Known for his powerful voice in theater acting, the 34-year-old classical-trained tenor Arman Ferrer is a man of many hats. From his workout videos to performing different concerts locally and abroad, his dedication to his craft makes him more interesting.

Appearing in numerous stage plays, Arman recently bagged the role of Rama in the latest iteration of 'Rama, Hari.' To which he explained a milestone in his career as a theater actor.

During an exclusive online interview for the Manila Bulletin Entertainment, Arman shared his unforgettable experience during their opening night at the Metropolitan Theater last Sept. 15.

"It felt really great. It was an unbelievable feeling. There's always that special heartfelt feeling when people appreciate what you do and what you give. Hearing people say that they enjoyed and were able to relate to the play made all the rehearsals, all the hard work worth it," Arman said.

He also added that he struggled to pick his favorite performance since the production was masterfully done.

"But personally, ‘Tagistis ng Ulan’, ‘Magbalik Ka na Mahal’, ‘Awit ng Pagsinta’, “Halina sa Mithila’ are my favorites. It's really difficult to pick one favorite because the music of Mr. C, the text of Bien Lumbera, and the choreography of Ms. Alice is so rich, powerful and just beautiful," he said. 

"Rama, Hari" is based on the ancient Sanskrit epic Ramayana, which follows Prince Rama from his marriage to Sita, their 14-year banishment, and their encounters with the evil Ravana and his sister Soorpanakha.

With the collaboration of five national artists, namely Alice Reyes for dance, Ryan Cayabyab for music, Salvador Bernal for theater and Design, Bienvenido Lumbera for literature, and Rolando Tinio for theater and literature, this year's "Rama, Hari" production brings out the best of the best from their cast.

According to Arman, he feels blessed to work with such talented people.

"We are blessed that we got the chance to work with two National Artists, maestro Ryan Cayabyab and Ms. Alice Reyes. It's always an honor to be working with these masters. You learn a lot from them, not only by listening to them but by watching them work. Also, when they share stories about their journeys and experiences, those are priceless knowledge they pass on to us, the younger generation," Arman said.

He also added that even though he worked with Ryan Cayabyab in the past, he still gets the fanboy feeling every rehearsal.

"This is the first time I'm working with Ms. Alice for a full musical and I'm really happy I got the chance to. I'm amazed how, at her age, she still able to keep up with all the rehearsals choreography. Her stamina and sharpness during rehearsals is very remarkable. She's amazing. 
I've worked with Maestro Ryan several times; it's always a pleasure and an honor. I've always loved his generosity and patience when it comes to rehearsals. During rehearsals, you can feel the passion of both of these great artists, and it's contagious and inspiring. I'm fortunate that I was able to work with them. I will cherish this for the rest of my life. Plus, there's always that starstruck/fanboy feeling," he added. 

Although he had been on the theater scene for a long time, Arman shared that it was still a challenge for him to portray the role of Rama.

"There are challenges in becoming Rama. You have to do the choreography well during singing. AR (Alice Reyes)  is strict with this. You have to sing the right notes and sing them well; Mr. C (Ryan Cayabyab)  is strict with this. Lastly, you must make the people believe you are the character, Rama. I always try my best to make sure that the audience feels what I sing. I want people to say that they could relate to and feel the emotions of the character and than just the voice, Arman said.

At the end of the interview, Arman shared that after acquiring his dream role of Rama, he aims to portray more original Filipino musicals and Broadway plays such as "Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Miserables."

The Cultural Center of the Philippines presents "Rama, Hari" and features the artists of the Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP) and the CCP's Professional Artist Support Program (PASP), with guests from Guang Ming College and other regional schools who actively participated in previous ARDP and PASP Productions.

"Rama, Hari" will have another run on Sept. 22 and 23 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.