This Friday, October 10 at 7:00 p.m., Teatro Esperanza will be filled with history, poetry, and music during the concert “Sonidos Latinos”, a unique experience that revives and celebrates classical music from Puerto Rico and Latin America.
Puerto Rican-American soprano Marcelle McGuirk, recognized for her work in opera and classical music, leads this deeply personal artistic project. With roots in Yauco, Puerto Rico, Marcelle has spent the past two years researching Puerto Rican classical song, uncovering hundreds of compositions by Puerto Rican musicians that were never published or recorded and are rarely performed.
«It has been an eye-opening experience. These songs are a testament to the talent and sensitivity of composers who, for various historical reasons, were pushed aside from the classical canon,” says Marcelle.
A Latin American collaboration
“Sonidos Latinos” also features Brazilian pianist Gabriel Rebola and French Argentinian mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza, a Temple University alumna. Together, they will present a program of approximately 15 pieces, including duets, vocal solos, and piano works.
Marcelle will primarily perform Puerto Rican classical songs, Eugenia Forteza will share art songs from her Argentinian heritage, and Gabriel Rebola will perform works by renowned Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.
A Rediscovered musical legacy
The Puerto Rican songs featured in the concert span a wide range of styles. Some are rooted in traditional genres like bomba and danza, while others adopt popular musical forms of their time.
One of the concert’s highlights will be the performance of a waltz by composer Hermógenes Álvarez, which uses poetry rich with symbolism to express Puerto Rico’s yearning for independence from Spanish colonial rule written before the U.S. occupation of the island.
A Message of Pride and Remembrance
More than just a concert, “Sonidos Latinos” seeks to reclaim the cultural and artistic value of Puerto Rican and Latin American composers who have long been historically overlooked.
“I hope the audience walks away with a deeper sense of pride in our rich musical heritage. This is a way to rescue silenced voices and give them the place they deserve in the history of classical music,” Marcelle concludes.
It promises to be an unmissable night for lovers of music, culture, and Latin American history.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.esperanzacenter.us