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Entrevista con Thalía: Cada Vez Más Fuerte

Nov 14 2011

Mexican bombshell Thalía has just released her new book, Cada Día Más Fuerte (Growing Strong – English title). In this book she talks about the good and bad situations she has gone through in her life as a person and a celebrity. Below you can watch the video and a summary of the interview in English.

If you’re reading this post in your e-mail, click here to watch the video.

Reporter María Santana starts off by congratulating Thalía on her new logro (success) and asks what motivated her to write that book at that time in her life. Thalía says that it’s a change of skin, she’s more relaxed and comfortable with herself and also says people have stories to tell and share.

Santana continues and says that Thalía talks about happy moments but about sad moments as well and asks her if it was difficult to approach these topics. Thalía says that the hardest chapiter to write was the one about when she found out she had Lyme disease, the obstacles she had to overcome, and find again the faith in God.

Santana touches a sore spot in Thalía’s life: the kidnapping of her sisters, in 2002. Thalía felt somewhat guilty of that and is asked why, after ransom was paid for, they grew apart. She adds that it was a very hard and long process and this chapter is called Perdón (Forgiveness). Another subject Santana asks about is that right before the book was launched Thalia’s mother, Yolanda Miranda, passed away. Thalía answers that this is an open and ongoing sore, but also says that the birth of her son, Matthew Alejandro has helped her get through these tough times.

Thalía is asked what’s the secret of being a sucessful entrepeneur and also a mother and wife. She answers that there are two aspects to consider: discipline and team work. Thalía also says that her husband, music mogul Tommy Mottola has been her brazo derecho (right arm) as a working mom.

Santana asks Thalía how she keeps such a long-standing marriage, contrary to the “Hollywood marriages” and she answers that respect and even speaking different languages can spice up the relationship.

To finish the interview, Santana says that Thalia’s fans have asked her when her new CD is coming out and she says it’s coming out next summer. Santana also asks what makes Thalía stronger. She answers that happinness is a choice and it’s up to you to have it.

Spanish traditions in All Hallows’ Eve: Don Juan Tenorio

Posted by Magda 1 Comment

Oct 31 2011

Mientras todos los países de habla inglesa están celebrando Halloween, aquí en España y en casi todos los países de habla hispana nos preparamos para visitar a nuestros fallecidos en su lugar de reposo eterno: el cementerio. Quizá recordéis nuestro post del año pasado, donde hablábamos de nuestras tradiciones en el día de Todos los Santos.

Pero también tenemos una tradición muy popular y literaria: se ha convertido en costumbre del teatro español representar la gran obra de José Zorrilla, Don Juan Tenorio, en el día de Todos los Santos. El mito del Don Juan, símbolo del libertinaje, tiene sus orígenes el el drama trágico El burlador de Sevilla, de Tirso de Molina.

Quizá el mujeriego más famoso del mundo sea el Tenorio. La leyenda de Don Juan cuenta cómo, siendo un joven, cínico y disoluto espadachín, sedujo a Inés, una joven de familia noble que murió después que él la abandonara. A pesar de esto, y de forma sorprendente, Doña Inés era la dueña de su corazón. Don Juan también asesinó al padre de la joven, quien intentó vengarla, e incluso se burló de la efigie conmemorativa sobre la tumba del padre, invitándola a cenar. Para su sorpresa, la imagen de piedra fue su invitada en la cena de su última noche sobre la tierra… ¡pero no voy a contaros toda la historia!

Algunos de los fragmentos más memorables quizá sean aquellos en que él declara su amor a doña Inés, y ella corresponde con devoción. Me gustaría compartir uno con vosotros:

DOÑA INÉS:
Callad, por Dios, ¡oh, don Juan!,
que no podré resistir
mucho tiempo sin morir
tan nunca sentido afán.
¡Ah! Callad por compasión,
que oyéndoos me parece
que mi cerebro enloquece
se arde mi corazón.
¡Ah! Me habéis dado a beber
un filtro infernal, sin duda,
que a rendiros os ayuda
la virtud de la mujer.
Tal vez poseéis, don Juan,
un misterioso amuleto
que a vos me atrae en secreto
como irresistible imán.
Tal vez Satán puso en vos:
su vista fascinadora,
su palabra seductora,
y el amor que negó a Dios.
¿Y qué he de hacer ¡ay de mí!
sino caer en vuestros brazos,
si el corazón en pedazos
me vais robando de aquí?
No, don Juan, en poder mío
resistirte no está ya:
yo voy a ti como va
sorbido al mar ese río.
Tu presencia me enajena,
tus palabras me alucinan,
y tus ojos me fascinan,
y tu aliento me envenena.
¡Don Juan! ¡Don Juan!, yo lo imploro
de tu hidalga compasión:
o arráncame el corazón,
o ámame porque te adoro.

