Negrense wins Aliw classical female artist of the year

BACOLOD City – Negrense soprano, Nenen Espina, won the classical female artist of the year plum in the 32nd Aliw Awards night held at The Manila Hotel last Tuesday.

Nenen is the daughter of the late journalist, Rolly Espina and Dr. Lourdes Espina. She joins sister, Mary Anne as an Aliw awardee, the latter for having been hailed twice as Best Instrumentalist of the year in the past.

The annual Aliw Awards was established by journalist, Alice Reyes in 1976 and has been recognized as the only award-giving body that recognizes achievements for excellence in theater, opera, dance, and entertainment shows and events.

Nenen bested four other nominees in her category – Lara Maigue, Jade Riccio, Sweet Samaniego-Buchanan and Kathy Hipolito Mas.

“I am thankful that we have Aliw Awards that gives recognition to classical performances,” Nenen said, adding that this is “a memorable accomplishment” for her considering that “I nearly lost my life and my voice two years ago when I was struck with the rare  Guillain-Barré syndrome.”

Nenen finished her Bachelor of Music, Major in Voice, at St. Scholastica’s College, Manila and obtained her Professional Diploma in Opera Course at the Hong Kong Aademy of the Performing Arts and her Masters of Arts in Music, magna cum laude, at the University of Sto. Tomas.

At 17, she had her debut with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra as one of the soloist of Handel’s “Messiah” under the baton of the late National Artist for Music, Dr. Francisco Feliciano. Since then, Nenen has been a familiar face in the concerts stage around the country.

She has been a featured soloist of Beethoven’s “9th Symphony,” Mozart’s “Requiem” and “Coronation Mass,” Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols,” Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” and Respighi’s “Lauda per la nativita” to name a few and worked with Oscar Yatco, Lief Bjaland, Yaakov Bergmann, Herminigildo Ranera, Sergio Esmilla, Renato Lucas, Ruggiero Barbieri, Takuo Yuwasa, Rodel Colmenar, among others.

Other big winners in this year’s Aliw Awards were Regine Velasquez who won as Entertainer of the Year award for the third time and Lea Salonga who was inducted into the awards’ Hall of Fame as well as winning the People’s Choice trophy and Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Sweeney Todd.