One year after the death of the Cuban musician Pablo Milanés, Casa de América -in close collaboration with the artist’s family- is organising a tribute to him today (6.30 p.m.) and next Wednesday (7 p.m.).
This commemoration will include the screening of his last concert, a dialogue and a concert with the participation of Iván Melón Lewis, Ana Belén, Víctor Manuel, Javier Ruibal, Lynn Milanés, Liuba María Hevia, Andrés Suárez and Marwan, among others.
The composer Pablo Milanés is one of the central figures of Spanish-language song, with a wide-ranging musical creation that is already part of the great Latin American and international musical heritage. Milanés moved between the traditional genres of his country and the most contemporary music, including trova, jazz, rumba and bolero. Thanks to his interpretative versatility, his compositions were influenced by themes of love and social commitment.
Died in Madrid on 22 November 2022, Pablo Milanés said goodbye to more than six decades of artistic career, in which he released more than 40 albums and toured hundreds of times. His funeral chapel was set up at the Casa de América in Madrid at the express wish of his family.
Today there will be a screening of Días de luz – Pablo Milanés en La Habana (Cuba-Spain, 2023), a feature-length film of the singer and composer’s last concert in the city of Havana, as part of his tour of several countries.
Before the screening, there will be a dialogue, a professional and personal approach, about his dimension as an artist and human being. It will reflect on his legacy, his fundamental contribution to Ibero-American music and the poetics of his songwriting. Participants will include Nancy Pérez Rey, producer and co-director of the feature film and widow of Pablo Milanés; co-director Fabien Pisani; Spanish singer-songwriter Víctor Manuel, and writer Gioconda Belli.
On Wednesday 22 November, there will be a musical tribute featuring musicians who are friends and admirers of Pablo Milanés, who will perform his songs to pay him a simple and heartfelt tribute. Cuban artists such as Frank Delgado, Ariel Brínguez, José María Vitier, Cary Varona, Roberto Carcassés and Carlos Varela will take part in this tribute, as well as other musicians who were friends and admirers of Milanés such as Uxía, Andrés Suárez, Rosa León, Víctor Manuel and Ana Belén from Spain, and other Latin American musicians such as the Argentinian Clara Cantore and the Colombian Marta Gómez.
The final touch will be provided by the singer Lynn Milanés, daughter of Pablo Milanés, who will perform her father’s song Comienzo y final de una verde mañana, with piano accompaniment.
