Books can be rightly called reservoirs of knowledge that expose readers to worlds both imaginary and real. They inform, entertain, thrill, and captivate the reader, all while providing information and entertainment.
To mark World Book Day—it is celebrated annually on April 23—the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi hosted a music concert titled Visca L’amor at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre (IHC) on Wednesday. The viewers witnessed an enthralling performance by the gifted opera singer and soprano Minerva Moliner, who was accompanied by skilled pianist Alejandro Picó-Leonís.
An exchange of culture
Apart from being a celebration of World Book Day, this concert also highlighted how literature and books are important aspects of culture. José María Ridao, the Ambassador of Spain to India, mentioned the role of tomes in promoting Spanish culture and music, “Our aim is to share with the Indian audience the finest aspects of our culture.” Ridao further emphasised the importance of sharing diverse musical traditions and expressed a desire to learn about Indian music such as raga (scale) and share it with music lovers in Spain and Europe.
The stunning, hour-long performance by Valencian soprano, Moliner—she has been awarded multiple international distinctions in vocals—accompanied by pianist Picó-Leonís, on Wednesday left the audience mesmerised. Expressing her happiness with the warm reception from the audience, Moliner shared, “We didn’t know what to expect because we know this audience isn’t familiar with this repertoire. However, after this evening, we are really happy because the audience was warm, and we feel that our recital was well-received. So it was fantastic.”
Speaking to us, Picó-Leonís became extremely emotional and teary-eyed. “It was a very special performance,” he shared, adding, “This was my first performance in India and the reception from the audience was so unique. It was a special feeling to see them paying so much attention and enjoying the music… even the children present seemed to be captivated. It was a magical moment.”
Love and literature
Explaining how the performance beautifully blended street elements, folklore, and classical music from Spanish literature, Picó-Leonís highlighted, “Most of the songs we performed today were composed in the 20th Century, based on texts from the Golden Age of Spanish writers. We had songs by Enrique Granados [Spanish composer], who was influenced by the paintings of Francisco de Goya. Thus, we incorporated art into music literature.” The title of this concert—Visca L’amor—translates to ‘long live love’, serving as a befitting tribute to the power of love in almost every form.
While it was a delightful concert, this event also showcased the rich cultural heritage of Spain and the importance of literature and music in promoting cross-cultural exchange. Ridao educated us on the Spanish tradition of exchanging books for roses to promote love.
He concluded the chat by expressing a desire to introduce this tradition in India to celebrate World Book Day, “In Spain, there is a tradition that is over a hundred years old, where the woman gives a book to the groom and the groom offers her a rose. However, with changing times, we have modified this tradition slightly. Now, men receive books as a symbol of wisdom, and women receive flowers as a representation of beauty. We believe that this tradition is relevant to India since Indians love books and flowers.”