Remembering Luz Fernandez, Ballet Manila’s beloved Lola Basyang
Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Luz Fernandez enjoy their conversation on the former’s Art 2 Art program during the actress’ guesting in 2013. Fernandez had been a voice talent of DZRH since the 1950s. Photo by Susan A. De Guzman
Veteran actress Luz Fernandez, the storytelling grandmother of Ballet Manila’s Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang and its sequel, Tatlo Pang Kuwento ni Lola Basyang, passed away on March 5, capping a prolific career on radio, television and film that spanned decades. She was 86.
In 2008, when Ballet Manila premiered Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang based on the stories of Severino Reyes, there was no other choice to play the popular storyteller than her.
Armed with a book and seated on her rocking chair, Luz Fernandez played the titular storyteller in Ballet Manila’s Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang and Tatlo Pang Kuwento ni Lola Basyang. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
It was a role she was destined to play, having been part of the cast that brought the Lola Basyang stories to radio in the 1950s. It dramatized different stories on air, each episode ending with the venerable grandmother imparting value-laden lessons to her listeners.
Since the 1950s, Fernandez had been a radio talent of DZRH, the flagship station of the Manila Broadcasting Company, where she voiced dozens of characters in various serials and also got a chance to direct.
Although Fernandez may have been no-nonsense at work, she could also be funny. Ballet Manila artistic director Lisa Macuja-Elizalde attests, “Tita Luz was the absolute professional but with a sense of humor. She was absolutely serious during rehearsals and performances but would often lighten the atmosphere by telling jokes in between cues.”
The prima ballerina recalled how the actress helped her and the children in the cast with their spiels. “She would prompt us and be very patient with us-first-timers since we were primarily dancers and not really actors used to speaking lines.”
Youngsters led by Ate Missy (Missy Macuja-Elizalde) listen intently as Lola Basyang (Luz Fernandez) reads to them in Ballet Manila’s Tatlo Pang Kuwento ni Lola Basyang in 2013. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Through the many stagings of the Lola Basyang ballet triologies, Macuja-Elizalde got to spend a lot of time with Fernandez. “She was so funny in the dressing room, telling stories about the ‘good old days’ when it was just radio drama and then television.”
What she cannot forget, however, was when Fernandez fell ill right before the second of what would have been three shows of Lola Basyang. “Although she was insisting she could still do it, I had to make an executive decision to replace her instead as Tita Lisa and sent her to the ER. She had high blood pressure. She wanted to return for the third show! I put my foot down and I replaced her for two shows. The next day, she was back as strong and reliable as always!
A giggly Luz Fernandez had her picture taken with Ballet Manila dancer Mark Sumaylo after a show of Tatlo Pang Kuwento ni Lola Basyang. Photo by Jimmy Villanueva
Fernandez apparently also had a naughty side. “She had a huge crush on (dancer) Mark Sumaylo and would make everyone crack up with her swoons and comments whenever he would dance!” relates the ballerina laughingly.
But keeping true to her stage alter ego, what Fernandez enjoyed was sharing nuggets of wisdom with the younger generation. As she said in interviews, “Pinakagusto ko talaga ay ‘yung pagkakataong mangaral sa mga bata, na ipaalala sa kanila ‘yung mga Filipino values na nakalimutan nila.” (What I really like most is the chance to teach children and to remind them about Filipino values they may have forgotten.)
Luz Fernandez signs a copy of the Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang souvenir program for the Ballet Manila Archives. Photo by Giselle P. Kasilag
