A singular musical journey through Cuba’s history, as seen by Armando Rodríguez, a fervent musicophile. Rodríguez holds a degree in physics from the University of Havana, where he initially taught, but subsequently earned his living for fifty years in the field of microelectronics, robotics, medical image processing, digital telephony, and aerospace technology until his recent retirement. His passion for Cuban popular music, and his knowledge of the genre, has best been described by jazz great Paquito D’Rivera:
“Mandy Rivero–as we used to know him–would have been a musician, except for one minor detail: he didn’t play aninstrument. But Mandy grew up among singers, pianists, composers, music critics, orchestra conductors… and other specimens from that rich sonorous fauna of our now impoverished country.”
Indeed, back then, Armando Rodríguez went by Mandy Rivero, which alluded to his nickname and the surname of his mother, Cuca Rivero, who performed with her choir in the highest-rated Cuban TV shows of the fifties, and who is fondly remembered for being the invisible teacher who taught thousands of Cuban kids how to sing and enjoy music over the radio. Mandy says that he has loved music with a broken heart, for music didn’t love him back, yet he compensated by learning the science behind it, as well as some of its history and trivia. Most of what he says throughout this documentary he heard from well-learned visitors to his home, where he also had the privilege of meeting many of the great musicians he mentions.
After the streaming, there will be a Q&A session with the audience, moderated by Ricardo Gil, from our Music Program.
[Image above: Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro (1589)]
This documentary is part of our CreateNYC Language Access Series on Cuban History, Art, and Literature. It is narrated in Spanish, with English subtitles.
TO WATCH THE PRESENTATION, CLICK HERE ON THE SCHEDULED DATE AND TIME:
https://youtu.be/MpRsdVqwvqs
To participate in the Q&A via Zoom after the streaming, click here:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89526024766
This presentation is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and made possible by the New YorkState Council on the Arts and the New YorkState Legislature.
With the promotional cooperation of
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