Gustavo Dudamel (Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 42 years old) says that he learned everything from his teacher, the late José Antonio Abreu. The passion for music, how it changes lives, how it is a universal language. And also wearing sneakers during rehearsals. He remembers never seeing Abreu without a tie, but he also never took off his black Reeboks. He comes from the rehearsal dressed all in dark with his white New Balance. It was tiring, yes, but comforting, uniting six great voices from Latin America with the musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a four-day cycle aimed at the protest song called Canto en Resistencia. A novelty that, like so many that he has produced in his 14 years at the helm of the LAPhil, as it is popularly known in the city, was received first with surprise and then with joy by his loyal listeners.
This time Gustavo Dudamel almost made a revolution. For the substance and for the form. The way is to bring six women of different nationalities, styles and generations onto the stage so that they can sing along to the Philharmonic’s genres as diverse as rap, cumbia and even reggaeton. The substance continues: bringing the protest song as a genre to the stage of the sophisticated orchestra, attracting a different, young audience and opening the ears to the classics. On his first night on Thursday, Dudamel enlivened the evening with the Mexican Ely Guerra, continued with the Chilean Ana Tijoux, continued with the Oaxacan Lila Downs (who received a Grammy nomination a few hours later) and ended with two Colombians, first Catalina García by Monsieur Periné and finally Goyo. The Mexican Silvana Estrada will be a guest on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, now alone.
More information
“It took time,” Dudamel said in an interview with EL PAÍS and EFE about how he decided to carry out such a cycle, which is certainly groundbreaking. “When I arrived in 2009, I had already done a cycle, America and Americans, which laid the foundation for the search for this space, for identity, for having this space,” he remembers. “They weren’t such radical concerts, so radical, very different musicians,” he clarifies. “In these almost 15 years, everyone has been filled with the desire to expand boundaries, beyond breaking barriers,” he assures, explaining that this is “not just another concert” and that it indeed has a personal meaning , and in this day and age this run is even vengeful and political.
The first five guests demonstrated this on stage full of emotions and received lots of applause. “Thank you to this country for bringing me here and sharing these verses with the entire American continent. This is what unites us,” said Lila Downs enthusiastically, recalling the many workers from all over Latin America who work “in the restaurants, in the countries of California.” “Sometimes we forget their existence because we have fresh strawberries on our table every morning.” Catalina García spoke of music “as a path to healing”: “Protest is a right that all people have.” Ana Tijoux, more political in her gestures and words, brought an applauded Palestinian scarf onto the stage. “The word resistance… it is impossible to talk about them without talking about Palestine. Don’t be afraid to say: ‘Stop the genocide in Gaza!'” he shouted, raising his fist. “For free Palestine! Endurance! “Ceasefire in Gaza!” he shouted to cheers and without anyone rising from their seats in a country with strong support for Israel.
Dudamel intended, as he said in the lecture, to gradually incorporate “culturally representative groups” into the ranks of this Los Angeles institution. Previously, it was allowed to play gospel or hip-hop at LAPhil secondary, outdoor, summery and popular venues like the Hollywood Bowl or the Ford Theater, but now they’ve taken it a step further and brought the protest song to the stage brought to the Walt Disney Concert Hall itself, home of the Frank Gehry-designed Philharmonic Orchestra. “It’s time to evolve, challenge and get things where they should be. The Latin American protest song is a deeply rich music, both in message and musically, because this music is based on native styles and rhythms of the people, and that makes it a cycle of songs with a very powerful message, but one that feels natural, it doesn’t feel forced. It’s not like we bring the protest song here and it’s like, “Wow!” No. It’s the normal thing that should happen and it has to have its place. And especially in institutions like this that represent classical, let’s say academic music. It’s important that we expand that spectrum and give it that space.”
The director admitted that during rehearsals it sometimes happened that a large part of the musicians did not understand the lyrics, but were “happy” about this meeting. “I explained to them a little bit what the protest song was about, and of course they realized that this music has power,” he explained.
For the acclaimed director, an important cultural figure in the city, music is crucial in these difficult, dark times. “It is a universal language. I believe that cultural spaces provide a space for reflection, contemplation and encounter, and that is essential in these divisive, very complex times. I’m very optimistic, optimism comes from music, the same projects, the same meetings. They are bridges that are built in times when bridges are practically collapsing. I think it is important that culture is seen as a very important tool that builds bridges and creates meeting spaces. “All this music has a very powerful, protesting message of identity.” Aware that many listeners have no connection to this type of music and it is not part of their cultural foundations, he is convinced that knowledge of them and theirs Identification can help create “a future full of the breadth of what art and music should encompass” institutions.
It was the director himself who decided which women would accompany him that evening, but they proposed a selection of songs that were discussed between both parties (on the first evening each of them sang a song, generally one by the other ). Musicians, from Silvio Rodríguez to Don Omar, and another one from him). For him, who grew up listening to music like salsa at home, rediscovering such genres was a gift, part of his personal and professional development. He was looking for new spaces when he decided on this cycle of Canto en Resistencia and also when he realized that he wanted to have six women on stage. It wasn’t a coincidence.
“We are in a moment of evolution and vindication and all of these great artists represent that evolution through their art. And ultimately, art is an expression of the mind and soul,” he reflects, explaining that the process of selection was “completely natural.” “When things are done with good intention and at the highest level, things happen naturally. “The repertoire took us on a wonderful musical journey through protest and Latin American songs,” he says. “I find it fascinating that these wonderful artists are part of this moment of protest against so many things that were not where they should be.”
All the culture that goes with it awaits you here.
Subscribe to
Babelia
The literary news analyzed by the best critics in our weekly newsletter
GET IT