THE Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Abreeza mall caught everyone’s attention.
Shoppers stop in their tracks with their mouths agape and children run around and around, amazed. It's a thrilling yearly experience instilled in us since we were just children. Standing there with an excited crowd, counting down in unison, "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...."
Then, suddenly, the lights on the towering Christmas tree are flipped on and the darkness is instantly transformed into a magical place.
Abreeza Mall gave shoppers that wonderful experience and the taste of the heartwarming season that lies ahead by filling its halls with twinkling lights and sweet symphonies.
On November 19, Abreeza Mall held the Christmas launch, an annual activity that heralds the holidays through a grand musical performance and the lighting of the Christmas tree for the first time.
The Christmas Launch kicked off with a performance by female vocal trio Zhalia, a Davao-based group that earned multiple gold medals at the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2015 competition held in Long Beach, California.
Following Zhalia’s performance was the lighting of the Abreeza Mall Christmas tree. Designed by T’nalak Home, the tree lit up to reveal warm gold and bright red ornaments against a traditional dark green base and was a heartwarming sight that hiked up the holiday glee among spectators.
Taking the stage as the main act was a double quartet from the acclaimed Manila Symphony Orchestra which treated the audience to symphonic renditions of both classic Christmas melodies and popular Filipino carols.
The performance is part of the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s 90th-anniversary celebration as the group has set out to stage fantastic shows this year to honor its founding in 1926.
Through its performance at Abreeza Mall, the Manila Symphony Orchestra carried out its long-held mission among its Davaoeño audience: “to enrich the Filipino’s vibrant cultural life through fine orchestral music and to enable more people to experience the power of music.”
Kids from Love the Children Foundation, Inc. in Toril, a non-government, non-profit and residential care institution for disadvantaged children joined the festivities to experience the joys of Christmas. The kids enjoyed a day out at Abreeza Mall that included a trip to Timezone and a hearty dinner with the members of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
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