HablArte! - Episode 01 • Guillermo Fernández: Historias del Tango

HablArte! Podcast

In this episode we focus on Guillermo Fernández, world renowned Tango singer that has delighted audiences with his music for over six decades. After triumphant performances with Volver in 2022, the ILCC welcomes Fernández back to Chicago with a new concept that look to explore this popular musical genre "Stories of Tango" takes the audience on a voyage of discovery through the heart and soul of tango. The performance will be on May 31st, 2024 at the Instituto Cervantes (31. W.Ohio Street)
Transcript of this Episode:
JK (Host)

Welcome to a new episode of Hablarte, an independent podcast produced at the International Latino Cultural Center for the purpose of understanding this organization's mission of sharing and education of the Latino culture in its many forms of artistic expression. The ILCC programs several cultural events of note throughout the year, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival this year in its 40th edition, and our music series, which curates a year-round calendar of Latino world music concerts right here in Chicago. Additionally, the ILCC is an organization that promotes Latino film through its Rio Film Club, held once a month at the Instituto Cervantes, and Films in the Park, which takes place throughout the summer season at local Chicago parks.

You can learn all about the ILCC at our website latinoculturalcenter.org. While you're there, you may want to subscribe to our weekly newsletter to keep up to date on all that is happening at the ILCC. Today, joining me from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is Guillermo Fernández, the acclaimed tango singer that has lent his voice over the years to a brilliant career, many awards, and this month will be in Chicago performing in our local ILCC Latino Music Series at the Instituto Cervantes on May 31st.

We will be conducting this interview in Spanish and will upload a transcript in English to be found in the description portion of this episode. But first, let's take a listen to this amazing artist's music.

(SONG)

In this neighborhood that is a relic of the past Through this street so humble I stopped yesterday Behind that little window that they have closed The perfumed carnation of a love Those parties that in their courtyards celebrated Some eventful event of the place With my guitar between the wheels they told me And in tender verses my song was sung Neighborhood of my most ardent dreams Poor as the clothes of your people For me you kept all the wealth And I watched the sadness

JK (Host)

Guillermo Fernández, what a pleasure to have you here in our podcast Hablarte. You have dedicated a large part of your life to tango. The genre is undoubtedly one of the most recognized in the world.

What do we have to know about this great musical genre?

Guillermo Fernández

The pleasure is mine, Jaime. As I heard you at the beginning of the talk, which is a program of Latin art and Latin music, I believe that tango has a very important essence that has to do with all of Latin America. Because tango is nostalgic, sentimental, dramatic.

And almost all of our people were born with people crying. People who lost their lands, people who lost their families. We are a people that has been growing thanks to immigration.

So it is normal that when you listen to Mexican music, it has sadness and disillusionment and nostalgia. And when you listen to Cuban bolero

This Podcast is produced by the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, a Pan Latino Cultural Organization that seeks to promote, educate and empower Latino Arts in the Chicago Area. The ILCC is a non-for-profit organization and operates thanks to the generous contribution of our members and donor organizations. The ILCC is also the producer of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, the longest running Film Festival of its kind in North America.