Sopranong Kalbo
Upcoming Production
Synopsis
Sopranong Kalbo
by Eugène Ionesco (Filipino Translation by Rolando S. Tinio)
In a modest home in Manila, Mr. and Mrs. Santos pass the time with casual conversation—about their dinner, acquaintances, and minor daily details. But as they speak, their words begin to lose coherence, slipping into repetition, contradiction, and absurdity.
They are soon joined by another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, who slowly realize they may—or may not—be married to each other. The arrival of their househelp, Marie, and a surprise visitor only deepen the confusion, leading everyone into a whirlwind of meaningless phrases and escalating nonsense.
Originally written by Eugène Ionesco, The Bald Soprano is a classic of Theatre of the Absurd. This Manila-set adaptation explores how modern life and communication often collapse into empty rituals, where people talk but rarely listen, and where meaning is both sought after and constantly slipping away.
Synopsis
Sopranong Kalbo
by Eugène Ionesco (Filipino Translation by Rolando S. Tinio)
In a modest home in Manila, Mr. and Mrs. Santos pass the time with casual conversation—about their dinner, acquaintances, and minor daily details. But as they speak, their words begin to lose coherence, slipping into repetition, contradiction, and absurdity.
They are soon joined by another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, who slowly realize they may—or may not—be married to each other. The arrival of their househelp, Marie, and a surprise visitor only deepen the confusion, leading everyone into a whirlwind of meaningless phrases and escalating nonsense.
Originally written by Eugène Ionesco, The Bald Soprano is a classic of Theatre of the Absurd. This Manila-set adaptation explores how modern life and communication often collapse into empty rituals, where people talk but rarely listen, and where meaning is both sought after and constantly slipping away.
Director's Notes
Ang Sopranong Kalbo ⁃ Rolando S. Tinio’s Filipino translation of Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist play
Welcome, and thank you for joining us for this production of Ang Sopranong Kalbo (The Bald Soprano) — a play that, on the surface, appears comically incoherent and absurd, yet reveals something uncomfortably true beneath the nonsense: the emptiness of routine, the breakdown of communication, and the unsettling comedy of everyday life. In typical Ionesco fashion, it challenges our expectations of dialogue, logic, and meaning — and in doing so, demands that we pay closer attention to what we say, how we live, and why we speak at all.
This introductory event offers a preview of what Teatro Meron will bring to the stage in its inaugural production this November. Born out of shared friendship, deep questions, and a common love for the classics, Teatro Meron is a new theater collective with a clear yet urgent mission: to entertain and educate, to spark dialogue, and to cultivate discernment through timeless works and great books—the kind that stay with you long after the curtain falls. We believe that the great texts—whether comic or tragic, absurd or lyrical—still speak powerfully to the present, and that theater remains one of the most vital ways to give them voice.
This staging is also a tribute — a heartfelt commemoration of Dr. Ricardo Abad, whose presence in our lives as friend, mentor, and artist continues to shape how we think about theater. Through his work and example, he taught us to listen deeply, to look closer, and to approach every production — no matter how strange — with intellectual rigor and artistic joy. To him, we owe not just our love for the stage, but the courage to begin something new.
We are a group of friends and former students brought together by a love of performance and a belief that classical theater still matters. In a time when the theater scene often overlooks the enduring power of “the old texts,” we choose to bring them back to the conversation — not to preserve them under glass, but to awaken them, disturb them, and let them speak again. We hope this production makes you laugh, scratch your head, and perhaps listen a little more closely to the words we so often use without thinking.
To Dr. Abad — with love and gratitude.
To you, our audience — welcome to Teatro Meron. Enjoy the confusion.
— Ron Capinding Director, Sopranong Kalbo Artistic Director, Teatro Meron
Director's Notes
Ang Sopranong Kalbo ⁃ Rolando S. Tinio’s Filipino translation of Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist play
Welcome, and thank you for joining us for this production of Ang Sopranong Kalbo (The Bald Soprano) — a play that, on the surface, appears comically incoherent and absurd, yet reveals something uncomfortably true beneath the nonsense: the emptiness of routine, the breakdown of communication, and the unsettling comedy of everyday life. In typical Ionesco fashion, it challenges our expectations of dialogue, logic, and meaning — and in doing so, demands that we pay closer attention to what we say, how we live, and why we speak at all.
This introductory event offers a preview of what Teatro Meron will bring to the stage in its inaugural production this November. Born out of shared friendship, deep questions, and a common love for the classics, Teatro Meron is a new theater collective with a clear yet urgent mission: to entertain and educate, to spark dialogue, and to cultivate discernment through timeless works and great books—the kind that stay with you long after the curtain falls. We believe that the great texts—whether comic or tragic, absurd or lyrical—still speak powerfully to the present, and that theater remains one of the most vital ways to give them voice.
This staging is also a tribute — a heartfelt commemoration of Dr. Ricardo Abad, whose presence in our lives as friend, mentor, and artist continues to shape how we think about theater. Through his work and example, he taught us to listen deeply, to look closer, and to approach every production — no matter how strange — with intellectual rigor and artistic joy. To him, we owe not just our love for the stage, but the courage to begin something new.
We are a group of friends and former students brought together by a love of performance and a belief that classical theater still matters. In a time when the theater scene often overlooks the enduring power of “the old texts,” we choose to bring them back to the conversation — not to preserve them under glass, but to awaken them, disturb them, and let them speak again. We hope this production makes you laugh, scratch your head, and perhaps listen a little more closely to the words we so often use without thinking.
To Dr. Abad — with love and gratitude.
To you, our audience — welcome to Teatro Meron. Enjoy the confusion.
— Ron Capinding Director, Sopranong Kalbo Artistic Director, Teatro Meron
