A lady with her arms gently raised overhead, as if in mid-dance or preparing for flight, stands atop a predominantly pink building that calls out for attention amidst Manila’s crowded landscape.
The Manila Metropolitan Theatre (MET), Manila’s Grand Old Dame, housed vaudeville, operas, zarzuelas, and concerts in its prime years. It stood as a host to the flourishing Manila cultural scene in the 1920s – a post-Spanish period glittering with jazz clubs, theatres, cinemas and a new city life introduced by the Americans. The MET played a large part in this growing cultural movement not only in what it housed, but the sheer presence of the structure itself.
The MET was designed by renowned architect Juan Arellano, and with his brother Arcadio taking charge of the interiors. Together, they created a masterpiece of Philippine Art Nouveau and Art Deco. They were inspired by the Philippines’ agricultural heritage that can be seen in several of the building elements. Remnants of patterns resembling the banig (local straw mat), mangoes, batik, and other local produce can still be seen in the ceilings, walls and furnishings.
Today, the MET is fighting against time and deterioration to maintain its legacy and elegance. Despite its dilapidated state, it shines silently through the decay. P-NOiSE / NORDLYS Manila Dance Edition hopes to breath life into its walls through performances and applause – as it it did in its heyday.
NORDLYS will guide the audience through the MET’s hollowed walls using dance. It will unite people, space and art in a unique experience. P-NOiSE can’t be more excited to bring this performance to Manila, which was recently performed in Copenhagen’s trendy Meatpacking District.