Tagalog Zarzuela", wrote his literary masterpiece Walang Sugat as his "statement against imperialism".
(1896–1898) against Spain. The play is about the injustices received by Filipinos from the Spanish colonial rulers, including the oppression of Filipino prisoners by Spanish friars. Filipinos who expressed their patriotism died because of the cruelty of the Spanish friars. The imprisoned Filipinos ended up in jail because of allegations of being subversives. Apart from the issue of politics, revolution, and nationalism, Walang Sugat is also a love story. It features the romance and love affair between Tenyong and Julia. Towards the end of the Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards, Tenyong left Julia to become a revolutionary, as a Katipunan
member. During Tenyong’s absence Julia continuously receives pressure from her mother to marry Miguel, a wealthy man. Julia succumbed to her mother’s wishes when she did not hear from Tenyong after sometime, while the revolution continues. The wedding of Julia and Miguel was interrupted by the arrival of Tenyong. Tenyong was dying due to wounds obtained while in battle. Tenyong mentioned his dying wish to Julia. Walang Sugat features an "unexpected twist", presenting how Tenyong the hero of the play is able to outwit the persons who were trying to separate him from his beloved Julia.
from 11 to 13 February 2009 at the UP
University Theater. It was presented by BKFI during the UP Sarsuwela Festival 2009 nationwide celebration.
. Tanghalang Ateneo’s version of Walang Sugat was presented in 2010. Tanghalang Ateneo's version of Walang Sugat was Ateneo de Manila University’s first major zarzuela production, and was done to celebrate the university’s three-year long Sesquicentennial Celebration. Ateneo de Manila’s production of Walang Sugat was directed by Ricardo Abad. The music for the play was directed by Josefino Tolledo. The lights design was under the direction of Jonjon Villareal, while the choreography was directed by Dexter Santos. The set and the costumes for the Ateneo de Manila version of the zarzuela was designed by Salvador Bernal
, a National Artist of the Philippines
.
and Leopoldo Salcedo
. The 1957 movie version of Walang Sugat was produced by LVN Pictures
, under the direction of Lamberto V. Avellana. Among the Filipino actors who participated in the 1957 film adaptation of the play included Rosa Aguirre
, Miguel Anzures, Tony Dantes
, Joseph de Cordova, Oscar Keesee, Mario Montenegro
, Charito Solis
, and Jose Vergara.
Zarzuela
Zarzuela is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular song, as well as dance...
a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that includes music, singing, and poetry written by Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
playwright Severino Reyes
Severino Reyes
Severino Reyes was a Filipino writer, playwright, and director of plays. He used the pen name Lola Basyang. He was nicknamed "Don Binoy". Reyes is known as the "Father of Tagalog Plays" and as the "Father of the Tagalog Zarzuela".-Biography:Reyes is one of the children of Andrea Rivera and...
. The music for the original version of the play was written by Filipino composer Fulgencio Tolentino. Walang Sugat was written when the zarzuela became a “potent means” of expressing Filipino nationalism
Filipino nationalism
Filipino nationalism is an upsurge of patriotic sentiments and nationalistic ideals in the 1800s Philippines that came consequently as a result of more than two centuries of Spanish rule and as an immediate outcome of the Filipino Propaganda Movement from 1872 to 1892...
after the arrival of the Americans in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The Philippines was a territory of the United States from 1898 to 1946. Prior to American rule, the Philippines was a colony of Spain from 1521–1898.
Although Walang Sugat is one of the major and popular zarzuelas in the Philippines, it was one of the plays considered by the American authorities as a play that was “too subversive”, leading to Reyes’ imprisonment. A typical and traditional Filipino zarzuela known and spelled in Tagalog as sarsuwela or sarswela portrays the dilemmas of domestic life in the Philippines presented through dialogue, singing, and dance. In addition, the Philippine form of the zarzuela is laden with romance, humor, and conflict. Severino Reyes, known as the "Father of the Tagalog Zarzuela", wrote his literary masterpiece Walang Sugat as his "statement against imperialism".
