Lance Joseph Martinez

Celeste Legaspi Shares Excitement Over Working Again with Ryan Cayabyab in Proscenium Theater’s 'Love Letters'

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“Of course, I always loved working with Ryan!”That was the immediate response of OPM icon Celeste Legaspi when director and producer Rowell Santiago sent her a text message asking if she would be interested in joining a Valentine’s concert alongside another living legend, National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768459972958Copy of JB__3932_11zon.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/>Celeste Legaspi | Photo courtesy of Proscenium Theater</div>For Celeste, she didn&#x27;t need further convincing. “I’ve worked with Ryan since the 70s. So, he’s one of my favorite people. So, of course, I’d like to do that,” she shared in an interview with Metro.Style.When Rowell added that the concept revolved around “three Cs”—George Canseco, Jose Mari Chan, and Willy Cruz—the idea became even more appealing. “And then he told me, they’re thinking of three Cs—three composers, three Filipino composers. So, the more I liked it.”Coincidentally, Celeste recalled that she was hearing Mass at the time the offer came through. In that quiet, reflective moment, while receiving blessings from the priest, she found herself saying yes to the project, agreeing to perform for the first time at Rockwell’s Proscenium Theater, where the second chapter of the &quot;MaestroClass Concert Series,&quot; titled Love Letters, would soon unfold.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768459998998Copy_of_JB__4155_optimized_3000.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/>Celeste Legaspi, Ryan Cayabyab, Basil Valdez, and Ogie Alcasid</div><div> </div>Love Letters concert will run on February 13, 14, and 15, 2026, offering audiences a Valentine’s weekend steeped in nostalgia. The show promises to revisit and celebrate classic OPM compositions, songs that once defined eras but are now rarely heard on mainstream platforms.Beyond its romantic timing, Love Letters aims to rekindle public appreciation for timeless Filipino music. The concert will be arranged by Cayabyab himself, with Celeste sharing the stage with fellow OPM icons Ogie Alcasid and Basil Valdez. Together, they will shine a spotlight on the works of the other “Cs” of OPM: George Canseco, Jose Mari Chan, and Willy Cruz.For Celeste, however, the project goes beyond a mere performance. “This concert isn’t just about singing,” she implied, describing it as a meaningful reunion with Cayabyab, fondly known as Mr. C, a collaborator, confidant, and friend she has known for decades.Looking back, Celeste traced their first meeting to 1974, when she was in her mid-20s. Their paths crossed during a television special for Jose Mari Chan, a production she described as the gold standard of its time.“My earliest memories of Ryan is, we were doing a special for Jose Mari Chan. And during that time, the specials, the television specials of Jose Mari Chan were the basis of elegance and excellence. So, if you were part of his specials, you were really feeling great about yourself,” she recalled.She explained why those productions stood out: “Kasi, everything was good about it, the music was great. And that’s where I met Ryan. He was one of the arrangers for the television special of Jose.”<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768460037741Copy_of_JB__4372_optimized_3000.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div>One particular moment from that first collaboration remains vivid in her memory. As she prepared to sing one of Cayabyab’s arrangements, the National Artist asked her, “Can you sing it like Tillie Moreno?” Celeste’s response was a straightforward ”no,” an exchange that marked the beginning of their professional relationship.Celeste admitted that she may have come across as a little mataray at first, but that did not stop Cayabyab from being kind and patient with her. Their bond deepened significantly when Mr. C became the music director for her first television special.That experience left a lasting impression. When she got home, Celeste immediately told her husband, Nonoy Gallardo, about Cayabyab’s brilliance.“I really loved all the work that he did for me. The music was so fabulous, so wonderful. And even then, in the 70s, I was saying to people that I think Ryan Cayabyab is a genius. It’s as simple as that. But he’s also a very, very nice guy.”Over the years, their connection evolved from professional collaboration into something deeply personal.“His daughter is my inaanak, and my son is his inaanak. So, we’ve known each other for a long, long time. And I’m also very close to his wife, Amy, who is my voice teacher.”Among the many shared memories that stand out for Celeste, one of the most remarkable involved performing abroad, specifically, in Morocco, alongside Cayabyab and Basil Valdez, for King Hassan.