Hermogenes Ilagan (19 April 1873 in Bigaa, Bulacan â€" 27 February
1943) was a Filipino tenor, writer, stage actor, and playwright. He
was a descendant of Francisco Baltazar. His talent in singing made him
popular in the field of theater arts. He became known as the Father of
Tagalog Zarzuela and the Father of Philippine Zarzuela.[1]Ilagan was a
tiple (treble or soprano) and lead singer for a church in Bigaa,
Bulacan. Because of Ilagan's talent, a parish priest in Bigaa, Bulacan
brought Ilagan and his family to Manila. He became the singer for the
Santa Cruz Church. In return, Ilagan was able to study at the Ateneo
Municipal de Manila (now known as Ateneo de Manila University).
Although not able to finish schooling, Ilagan became a member of a
zarzuela troupe (theater performers) from Spain. During the
Spanishâ€"American War, the Spanish performers went back to Spain, but
Ilagan maintained his liking for the zarzuela, and later pioneered
productions of stage drama in the form of Philippine zarzuelas. His
forty years of involvement in the field of zarzuela created the period
known as the Golden Age of Philippine Theater.[1] In 1902, Ilagan
established the Compania Lirico-Dramatica Tagala de Gatchalian y
Ilagan, also known as Compania Ilagan, the first zarzuela troupe in
the Philippines. Ilagan's zarzuelas have melodramatic, comic,
romantic, and political qualities.[1]Among the zarzuelas that Ilagan
wrote and produced were:[1]
1943) was a Filipino tenor, writer, stage actor, and playwright. He
was a descendant of Francisco Baltazar. His talent in singing made him
popular in the field of theater arts. He became known as the Father of
Tagalog Zarzuela and the Father of Philippine Zarzuela.[1]Ilagan was a
tiple (treble or soprano) and lead singer for a church in Bigaa,
Bulacan. Because of Ilagan's talent, a parish priest in Bigaa, Bulacan
brought Ilagan and his family to Manila. He became the singer for the
Santa Cruz Church. In return, Ilagan was able to study at the Ateneo
Municipal de Manila (now known as Ateneo de Manila University).
Although not able to finish schooling, Ilagan became a member of a
zarzuela troupe (theater performers) from Spain. During the
Spanishâ€"American War, the Spanish performers went back to Spain, but
Ilagan maintained his liking for the zarzuela, and later pioneered
productions of stage drama in the form of Philippine zarzuelas. His
forty years of involvement in the field of zarzuela created the period
known as the Golden Age of Philippine Theater.[1] In 1902, Ilagan
established the Compania Lirico-Dramatica Tagala de Gatchalian y
Ilagan, also known as Compania Ilagan, the first zarzuela troupe in
the Philippines. Ilagan's zarzuelas have melodramatic, comic,
romantic, and political qualities.[1]Among the zarzuelas that Ilagan
wrote and produced were:[1]
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