Christmas Concerts in Manila 2026: Carols, Orchestras and the Nutcracker

The essentials, in date order

• Friday 13 November, 7:30PM: Okada Manila Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Jessica Sanchez with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra
• Saturday 28 November, 5PM: Christmas Concert at The Pen, The Peninsula Manila
• Friday 4 December: Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) Concert IV, Samsung Performing Arts Theater
• 11 to 13 December: The Nutcracker, Ballet Philippines, The Theatre at Solaire
• 11 to 13 December: The Nutcracker, Ballet Manila artists and Steps Dance Studio, Samsung Performing Arts Theater
• Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December, 8PM: Jose Mari Chan Christmas Concert, Newport Performing Arts Theater
• Wednesday 16 December, 8PM: Videoke Hits: Christmas Edition, Newport Performing Arts Theater
• Friday 18 and Saturday 19 December: The Nutcracker, Saint Petersburg National Ballet Theatre, Newport
• Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December, 3PM: Home Alone in Concert, The Theatre at Solaire

Jose Mari Chan Christmas Concert

Jose Mari Chan headlines two nights at Newport. Billboard Philippines reported the show as "A Christmas with the OPM Icons" and said he is bringing "some of OPM's biggest stars", none of them named when it reported in August.

Best for: the parents and titas who start playing "Christmas in Our Hearts" in September.

• When: Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December, 8PM
• Where: Newport Performing Arts Theater, Newport World Resorts, Pasay
• Tickets: TicketWorld. Billboard Philippines reported prices from ₱3,500 (Bronze) to ₱11,000 (Platinum).
• More: event page

Home Alone in Concert

Home Alone in Concert plays the 1990 film on a big screen while the 85-member Filharmonika Orchestra, conducted by Gerard Salonga, and the 48-member Philippine Madrigal Singers perform John Williams' score live. Film Concerts PH says it runs about 2 hours 9 minutes with a 20-minute intermission, and recommends it for ages 6 and up.

Best for: three generations in one row.

• When: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December, 3PM
• Where: The Theatre at Solaire, Entertainment City, Parañaque
• Tickets: TicketWorld. We could not load TicketWorld's price list when we checked on 4 November 2026.
• More: event page

Three Nutcrackers

Ballet Philippines dances The Nutcracker from 11 to 13 December at The Theatre at Solaire, as part of its 57th season. Its site calls it "a timeless tradition, reawakened with precision, grandeur, and heart."

Ballet Manila artists and Steps Dance Studio stage a second Nutcracker the same weekend at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati, restaged by Jeffrey Espejo. TheaterFansManila reported performances on 11 December at 7:30PM, 12 December at 2PM and 7:30PM, and 13 December at 2PM, with tickets on TicketWorld.

The Saint Petersburg National Ballet Theatre brings its production to Newport Performing Arts Theater for three shows on 18 and 19 December, with about 40 dancers. Tickets are on Megatix, which says tickets bought from resellers or third-party sites will not be admitted.

Best for: a child's first ballet. The weekend matinees are easiest with small children.

• More: Ballet Manila and Steps, Saint Petersburg

Christmas Concert at The Pen

The Peninsula Manila says its Christmas concert has run for 41 years. In the hotel's golden anniversary year, The Lobby again "resounds with orchestra, choir, and song". Performers for 2026 are not named; last year it was the Manila Symphony Orchestra and the Ateneo Chamber Singers.

Best for: an afternoon in Makati with merienda and carols.

• When: Saturday 28 November, 5PM to 7PM
• Where: The Lobby, The Peninsula Manila, corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues
• Prices: in the Upper Lobby, ₱6,000 per seat or ₱24,000 for a table of four with a festive merienda. In The Lobby, ₱32,000 for a table of four or ₱88,000 for ten, with a deluxe festive merienda. Prices include VAT and are subject to 10% service charge and government taxes.

Okada Manila tree lighting and Videoke Hits

Okada Manila opens its season on Friday 13 November at 7:30PM in the Fountain Foyer. Jessica Sanchez sings Disney songs and holiday favourites with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, with duets with Jed Madela. Okada has not posted an entry price.

Videoke Hits: Christmas Edition puts Ice Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Sitti, Noel Cabangon and Bituin Escalante on stage for Christmas hits and carols. It is on Wednesday 16 December at 8PM at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, with tickets on Newport World Resorts' site.

PPO Concert IV

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra plays Beethoven on Friday 4 December at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater: the Egmont Overture, the Eroica Symphony and Piano Concerto No. 4 with Mario Galeani. There are no carols on the programme; it is the concert that closes the orchestra's calendar year. Event page.

Choirs and orchestras still to announce

• Manila Symphony Orchestra: "The Magic of Christmas" ran on 3 and 4 December 2025 at St Michael the Archangel Church, BGC, with Kammerchor Manila. Not announced for 2026 when we checked on 4 November.
• Philippine Madrigal Singers: their site lists a UAE tour from 3 to 15 December 2026. In Manila, you can hear them in Home Alone in Concert.
• UST: last year the UST Christmas Concert was on 2 December 2025 at Santísimo Rosario Parish Church, and the Paskuhan concert on 19 December 2025. 2026 dates not posted.
• UST Singers: no 2026 Manila Christmas date found.

Questions people ask

What Christmas concerts are on in Manila in December 2026? Jose Mari Chan at Newport on 11 and 12 December, Videoke Hits: Christmas Edition at Newport on 16 December, and Home Alone in Concert at Solaire on 19 and 20 December. Three Nutcracker productions run between 11 and 19 December.

When is the Jose Mari Chan concert in 2026? Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December, 8PM, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay.

Is Home Alone in Concert coming to Manila? Yes. Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 December at 3PM, at The Theatre at Solaire, with the Filharmonika Orchestra and the Philippine Madrigal Singers.

Where can I watch The Nutcracker in Manila this Christmas? Ballet Philippines at Solaire, 11 to 13 December; Ballet Manila artists with Steps Dance Studio at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, 11 to 13 December; and the Saint Petersburg National Ballet Theatre at Newport, 18 and 19 December.

Is there a Christmas choir concert in Manila? The Philippine Madrigal Singers sing in Home Alone in Concert on 19 and 20 December. The Peninsula's concert on 28 November has orchestra and choir. MSO and UST have not posted 2026 dates.

We list 2026 dates only where the organiser, the venue or the ticket seller has published them, or where a named news outlet has reported them, as of 4 November 2026. Everything marked "last year" refers to 2025. Nobody paid to be included.