“It was always a challenge because the audience was very small. It was only his family, but the women were separated from the men. And we were required to sing in Spanish, and in French, and Arabic. So, it was quite interesting. It’s a different culture,” Legaspi looked back.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768460139383Copy of JB__3944_3_11zon.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div>Back home, Cayabyab remained a constant presence in Celeste’s career. From her early solo concerts to her most recent ones, he consistently served as her music director.“So, we would always be going into endeavors that were challenging. And I knew that I could always rely on Ryan. And whenever the music is difficult, I was sure we’d be fine because… It was Ryan.”While Celeste has a long-standing history with Cayabyab and Valdez, her experiences with Ogie Alcasid came much later since he&#x27;s their junior. Still, she spoke highly of the singer-songwriter, recalling their collaboration in the original Filipino musical Sino Ka Ba Jose Rizal?According to Celeste, Alcasid was required to audition for director Nestor Torre, who initially doubted his acting abilities. “And so, they had a session na sila lang dalawa,” she recounted. The result surprised everyone: “And then after the audition, sabi ni Nestor, ‘Nagalit si Mr. Alcasid, sabi niya noon. Nagpakitang gilas.’”Celeste had nothing but praise for Alcasid’s performance. “He was very, very good. Ogie was very, very good na Jose Rizal. He really sang very well and acted very well.”The production was staged for several nights at Rizal Park, as part of the centennial commemoration of Jose Rizal’s death, marking the beginning of a close professional relationship between them.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768460069079Copy of JB__3937_2_11zon.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div>As Love Letters approaches, Celeste revealed that another reason she is especially excited is the venue itself. She has yet to perform at Rockwell’s Proscenium Theater.“I heard that the sound and the lights are top-class. So, I’m very eager. I’m very excited to be able to perform there,” she said.She elaborated further, citing feedback from a friend who had attended a performance at the venue.“I have a friend who is not involved in entertainment at all. And they had come to watch a choir. And according to him, they were on the balcony, I think he said. And it was very clear from the balcony. And mukhang walang amplification. ‘Yung acoustics lang talaga ng theater. So, I’m very excited to experience that,” Legaspi told Metro.Style.With legends reuniting, timeless compositions taking center stage, and a world-class venue awaiting them, Love Letters promises to be more than just a Valentine’s concert, but also a celebration of the enduring power of Filipino music.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768460092963Screenshot_2026-01-14_at_12.49.13_PM_optimized_3000_11zon.png" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768460111463Screenshot_2026-01-14_at_12.49.23_PM_optimized_3000_2_optimized_1000_11zon.png" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="700"/>Rockwell&#x27;s Proscenium Theater</div><div> </div><div>Tickets for Love Letters are now available via <a href="https://premier.ticketworld.com.ph/shows/show.aspx?sh=LOVELETR26">TicketWorld</a>, both online and at the Power Plant Mall Cinema outlets.</div><div> </div>Photos courtesy of Rockwell and Proscenium Theater

OPM icon Celeste Legaspi can't contain her excitement as she prepares to reunite with her longtime friend, National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, for the "MaestroClass Concert Series" titled "Love Letters," happening this Valentine’s weekend at the Proscenium Theater.

OPM icon Celeste Legaspi can't contain her excitement as she prepares to reunite with her longtime friend, National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, for the "MaestroClass Concert Series" titled "Love Letters," happening this Valentine’s weekend at the Proscenium Theater.

Celeste Legaspi and Ryan Cayabyab Collaborate Anew in Proscenium Theater’s 'Love Letters'

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Celeste Legaspi and Ryan Cayabyab Collaborate Anew in Proscenium Theater’s 'Love Letters'

Lance Joseph Martinez

Published Jan 16, 2026 03:15 PM PHT

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Celeste Legaspi

Ogie Alcasid

Ryan Cayabyab

Basil Valdez

Love Letters

Proscenium Theater

People

Jose Mari Chan

Willy Cruz

George Canseco

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