By: Joy Fong   Back from last year’s successful “One with the Stars”, the talented scholars of Klassikal Music Foundation (KMF), the country’s premiere organization which provides scholarships for young aspiring classical singers, amazed their audience once again with the staging of “KMF Empowered”. For over a decade, the foundation has supported over 60 young, talented Filipinos passionate about classical music. These individuals have been under the guidance of some of the country’s most renowned music talents in the industry, and have been given opportunities to showcase their talents to audiences locally and internationally. Breathtaking performances Held at the Star Theater in Pasay City, KMF Empowered featured two acts with eight segments, each allowing the musical talents of the KMF scholars to shine through. The audience of the evening were first treated to a pocketsize opera featuring the songs from “La Traviata” (The Fallen Woman) written by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi. This was followed by classics of the music theater with songs such as “Ol Man River” from Showboat by Jerome Kern, “This is my Beloved” from Kismet by Charles Lederer and “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide by Leonard Bernstein. Throughout the performances, Ballet Manila, under the tutelage of Prima Ballerina Liza Macuja-Elizalde, graced the stage and accompanied the angelic voices of the scholars. The second act was comprised of several segments which featured more contemporary songs from Broadway and the Top 40. The scholars delighted the audience and members with more familiar songs such as “How do you Solve a Problem Like Maria” by the Great Rogers and Hammerstein, and “Thank you for the Music” and “The Winner Takes it All” from Mamma Mia The Broadway Musical, to name a few. To complete the evening, a special performance from the country’s concert...... Read more on Full Issue!