There are nights in Manila when the city feels louder than usual — not because of traffic or crowds, but because art decides to take up space. This weekend was one of those nights. The rain lingered over the bay, the streets glistened, and the world felt like it was pushing people indoors. Yet inside Aliw Theater, something powerful unfolded: a performance by the Manila Symphony Orchestra that reminded me how alive the city’s cultural pulse truly is.

The MSO: Nearly a Century of Sound

Founded in 1926, the Manila Symphony Orchestra has lived through war, rebuilding, cultural shifts, and generations of changing tastes — yet it remains steady, almost stubbornly graceful. It’s one of the oldest orchestras in Asia, and every performance feels like a continuation of a legacy Manila is lucky to have.

Watching them isn’t just about listening to classical music.

It’s about witnessing history breathing.

“Dancing with Tchaikovsky”: A Dialogue of Emotion

That night’s concert, Dancing with Tchaikovsky, felt like stepping into a story told not with words, but with movement — a dance between discipline and passion.

The program featured one of Tchaikovsky’s most delicate works:

Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 — a piece filled with charm, wit, and an elegant kind of longing.

Young cello soloist Damodar Das Castillo approached the piece with both restraint and fire. His tone carried warmth, the kind that settles somewhere beneath the ribs. He didn’t dominate the orchestra — he conversed with it. Every variation felt like a shift in personality: playful one moment, aching the next.

And guiding it all was Alexander Vikulov, the evening’s Russian guest conductor.

Alexander Vikulov: Precision That Feels Like Poetry

Vikulov conducted with a style that was both exacting and fluid.

His presence wasn’t loud — but it was commanding.

He shaped the music like someone who not only understands Tchaikovsky’s emotional language, but feels it deeply. Under his lead, the MSO played with heightened sensitivity: crisp strings, mellow woodwinds, and a richness in tone that filled the hall without ever overwhelming it.

At moments, the entire orchestra felt like one inhale.

Then one exhale.

Then a swell of color.

It was symphonic storytelling at its finest.

Why This Night Mattered

In Manila, we often talk about “where to eat,” “where to stay,” or “where to party.” But nights like this remind me that the city also thrives in spaces where stillness and sound coexist.

A performance by the Manila Symphony Orchestra isn’t just a concert — it’s an invitation: to slow down, to listen closely, to feel something true. And during the rainy season, when outdoor plans vanish and the city turns inward, this kind of evening becomes even more meaningful.

Leaving the Theater

As people filed out of Aliw Theater, umbrellas opening into the soft drizzle, there was a shared quiet — the kind that happens only when everyone has been moved in some way.

I stepped back into the Manila night feeling lighter. Not because the rain had stopped, but because music had taken up all the space the rain tried to occupy.

If you’ve never seen the Manila Symphony Orchestra live, make it a point. Manila is full of noise — but this is the kind that stays with you.

Check out the vlog below for our concert experience and have a glimpse on how I spend the past weekend in Manila.