Fides Asensio Philippine opera singer, soprano Date of Birth: 01.08.1931 Country: Philippines

Biography of Fides Asensio

Fides Asensio, a Filipino opera singer and soprano, remained the reigning queen of coloratura soprano in her homeland for three decades. She was born on August 1, 1931, in Lucena, Philippines, to Jacinta Belza and Dr. Gervasio Santos Cuyugan. Her musical training began in 1938 after her family moved to Manila. Here, she studied music theory and learned to play the piano. In 1947, Fides enrolled in the College of Music and Arts, where she was mentored by Dean Felicing Tirona. Her graduation concert received widespread attention and was featured in the local newspaper, Manila Times, which proclaimed her as a rising star. As part of her examination program, Fides included an aria by Zerbinetta from Strauss' opera, "Ariadne auf Naxos." It was revealed that no Filipino artist had ever performed this aria before.

After college, Fides received a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where her performance in Gian Carlo Menotti's comic opera, "The Telephone," stood out. Menotti commented that it seemed as if he had written the opera specifically for her. In 1954, Fides married Manuel D. Asensio, Jr. and returned to Manila, where she remained the queen of coloratura soprano for three decades. She made her professional opera debut as Adele in "Die Fledermaus" and later performed the role of Sisa in the world premiere of De Leon's opera, "Noli Me Tangere." Throughout the 1960s, Fides continued to appear in various opera productions in the Philippines. From 1969 to 1974, she became the star and host of the show "Sunday, Sweet Sunday," where she performed famous musical pieces. During this time, she expanded her repertoire to include Violetta in "La Traviata" and Susanna in "Le Nozze di Figaro."

In the late 1970s, Fides began directing operas herself due to the lack of dedicated opera professionals in Manila. She even staged her productions for free. Fides wrote the libretto for L. Kasilag's opera "Larawan Ng Kababaihan: Maskara at Mukha" and Feliciano's opera "La Loba Negra," both of which were performed at the prestigious Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila. In 1986, Fides founded the Music Theater Foundation of the Philippines, a local non-profit organization that provided scholarships to classical performers, particularly young talents. In 1988, she was appointed as the head of the theater and vocal department at the Music College of the University of the Philippines. She held this position until her retirement in 1997. As an honorary professor, Fides continued to teach at the college, where some of her most talented students included soprano Andion Fernandez and tenor Lemuel Cuento.

In 1989, Fides took on the role of host for the musical program "A Little Night of Music." This project continues to this day, and she continues to perform and host the Filipino television show. On April 15, 1999, Fides participated in the world premiere of Tamura's play "The Magic Staff" where she played the role of Grandma Sakura. In her career, Fides also ventured into the film industry, appearing in the war drama "Oro, Plata, Mata" in 1982. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in this epic film. In late 1998, Fides received a tremendous response during her performances as Anastasia in the opera "Mayo... Bisperas ng Liwanag," the first Filipino opera in its original version, in ten major cities in the United States, including Detroit, Chicago, and New York.