National Artist for Music Francisco Feliciano dies at 73

PROCLAIMED National Artist for Music by President Benigno Simeon Aquino 3rd in 2014, Francisco Feliciano was credited for propagating “Asianness” in his works. He was known for his musical combination of Filipino culture, as well as his Western and Asian musical idiom in operas, ballets, orchestral works and hymns he has composed.

Family, friends and colleagues paid tribute to the late National Artist in a necrological ceremony held on September 25 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater), followed by an interment held at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Feliciano died on September 19 at the age of 73 after his long battle with cancer.