David Bisbal and Pasión Vega, a fervent song for peace in the Sagrada Família

2023-12-12 23:46:53

It was a picturesque scene, perhaps a little psychotropic, that of these two voices of popular music, very commercial and earthly, such as David Bisbal and Pasión Vega, making their voices climb among Gaudí’s towers, embedded in a mass, but it was about singing for a cause bigger than themselves. Concert and worship, coming together with an eye toward that field hospital that must be built in Ukraine with donations like those made by the 3,200 attendees to the charity event, this Tuesday at the Sagrada Familia temple.

Call it a show, although it had some of it, can be frivolous: The Eucharistic word was heard in the mouth of Monsignor David Abadías, Auxiliary Bishop of Barcelona, ​​who invited us to “remove from ourselves this heart of stone and put in its place a heart of flesh.” Messages supported by Sister Lucía Caram, organizer of the event together with businessman Enrique Tomás.

Flutes and charango

It was also about commemorating the 10th anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Francis, coinciding with the festival of the Virgin of Guadalupe. And for this reason, the musical basis was laid by the ‘Criolla Mass’ that the Argentine Ariel Ramírez composed in 1964. An offering with lively accents of folklore, expanding the colors of the religious rite. Charango and Andean flutes transmitting warmthtinkling over the bodies of the dozen instrumentalists and the Liceu choir (conducted by Jacob Sureda).

The singing couple, very prepared. Pasión Vega adjusted to the Solemnity of the Holy One and the Lamb of God”. And David Bisbal replaced that distant youthful plea of ​​“Hail Mary, when will you be mine” with the pious and Christmas announcement that “God is born, petal and flower.” The songbook opened to pieces like ‘Hallelujah’, by Leonard Cohen, with a Bisbal feel, and ‘El cant dels ocells’, which Pasión Vega addressed in Catalan propelled by the choir. And a ‘Thanks to life’, by Violeta Parra, in which they were seen both together and looserovercoming the rigors and letting the stream of voice flow over a mattress of percussions.

The Sagrada Família is not the most conducive setting for a concert: complicated visibility, zero even in certain positions (all those columns), and reliefs that provide acoustic rebounds, accommodating only the long notes. But, adapted to the situation and addressing a festive ‘I only ask of God’ (León Gieco), David Bisbal and Pasión Vega were finally at ease, and there was no lack of praise from Monsignor Abadías. “You have done very well.” And a cordial reminder that brought some smiles: “We do mass every Sunday. You can come back whenever you want.”