Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LONGING FOR CUBA
The oldest musical tradition to have survived to some degree in Catalonia is that of
thehavaneres(from Havana) - nostalgic songs and melancholy sea shanties brought
back from Cuba by Catalans who lived, sailed and traded there in the 19th century.
Even after Spain lost Cuba in 1898, thehavaneratradition (a mix of European and
Cuban rhythms) continued. A magical opportunity to enjoy these songs is the
Cantada d'Havaneres ( www.havanerescalella.cat , in Catalan), an evening concert held
on the Costa Brava in early July. Otherwise, you may stumble across performances
elsewhere along the coast or even in Barcelona, but there is no set program.
RETURN OF LA RUMBA
Back in the 1950s, a new sound mixing flamenco with salsa and other Latin sounds
emerged ingitano(Roma people) circles in the bars of Gràcia and the Barri Gòtic. One
of the founders of rumba Catalana was Antonio González, known as El Pescaílla (mar-
ried to the flamenco star Lola Flores). Although he was well-known in town, the
Matarò-borngitanoPeret later took this eminently Barcelona style to a wider (eventu-
ally international) audience. By the end of the 1970s, however, rumba Catalana was
running out of steam. Peret had turned to religion and El Pescaílla lived in Flores'
shadow in Madrid. But Buenos Aires-born Javier Patricio 'Gato' Pérez discovered
rumba in 1977 and gave it his own personal spin, bringing out several popular records,
such asAtalaya,until the early 1980s. After Pérez, it seemed that rumba was dead.
Not so fast! New rumba bands, often highly eclectic, have emerged in recent years. Ai
Ai Ai, Barrio Negro, El Tío Carlos and La Pegatina are names to look out for. Others
mix rumba with styles as diverse as reggae or ragga.
Classical, Opera & Baroque
Spain's contribution to the world of classical music has been modest, but Catalonia has pro-
duced a few exceptional composers. Best known is Camprodon-born Isaac Albéniz
(1860-1909), a gifted pianist who later turned his hand to composition. Among his best-re-
membered works is the Iberia cycle.
Montserrat Caballé is Barcelona's most successful voice. Born in Gràcia in 1933, the sop-
rano made her debut in 1956 in Basel (Switzerland). Her hometown launch came four years
later in the Gran Teatre del Liceu. In 1965 she performed to wild acclaim at New York's
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