Q&A with Cipriano De Guzmán Jr.
How did your Philippine experience help in your musical life abroad?
My musical training in the Philippines provided a strong foundation for my professional life abroad. The rigorous and disciplined education I received at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music prepared me well for the demands and challenges of an international career.
I was fortunate to study under highly respected mentors in the Philippine music community, including Maestra Irma Ponce-Enrile Potenciano, Prof. Randy Gilongo, Byeong-in Park, the late Josefina Garlit-Bailen and the late Bass Jun Francis Jaranilla for voice; Prof. Fidel Calalang Jr. in choral conducting; Dr. Peter Porticos, Prof. Mary Anne Espina, and Prof. Najib Ismail in piano; Dr. Dolores Texon-Andres in Music Education and historian Dr.Antonio Hila. Learning from such dedicated educators greatly shaped my musical and professional development.
In addition, I had the opportunity to train and perform with several established choral ensembles in the Philippines, which gave me valuable stage experience and exposure. At the age of 19, I traveled to Europe with the Manila Chamber Singers, followed by performances worldwide with various choral groups. These experiences eventually led to my first operatic lead role as Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen in 2013, produced by EST Inc. (now Kuala Lumpur City Opera) under the direction of Maestro Florian Caroubi and Michela Bertagnolli-Fevre.
What influenced you to pursue a career in opera?
Pursuing a career in opera was not something I initially planned. My original goal was simply to become a better choir singer for the church. However, after formally enrolling at the UST Conservatory of Music in 2006, I was unexpectedly given a minor role in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin just three months into my studies. This opportunity allowed me to perform at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and introduced me to the world of opera.
Following this experience, I became involved in several opera productions in the Philippines, which gradually strengthened my interest in the art form. This path eventually led me to begin my international career in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, followed by engagements in Japan and other Asian countries, and later to operatic roles in Europe and performances in various parts of the world.