DON JUAN:
¿Alma mía! Esa palabra
cambia de modo mi ser,
que alcanzo que puede hacer
hasta que el Edén se me abra.
No es, doña Inés, Satanás
quien pone este amor en mí;
es Dios, que quiere por ti
ganarme para Él quizás.
No, el amor que hoy se atesora
en mi corazón mortal
no es un amor terrenal
como el que sentí hasta ahora;
no es esa chispa fugaz
que cualquier ráfaga apaga;
es incendio que se traga
cuanto ve, inmenso, voraz.
Desecha, pues, tu inquietud,
bellísima doña Inés,
porque me siento a tus pies
capaz aún de la virtud.
Sí, iré mi orgullo a postrar
ante el buen Comendador,
y o habrá de darme tu amor,
o me tendrá que matar.

DOÑA INÉS: ¡Don Juan de mi corazón!

While all the English speaking countries are celebrating Halloween, here in Spain and in most Spanish speaking countries we prepare ourselves to visit our dead ones in their resting place: the cemetery. Maybe you remember our post from last year where we talked about our traditions for All Saints Day.

But we also have a very popular and literary tradition: it has become a custom of Spanish theater to represent José Zorrilla’s masterpiece, Don Juan Tenorio, on All Saints Day. The myth of Don Juan, licentiousness personified, has its origins in the tragic drama El burlador de Sevilla ( The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest), by Tirso de Molina.

Arguably the most well known womanizer in the world is “el Tenorio”. The legend of Don Juan tells how, being a young, cynical and dissolute young swordsman, he seduced Ines, a girl from a noble family who died after he abandoned her. Despite this, and surprisingly, Doña Ines was the owner of his heart. Don Juan also killed her father, who had tried to avenge her, and even mocked on the commemorative effigy over the father’s tomb, inviting it to have dinner. To his surprise, the stone image was his guest in his last night on earth’s dinner… but I’m not going to tell you the whole story!

Some of the more memorable fragments are probably those in which he declares his love to Doña Ines, and she devotedly corresponds. Let me share one with you:

DOÑA INÉS:
Oh God! Silence! How can I stand
to resist, with my sighing,
any longer, without dying,
ah, such longing, Don Juan?
Ah, to silence, for pity’s sake, turn,
for hearing you seems to me
to bring my mind infirmity,
and cause my heart to burn.
Ah! You have doubtless given me
an infernal potion, oh some
charm that helps you overcome
a woman’s purity.
Perhaps, Don Juan, you possess an amulet
a thing of mystery
that draws me secretly
like an irresistible magnet.
Perhaps Satan set in your eyes
his fascinating gaze
his seductive maze,
of words, and the Love he denies
to God. Ah, what am I to do,
but fall into those two
arms, if you continue to
shatter my heart in two?
Don Juan, it’s no longer in me
to own the power to resist you: no,
I turn to you as the river flows
that runs down to the sea.
Your presence maddens me,
your words hypnotize me,
and your eyes fascinate me,
and your breath envenoms me.
Don Juan! Don Juan, I implore you
in your noble heart, of pity,
either tear my heart from me,
or love me, because I adore you.
DON JUAN: My soul! Those words indeed
change my whole state of being.
and I know perhaps I am seeing
Paradise open to me.
Doña Inés, it is not Satan, in sin,
who creates this love in me:
it is God, who wants, perhaps
through you, to win me to Him.
No, the love that is precious
in my heart, that is mortal,
is not that love, terrestrial,
that up to now I’ve treasured;
nor is it a fleeting spark of need
that a breath of wind defeats:
it is a roaring fire that eats
all it sees, in its vast greed.
Calm then your fears, oh you
my most beautiful Inés,
for at your feet I feel that, yes,
even I am filled with virtue.
Ah, I will swallow my pride
before the good Comendador,
to adore
or death will be my bride.
DOÑA INÉS: My dearest Don Juan!

“I love you”, “Te quiero” in Spanish. Jaime Sabines poetry.

Posted by Magda No Comments

Oct 7 2011

La poesía es el lenguaje del amor, y tiene una maravillosa voz en Jaime Sabines. Nacido en 1926 en Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Sabines comenzó a escribir poesía a edad muy temprana. Se trasladó a Ciudad de México a estudiar medicina para complacer a su padre, pero afortunadamente se decantó por la literatura. En su trabajo dibuja la vida de gente normal, es poeta del deseo y la pérdida, con un tono íntimo y sencillo, pero poderoso. “Los poemas de Sabines han sido todo para todos: un vínculo de unión para los amantes, alivio para el solitario, consuelo para el huérfano, una lluvia de piedras contra el sufrimiento”, escribió el crítico José Emilio Pacheco en un ensayo en 1994. Él murió en 1999, pero tendremos sus palabras para la eternidad.

“Te quiero a las diez de la mañana, y a las once, y a las doce del día. Te quiero con toda mi alma y con todo mi cuerpo, a veces, en las tardes de lluvia. Pero a las dos de la tarde, o a las tres, cuando me pongo a pensar en nosotros dos, y tú piensas en la comida o en el trabajo diario, o en las diversiones que no tienes, me pongo a odiarte sordamente, con la mitad del odio que guardo para mí.

