More than three decades after it was last staged at the historic Metropolitan Theater, Frank G. Rivera’s award-winning ethno-pop-rock modern zarzuela Ambon, Ulan, Baha returns to the MET on September 26 and 27, 2026, bringing its enduring story of progress, environmental destruction, and collective responsibility to a new generation of audiences.

Presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Metropolitan Theater, and produced by Pixel Art Media Production Co., the 2026 staging revisits a work that first confronted the consequences of environmental exploitation decades before climate change became part of mainstream public discourse.

A homecoming more than three decades in the making

The production’s return to the MET carries particular historical significance. Ambon, Ulan, Baha was staged at the theater in 1992 under Rivera, who then served as founder and artistic director of Teatro Metropolitano, the MET’s resident theater company during its Second Golden Age.

It became the last production staged at the Metropolitan Theater before the venue closed its doors. Now, more than 30 years later, the musical returns to the same stage, bringing a chapter of both the production’s history and the MET’s theatrical legacy full circle.

The restaging also forms part of the 52nd anniversary celebration of Sining Kambayoka, the pioneering theater company Rivera founded at Mindanao State University in 1974. The company is known for its Kambayoka Theater Form, which brings together Meranaw chants, folklore, music, and dance in a distinctly Filipino theatrical tradition.

At the center of Ambon, Ulan, Baha are Nonoy, played by CJ Navato, and Inday, portrayed by Thea Astley, two young lovers living in the fictional Barrio Magubat.

Their dreams become entangled with promises of development following a logging concession driven by the wealthy and influential Don Calixto, played by Anton Juan, and his son Doctor Anton, played by Rendell Sanchez.

As ambition and self-interest begin to transform the community, forests are stripped away and traditions start to disappear. Nature eventually retaliates through a catastrophic flood that changes the lives of Barrio Magubat’s residents forever.

While the story was conceived decades ago, its themes have only grown more immediate. The musical examines the tension between development and ecological responsibility, asking what happens when the pursuit of livelihood, modernization, and economic opportunity comes at the expense of the environment.

Reimagining the zarzuela for contemporary audiences

The new staging will combine the production’s Filipino cultural foundations with modern theatrical technology.

Under the direction of CJ Andaluz, the MET will be transformed through immersive projections and visual storytelling, with the production featuring theatrical rainfall and aerial sequences inside the historic venue.

Joining Andaluz on the creative team are Frank G. Rivera as playwright and principal composer, Pipo Cifra for 2026 musical arrangement and direction, Anthony Cruz for choreography, Ohm David for production design, Raqs Regalado for costume design, Charlotte Despuez for lighting design, and Roman Cruz for technical direction.

Navato, Astley, Juan, and Sanchez are joined by Nazer Salcedo as Kapitan Berto, Onyl Torres as Mang Pedro, Shermaine Santiago as Nana Ilyang, and Sweet Buchanan as Nana Maring.

The Taumbayan ensemble brings together alumni of previous Ambon, Ulan, Baha productions and a new generation of performers, including Beng Jordan, Jerome Ferguson, Joseph Sy, Jonathan Montes, Lian Silverio, Peachy Dumaya, and Phil Panganiban. Members of Tanghalang Bagong Sibol comprise the production’s Koro, with JM Ursula and Joch Bucacao serving as lead dancers.

The production will also feature Manlilikha ng Bayan Rosie Godwino Sula, recognized for her mastery and preservation of T’boli epic chanting traditions. Her participation strengthens the production’s connection to indigenous Filipino expression and cultural memory.

The roots of Ambon, Ulan, Baha stretch back to 1976, when the work was first written and staged as Kaingin, part of the trilogy Ang Hawla by MSU-Sining Kambayoka. It was later expanded into the full-length zarzuela Ambon, Ulan, Baha in 1978.

Long before environmental crises became part of everyday public conversation, the musical was already warning of the consequences of illegal logging and the vulnerability of communities living in its wake. The production has since received recognitions including the 2004 Aliw Award for Best Musical Production and the 2012 Fr. Satur Nery Environmental Heroism Award.

Ambon, Ulan, Baha runs at the Metropolitan Theater on September 26, 2026 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM, and September 27 at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 6:00 PM.

Tickets are priced at ₱1,500 for Reserved Seating and ₱1,000 for General Admission, available through Ticketnation.ph and via bit.ly/aubtickets.