Nagluluksa ngayon ang industriya ng teatro at musika sa pagpanaw ng theater at concert director na si Freddie Santos.
Pumanaw si Direk Freddie, 64, bago mag-alas singko ng umaga ngayong Huwebes, December 17, sa kanyang bahay sa Quezon City.
Sa panayam ng ABS-CBN News sa kapatid ni Direk Freddie na si Bambi Santos, sinabi nitong sumakabilang-buhay ang theater icon dahil sa mga kumplikasyon ng sakit nitong diabetes.
“We might do an online memorial,” sinabi ni Bambi sa ABS-CBN.
“I want him to be remembered as a generous person, very giving of his time, talent and resources.”
A STALWART IN THE PERFORMING ARTS
Si Direk Freddie ay isang Aliw Awards Best Stage Director Hall of Famer at may mahigit apat na dekada nang career sa performing arts.
Siya ang writer-director ng musical plays na First Name, Joseph the Dreamer, Widows, Orphans, and Wildebeests, Il Divino, at Sabel: Love and Passion.
Sa concert scene, mahigit 400 performances na, mula sa magkakaibang genre, ang isinulat at idinirek ni Freddie.
Nakatrabaho niya ang halos lahat ng pinakamahuhusay na music artists sa bansa, kabilang sina Lea Salonga, Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez, Joey Albert, Jamie Rivera, Ogie Alcasid, Monique Wilson, Rey Valera, Rico J. Puno, at maraming iba pa.
Isa ring songwriter si Direk Freddie.
Kabilang sa mga composition niya ang OPM classics na "Yakapin Mo Ako" ni Joey Albert; "Points of View" nina Joey Albert at Pops Fernandez; at ang "Could You Be Messiah" ni Gary Valenciano.
Si Direk Freddie rin ang sumulat ng wedding song ni Lea na "Two Words," katuwang ang kapwa composer na si Louie Ocampo.
Bukod dito, bahagi si Direk Freddie ng pagkakatatag ng ilang mahahalagang organisasyon sa industriya, gaya ng Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-Aawit (OPM), Philstage, at Trumpets.
LEA: “MY FIRST LEADING MAN, A MENTOR, A TEACHER”
Nagkani-kanya ng post sa social media sina Lea Salonga, Joey Albert, Audie Gemora, Carlo Orosa, at Jett Pangan upang bigyang-pugay ang pumanaw na theater icon.
Tweet ni Lea: “Rest In Peace, my Daddy Warbucks.
"I’ll never forget you. With love, your Annie.”
Tinukoy ni Lea, 49, ang karakter ni Direk Freddie sa kauna-unahang musical play na pinagbidahan ng Broadway star, ang Annie.
Nasa grade school pa lang noon si Lea, habang stage actor naman si Direk Freddie.
Inilarawan ni Lea si Freddie na “my first leading man, a mentor, a teacher.
“A brilliant writer and director.
“You will be missed, Tito Freddie.”
JOEY DEDICATES “WE’LL MEET AGAIN”
Sa Facebook, ibinahagi ni Joey, 60, ang isang art card ng lumang litrato nila ni Direk Freddie.
Nakasulat sa art card ang ilang linya mula sa Vera Lynn classic song na “We’ll Meet Again.”
Mensahe ni Joey kay Direk Freddie (published as is): “We’ll meet again… don’t know where don’t know when but i know we’ll meet again some sunny day…
“Rest in heavenly peace my dearest Freddie.”
AUDIE: “’TIL WE PERFORM TOGETHER AGAIN”
Si Audie, 53, marami raw mami-miss ngayong pumanaw na ang malapit na kaibigang si Direk Freddie.
Isa si Audie sa mga katuwang ni Direk Freddie sa pagtatatag ng Trumpets.
Si Audie ang kasalukuyang presidente ng Philstage, na founded din ni Direk Freddie.
“I will miss Freddie terribly,” saad sa Facebook post ni Audie. “His humor, his laughter, his mind, heart and soul.
“But he has left more than enough love, memories and great works to last my lifetime and beyond.
“’Til we meet and perform together again.”
CARLO PREPARES THE “MOST BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE” FOR FREDDIE
Labis naman ang panghihinayang ni Carlo sa biglaang pagpanaw ni Direk Freddie.
Hindi na raw kasi nito makikita ang “most beautiful tribute” na inihanda nila para rito.
Post ni Carlo sa Facebook: “Like a thief in the night you were taken away from us all.
“Rest In Peace Direk Freddie Santos.
“I’m overwhelmed with sadness you did not get to see the most beautiful tribute we’ve prepared for you.”
JETT RECALLS FREDDIE’S “EXTENDED PATIENCE” TO THE DAWN
Sa Facebook post ni Jett, ikinuwento niya kung paanong naging mapagpasensiya si Freddie sa pagdidirek sa The Dawn “for what was probably our first mainstream production experience involving an actual director.”
Nangyari raw ang concert noong huling bahagi ng 1980s, ayon kay Jett.
“He carried the demeanor of someone who held an extensive resumé in the field of entertainment but extended patience to a young band that only knew how to play loud and sweaty,” saad sa post ni Jett.
“A big THANK YOU to Direk Freddie Santos.
“May he now rest happily. He will be missed.”
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