Description
Walang Sugat was first published in 1898. The play was first presented to the public in 1902 at the Teatro Libertad (Liberty Theater). Walang Sugat is set during the Philippine RevolutionPhilippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
(1896–1898) against Spain. The play is about the injustices received by Filipinos from the Spanish colonial rulers, including the oppression of Filipino prisoners by Spanish friars. Filipinos who expressed their patriotism died because of the cruelty of the Spanish friars. The imprisoned Filipinos ended up in jail because of allegations of being subversives. Apart from the issue of politics, revolution, and nationalism, Walang Sugat is also a love story. It features the romance and love affair between Tenyong and Julia. Towards the end of the Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards, Tenyong left Julia to become a revolutionary, as a Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
member. During Tenyong’s absence Julia continuously receives pressure from her mother to marry Miguel, a wealthy man. Julia succumbed to her mother’s wishes when she did not hear from Tenyong after sometime, while the revolution continues. The wedding of Julia and Miguel was interrupted by the arrival of Tenyong. Tenyong was dying due to wounds obtained while in battle. Tenyong mentioned his dying wish to Julia. Walang Sugat features an "unexpected twist", presenting how Tenyong the hero of the play is able to outwit the persons who were trying to separate him from his beloved Julia.
2009
Walang Sugat was reenacted by the Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation Inc. (BKFI) a theater group that received a GAWAD CCP para sa Sining (CCP Arts Award) from the Cultural Center of the PhilippinesCultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
from 11 to 13 February 2009 at the UP
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
University Theater. It was presented by BKFI during the UP Sarsuwela Festival 2009 nationwide celebration.
2010
Another reenactment of Walang Sugat was produced by the Tanghalang Ateneo (Ateneo Theater) of the Ateneo de Manila UniversityAteneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
. Tanghalang Ateneo’s version of Walang Sugat was presented in 2010. Tanghalang Ateneo's version of Walang Sugat was Ateneo de Manila University’s first major zarzuela production, and was done to celebrate the university’s three-year long Sesquicentennial Celebration. Ateneo de Manila’s production of Walang Sugat was directed by Ricardo Abad. The music for the play was directed by Josefino Tolledo. The lights design was under the direction of Jonjon Villareal, while the choreography was directed by Dexter Santos. The set and the costumes for the Ateneo de Manila version of the zarzuela was designed by Salvador Bernal
Salvador Bernal
Salvador Floro Bernal was an acclaimed artist from the Philippines.Bernal's career began in 1969. His output included over 300 productions in art, film and music, and earned him the award of National Artist for Theater and Design in 2003.-Notes:...
, a National Artist of the Philippines
National Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
.
Film adaptation
Walang Sugat had been adapted into film twice, namely in 1939 and in 1957. The 1939 film version was produced by Filippine Productions, and was directed by Enrique Herrera-Dávila, and was starred by Filipino actors Rosa del RosarioRosa del Rosario
Rosa del Rosario was a well-known half-Filipina, half-American Mestiza actress in Philippine Movies who made her film debut in 1932 horror film Satanas . Her real name was Rose del Rosario Stagner. Her mother was from Pampanga...
and Leopoldo Salcedo
Leopoldo Salcedo
Leopoldo Salcedo was a two-time FAMAS award-winning Filipino film actor who specialized in portraying dramatic heroes. Dubbed as "The Great Profile" , he was said to be among the first kayumanggi or dark-skinned Filipino film stars, in contrast to the lighter-skinned mestizo actors of his...
. The 1957 movie version of Walang Sugat was produced by LVN Pictures
LVN Pictures
LVN Pictures, Inc. is one of the biggest film studios in the history of Philippine cinema and its foremost establishment in motion picture post-production until 2005...
, under the direction of Lamberto V. Avellana. Among the Filipino actors who participated in the 1957 film adaptation of the play included Rosa Aguirre
Rosa Aguirre
Rosa Aguirre is a Filipino actress who worked for Sampaguita Pictures and Lvn Pictures. She is married to actor Miguel Anzures and mother of former child actor Narding Anzures....
, Miguel Anzures, Tony Dantes
Tony Dantes
Tony Dantes is a Filipino actor and spent his movie career under LVN Pictures.Born in 1924, his first movie appearance is El Diablo and Hen. Gregorio del Pilar, a biography of one of the famous Filipino heroes in 1949....
, Joseph de Cordova, Oscar Keesee, Mario Montenegro
Mario Montenegro
Mario Montenegro was a Filipino film actor best known for his heroic leading roles.-Biography:Montenegro was born in Pagsanjan, Laguna to a Filipino father and a French mother....
, Charito Solis
Charito Solis
Charito Solis was a FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress. Acknowledged as one of the leading dramatic actresses of post-war Philippine cinema, she was tagged either as the "Anna Magnani of the Philippines" or as "the Meryl Streep of the Philippines."-Profile:Rosario Violeta...
, and Jose Vergara.