Atang dela Rama (1902- 1991)

She is one of the most renowned singers of the Philippines in the first half of the 20th-century. Her first taste of stardom was in 1915, when her “Dalagang Bukid” zarzuela became widely accepted by the public. So famous was the “Dalagang Bukid” zarzuela that a film version was also made.

As early as age seven, she was already being cast in Spanish zarzuelas such as “Marina” and “Mascota, Sueño de un Vals.”

She has performed kundiman and other Filipino songs for the Aetas or Negritos of Zambales and the Sierra Madre, the Bagobos of Davao and other Lumad tribes of Mindanao. Because of her singing prowess, s190e was also able to travel the whole world – in a time where air travel was exclusively for the privileged few.

Among the hundreds of plays that she became part of, she singled out “Pangarap ni Rosa” as her favorite. For her, it was the most rewarding and satisfying role she has played. It was mixed with realism. She vividly recalled how the teary-eyed audience made the stage sparkle with silver coins.

In a 1979 interview with her, she mentioned kundiman and zarzuela best expresses the Filipino soul.

Among the kundiman and other songs she premiered or popularized were “Madaling Araw” and “Kung Iibig Ka” by Jose Corazon de Jesus, “Ay, Ay Kalisud,” “Pakiusap,” and “Mutya ng Pasig” by Deogracias Rosario and Nicanor Abelardo.

In the latter part of her illustrious career, she also wrote her own zarzuelas. Among them were “Anak ni Eba,” “Aking Ina” and “Puri at Buhay.”

She was formally honored as the Queen of Kundiman in 1979. She was already 74 years old when the award was given to her, but she was still able to sing “Nabasag na Banga,” the song that launched her to stardom.

Si Honorata dela Rama ay isang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining sa Musika at Teatro at pinarangalan bilang Reyna ng Kundiman noong 1979.

Ipinanganak siya noong 11 Enero 1902 sa Pandacan, Maynila at lumaki kina Pastora Matias, at sa asawa nitong si Leon Ignacio. Ikinasal siya noong 1932 kay Amado V. Hernandez, isang makata.

Sa edad na pitong taong gulang, siya ay nagsimulang gumanap bilang batang karakter sa mga sarsuwelang espanyol tulad ng La mascota (The Mascot), Sueño de un vals (Dream Waltz), Marina at Viuda alegre (Merry Widow).

Labindalawang taong gulang si Atang dela Rama nang simulan niya ang pag-aaral sa pagtugtog ng biyulin kasama si Ignacio at nagpakadalubhasa sa piyano kasama si Vincenzo Gambardella. Nagkaroon naman siya ng pagsasanay sa pag-aawit kasama si Victorino Carrion at Galia Arellano. Sa gulang na 14, ginampanan niya ang papel na Angelita sa Dalagang Bukid, 1917, na isinulat nina Ignacio at Hermogenes Ilagan para lamang sa kanya. Ang sarsuwela na ito ang nagpasikat sa kanya at nagkaroon ng halos 1000 na pagtatanghal bago mag-1940. Isinapelikula rin ang Dalagang Bukid noong 1919 at pinangunahan ito ni dela Rama.

Nakapagtapos siya bilang isang Parmasyotika sa Centro Escolar de Señoritas (ngayon ay Centro Escolar University) noong 1922. Kumuha rin siya ng mga kurso sa Royal Dramatic Theater Academy sa New York noong 1925.

Inawit ni Atang dela Rama ang musika ni Ignacio sa mga sarsuwelang nilikha ng mga tanyag na manunulat ng panahon na iyon gaya ng: Alamat ng Nayon, 1927; Ararong Ginto, 1925; at Ang Kiri, 1926 ni Servando de los Angeles; Sa Bunganga ng Pating, 1921 ni Julian Cruz Balmaseda; Paglipas ng Dilim, 1920 ni Precioso Palma; Anak ng Dagat, 1921 ni Patricio Mariano; Ang Mestiza, 1920 ni Engracio Valmonte; at Sundalong Mantika, 1920 ni Florentino Ballecer.

Kundiman

Nakilala rin si Atang dela Rama sa pag-awit ng mga kundiman na ginawa ng mga sikat na kompositor noong 1920 at 1930, tulad nina Nicanor Abelardo, Francisco Santiago, Bonifacio Abdon, Francisco Buencamino Sr., at Constancio de Guzman. Siya ang nagpasikat ng mga awiting:

Bituing Marikit
Madaling Araw
Mutya ng Pasig
Anak Dalita
Kundiman ng Luha
Kundiman ni Abdon

Noong 1930, napuna ni Atang dela Rama na kakaunting mga sarsuwela lamang ang naisusulat, kaya't siya na mismo ang lumikha ng sarili niyang mga libreto at kinalaunan ay itinanghal ng Samahang de la Rama. Ito ang ilan sa kanila:

Bulaklak ng Kabundukan
Anak ni Eba
Puri at Buhay