The Coro y Orquesta Maestro Ricardo Lafuente performed at Torrevieja’s Sociedad Cultural Casino in a concert dedicated to the roots of the habanera and the musical connections between Spain and Cuba, conducted by Aurelio Martínez López.
The programme combined works by Ricardo Lafuente Aguado with traditional habaneras and other compositions, in a performance for voices and instruments that received a great ovation from the audience at its conclusion.
From La dulce habanera to traditional repertoire
The ensemble opened the concert with ‘La dulce habanera’, by Ricardo Lafuente Aguado, before continuing with the traditional piece ‘Toma esta flor’, presented in an arrangement by Aurelio Martínez López.
It then performed ‘Cubana y española’, with words and music by Lafuente, within a programme centred on the cultural exchange between the two sides of the Atlantic that the habanera represents.
The opening section also included ‘Pregúntale a las estrellas’ and ‘Adiós lucero de mis noches’, two traditional habaneras that drew strong applause from those attending the recital at the Casino.
The programme’s composers and contributors
One of the highlights came with ‘Reina de la Sal’, with words by Pilar Páez and music by Aurelio Martínez López, a musical tribute to one of Torrevieja’s symbols.
The programme continued with ‘Nocturno blanco’, by Ricardo Lafuente Aguado, in an orchestration by Manuel Martínez Guirao, before moving on to the traditional habanera ‘La golondrina’.
This last piece featured a solo spoken contribution by Andrés Iglesias, an intervention within the ensemble’s performance that added another expressive dimension to the concert.
The programme also included ‘Ojos que amé’, an adaptation of a composition by German musician Bert Kaempfert, before returning to Lafuente’s work with ‘Cienfuegos’, in an orchestral version by Manuel Martínez Guirao.
Soy español closes the concert
The farewell came with ‘Soy español’, also by Ricardo Lafuente Aguado, which brought the musical programme of the choir and orchestra conducted by Aurelio Martínez López to a close.
The audience rose to its feet and gave the ensemble a great ovation after a recital bringing together traditional repertoire, arrangements and compositions connected with Torrevieja’s musical heritage.
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