Martin Lopez stages 'Come to the Stable' anew

Twenty two years ago, Martin Lopez started "Come to the Stable," a Christmas gift to family and friends. We had a chat with Martin about its objective, among other things, and here is our conversation.

When did your project "Come to the Stable" begin, and how did you come up with such a title?

Come to the Stable started in 2000, the year I returned to the Philippines for good after eight years of living in the US and China. The concept and title came from my friend and mentor, the late Armando "Balty" Baltazar, who was very much involved with the MCO Foundation and Ang Arko ng Pilipinas. He used the title in a fundraising concert he produced for the latter the year prior in the Francisco Santiago Hall in Makati. He featured the "Madz" or the Philippine Madrigal Singers. I like the concept and asked if I could recreate it as my Christmas gift to family, friends and followers. He was only too thrilled and helped me with securing a venue grant, lending the script and even inviting the Madz and our special friends from Ang Arko ng Pilipinas to perform. That was the start of what has become a yearly tradition, which not even Covid could stop.