Philippine Opera Company's MASTER CLASS all set to open on May 15

The Philippine Opera Company (POC) is the country’s only professional opera company that consistently produces opera and classical music performances. Established in 1999, the Company is dedicated to celebrating the fusion of music and drama while championing opera as a living, relevant, and inclusive art form for Filipinos today.

Committed to breaking the perception of opera as elitist, POC brings performances beyond traditional theater spaces to malls, churches, schools, parks, community centers, and theaters, making classical music more accessible to audiences from all walks of life. Through this advocacy, the Company continues to foster a deeper appreciation for opera and classical music while cultivating new audiences nationwide.

The Philippine Opera Company was founded by Ms. Karla Patricia T. Gutierrez, one of the country’s most respected and well-loved sopranos, whose vision and leadership have shaped the Company’s artistic excellence and enduring cultural mission. Ms. Gutierrez is a recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) Award for the Performing Arts, an Amazing Alumni Achiever Award from Maryknoll (2014), and the Musical Intelligence Award (2022). She earned her Bachelor of Music degree major in Voice from the University of the Philippines under Professor Fides Cuyugan Asensio, and pursued further studies in Opera Interpretation at the Accademia Internazionale delle Arti (AIDA) in Rome, Italy, under Maestra Doris Andrews.

Guided by its mission to nurture opera in the Philippines, POC is deeply committed to developing a new generation of classical singers while cultivating informed and enthusiastic audiences. The Company actively advances arts education through outreach performances for schools, government agencies, and private institutions throughout the country, supported by its foundation partner, the Friends of Philippine Opera Foundation. At the same time, POC strives to present opera through a distinctly Filipino lens—grounded in global artistic standards yet reflective of local culture, voice, and identity.

One of the Company’s recognition includes the Philippine Opera Company’s (POC) production of Stephen Sondheim’s "Passion".  It was a major winner at the 12th Gawad Buhay Awards securing six accolades. The production earned top honors, including Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical.

Among the Company’s most significant original works is HARANA: A Cultural Journey, a production that proudly promotes nationalism and rekindles love for timeless Filipino songs. Through HARANA and its succeeding production, Ang Bagong Harana, the Philippine Opera Company celebrates Filipino musical heritage by presenting traditional and classic Filipino compositions in a refined yet accessible classical and operatic format. These works have served as cultural ambassadors of Philippine music and identity, earning recognition both locally and internationally.

Following its successful presentation in Canada in celebration of Philippine Independence, HARANA embarked on a West Coast tour of the United States, including performances in Long Beach, California, as part of Filipino American History Month. In recognition of its cultural impact, the Philippine Opera Company was conferred the Image Award by the Federation of Filipino American Associations, and received Certificates of Recognition from U.S. Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, and City Councilor Roberto Uranga, acknowledging the Company’s contributions to promoting Filipino culture abroad. Locally, HARANA was most recently recognized as Outstanding Group Performance in a Concert at the 2024 Philippine LEAF Awards, affirming its enduring artistic and cultural value.

As part of its milestone 25th Anniversary Season—launched in November 2025 and culminating in November 2026—the Philippine Opera Company proudly presents a special production of Master Class by Terrence McNally, winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Play.

Starring as the legendary opera diva Maria Callas is the Philippines’ First Lady of Theater, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, with direction by Jaime del Mundo. Originally staged by POC in 2010, this anniversary revival marks the Company’s return to one of theater’s most powerful works—an unflinching exploration of greatness, sacrifice, and the price of immortality in art. At 25 years of artistic excellence, POC honors the legends who shaped the operatic world while reaffirming its belief that true artistry demands courage, discipline, and soul.