A lyrical concert called “Gerardo Alfonso Bel Canto” will pay homage in January to Havana composer and guitaristwhile giving continuity to an initiative that began in 2015.
The show will review the work of the author of pieces such as “Giovanna”, “White sheets” and “I would like”.
The initiative, according to what Helson Hernández, artistic director, informed this outlet, maintains the initial purpose through which troubadour compositions are accompanied by novel arrangements by concert music instrumentalists and sung by an appreciable diversity of lyrical voices.
It is preceded by the concerts “Pablo Milanés Bel Canto” (2015), “Amaury Pérez Bel Canto” (2019), “Silvio Rodríguez Bel Canto” (2020), and “Santiago Feliú Bel Canto” (2022).
In this fifth edition, the musical arrangements include Janio Abreu, Rosa García Oropesa, Alejandro Calzadilla, Alex Joy, Simón Ibáñez, Mabel González, Eralys Fernández and Yaliev Álvarez.
The sopranos Dayri Llanes, Yoslainy Derrick, Pilar Pousada will participate; the mezzo-sopranos Dayamí Pérez and Merlin Cruz; the tenors Eugenio Hernández, Jorge Félix Leyva and Rey Quinteros, as well as the young Lucía LLanes, Samantha Correa, Lisbet Moreno, Jorge Luis Guzmán, Alexei Scasso. They announce the special participation of the Mexican soprano Lily Nogueras.
The ICRT Choir directed by Liagne Reyna and the Cuban Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra under the direction of maestro Miguel Patterson join for the first time.
The tribute concert “Gerardo Alfonso Bel Canto” will be held on January 12, 2023 at 6:00 pm, in the Minor Basilica of the San Francisco de Asís Convent.
It will have the artistic direction and curatorship of Helson Hernández, the support of the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana, the Cuban Institute of Music and the sponsorship of CMBF Radio Musical Nacional which will broadcast the event live.
Lyrical concert will remember the troubadour Santiago Feliú in Cuba
Born in Havana on November 1, 1958, Gerardo Alfonso taught himself to play the guitar and piano, influenced by the work of Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, and the Brazilians Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Milton Nascimento.
For his musical projection he drew on many aspects, where there are also other genres of Cuban music. Among his contributions is the creation of the Guayason rhythm, with melodic elements of peasant and Afro-Cuban music.
