Leonor Henríquez

leer en españolI arrived late to the concert and had to sit in the last row.I settled right between two white heads, a couple of what in my city they call "prolonged youth" or "gent grand" (old folks), as they're known in Catalonia.Immediately, the music took over the venue.The couple in front of me were having a touching conversation. They looked at each other, smiled, while they delighted in the notes that floated in the air.I tried to let my gaze wander through their gestures to see if I could spot my friends who sing in the choir.Since it wasn't so easy, I decided to close my eyes and concentrate on the music. The first pieces were in Latin, Laudate Dominum is sanctis ejus…They continued with melodies in Italian, Dolcissimi respiri de nostri cori amanti…I opened my eyes for a moment to...

leer en español        I'm invited to a party on March 20th. By the time you read this, I'll be recovering from what's known in my country as a "ratón" or hangover.The theme is the nineties.I confess I was a little perplexed, as I couldn't recall anything particularly iconic in terms of music, fashion, or trends.For this reason, I had to do a little research, and of course, the memories began to flow."Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin came to mind, and from there, familiar melodies resonated, melodies I heard on the radio in those swarms of Caracas traffic: Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and of course, our wonderful Franco de Vita, Ilan Chester, and Yordano.My search led me to refresh my memory on the geopolitical news of the time. I conclude that the world hasn't changed all that...

leer en español        I was recently chatting with a friend about old movies, and we were discussing some of our favorite scenes.I don't think my friend was very impressed with my selection.Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic.The first one that came to mind, and that still gives me chills from head to toe, is the wedding of Maria (Julie Andrews) and Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) in Salzburg Cathedral (The Sound of Music).For my friend, the most memorable is during the Star Wars sequel (The Empire Strikes Back), when Darth Vader, the embodiment of evil, confesses to Luke Skywalker that he is his father.My second choice features Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) embracing on the bow of the Titanic, unaware of their impending doom.My friend remembered Rocky Balboa (Sylveste...

leer en español      Five, four, three, two, one…Ignition.The flight began.Beyond the window of the spacecraft, a clear and sublime sky.A spectrum of indigos, lavenders and pinks.In the center, splendid and bright, the full moon of the beginning of the month.Around me, the notes of David Bowie's song "Space Oddity" (almost Space Odyssey), a great coincidence that perhaps contributed to this stellar experience as I drove from my son's house to mine, on a clear March afternoon.Yes, the rocket was my car, but the beauty of the sunset made me float in my mind.I landed, turned off the engines in my garage, and went inside as the sun disappeared and twilight took over the sky.I looked out my window. To the east, the full moon was visible, and to the west, near the horizon, I caught a fleeting gl...

leer en españolIt's my favorite song by the composer and singer Willie Colón, who passed away on February 21st. Rest in peace, maestro, and thank you for your spectacular musical legacy.That day, to honor the musician who made me, and will continue to make me, dance salsa and other Caribbean rhythms until the end of time, I poured myself a glass of wine and played his song, Gitana, at full volume.I closed my eyes and was transported.Por si un… día me muero….Its rhythm, lilting and divine, possessed me.Y tú…lees este papel….I let myself be carried away by my invisible but very present partner, my very British husband, the one who will greet me in heaven one day, dancing like a professional—we've got it arranged. He used to say that we Latinas have "extra joints."Sin mirarte yo te miroSin se...

leer en españolIt's a deep love, a longing, a sense of belonging.In bullfighting, it's the bull's tendency to retreat to its safe haven during the fight. Also, the bull "takes on a homeland" or "becomes attached" to a place when faced with imminent death. Any resemblance to us humans is not purely coincidental.Musically, it reminds me of that beautiful song by our Simón Díaz: "If my homeland is the mountains, and an araguaney flower, how can I not have, so much desire to return…"The term, querencia in Spanish (translated as homeland but not quite), came up in a conversation with a friend about the reluctance of elderly parents or relatives to change residence, much less country.I understand it, because, with age, we all tend to "become attached," that need to curl up in familiar, safe, and...