Luego vuelvo a quererte, cuando nos acostamos y siento que estás hecha para mí, que de algún modo me lo dicen tu rodilla y tu vientre, que mis manos me convencen de ello, y que no hay otro lugar en donde yo me venga, a donde yo vaya, mejor que tu cuerpo. Tú vienes toda entera a mi encuentro, y los dos desaparecemos un instante, nos metemos en la boca de Dios, hasta que yo te digo que tengo hambre o sueño.

Todos los días te quiero y te odio irremediablemente. Y hay días también, hay horas, en que no te conozco, en que me eres ajena como la mujer de otro. Me preocupan los hombres, me preocupo yo, me distraen mis penas. Es probable que no piense en ti durante mucho tiempo. Ya ves. ¿Quién podría quererte menos que yo, amor mío?”

Poetry is the language of love, and it has a wonderful voice in Jaime Sabines. Born in 1926 in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Sabines began writing poetry at an early age. He went to Mexico City to study medicine to please his father but, fortunately, he turned to literature. In his works he portraits the lives of ordinary people, he is the poet of desire and loss, with an intimate and plain tone, but powerful. ”Sabines’s poems have been everything for everyone: a bond of union for lovers, relief for the lonely, comfort for orphans, a hail of stones against suffering,” wrote the critic Jose Emilio Pacheco in a 1994 essay. He died in 1999, but we will have his words forever.

“I love you at ten in the morning, at eleven, and at twelve noon. I love
you with all my soul and with all my body, sometimes, on rainy afternoons.
But at two in the afternoon, or at three, when I begin to think of the two
of us, and you think of dinner or the daily chores, or the amusements you
lack, I begin to hate you silently, with the half of hate that I keep for
myself.

Later I return to love you, when we lie down together and I see that
you’re there for me, that in some way your knee and your belly speak to me,
that my hands convince me of it, and that there is no other place where I
can come and go more easily than your body. You come whole to my seeking,
and we two disappear in an instant, we plunge into the mouth of God, until I
tell you of my hunger or my sleepiness.

Every day I love you and hate you hopelessly. And there are days, there
are hours, in which I don’t know you, in which you feel alien like someone else’s woman.

I worry about men, I worry about myself, my griefs distract me. I probably
don’t think of you for too long. You see. Who could love you less than I,
my love?”

If you’re interested in learning how to say I love you in Spanish, you can actually hear it from a native speaker here.

Facundo Cabral, trovador del siglo XXI

Posted by Magda 9 Comments

Jul 15 2011

“Fue mudo hasta los 9 años, analfabeto hasta los 14, enviudó trágicamente a los 40 y conoció a su padre a los 46. El más pagano de los predicadores cumple 70 años y repasa su vida desde la habitación de hotel que eligió como última morada”.

Así resumió su vida el propio Facundo Cabral. Sin embargo, no fue esa habitación de hotel su última morada, ya que perdió la vida en la calle a causa de los disparos que realizaron varios sicarios el 9 de julio de 2011.

Con una vida que podría haber servido de argumento para una novela de Dickens, o una versión a la argentina de “Las cenizas de Ángela”, este platense vivió en la calle desde su más tierna infancia. Con 9 años desapareció durante cuatro meses, y marchó a Buenos Aires a entrevistarse con el entonces presidente Juan Domingo Perón, ya que había oído que este daba trabajo a los pobres. Burló la vigilancia, se coló en la casa presidencial, y consiguió trabajo para su madre. Estuvo en el reformatorio y la cárcel con tan solo 14 años, y fue allí donde un sacerdote le enseñó a leer y escribir. Un vagabundo lo acercó a la religión, aunque siempre se definió como librepensador.

Comenzó su carrera musical con el nombre de El Indio Gasparino, y era ferviente seguidor de Atahualpa Yupanqui. En 1970 grabó No soy de aquí, ni soy de allá, y empezó a ser conocido. Grabó con cantantes como Alberto Cortez repetidas veces, Julio Iglesias, Pedro Vargas o Neil Diamond. La influencia espiritual de Jesús, Gandhi y La Madre Teresa de Calcuta, y literaria de Jorge Luis Borges y Walt Whitman lo llevaron a cantar crítica social con un toque de humor. Exiliado durante la dictadura argentina, cosechó numerosos honores a lo largo de su carrera que conserva un conductor de taxis, conocido suyo. Fue declarado “Mensajero Mundial de la Paz”, por la UNESCO, y fue propuesto para el Nobel de la Paz.

En su discografía hay títulos tales como Pateando nachos, Entre Dios y el Diablo, El profeta de Gibrhan, El oficio de cantor, El Mundo Estaba Tranquilo Cuando Yo Nací, No estás deprimido, estás distraído, Cantar sólo cantar / Cabral sólo Cabral, o Lo Cortez no quita lo Cabral (dos volúmenes) y Cortezías y Cabralidades junto a Alberto Cortez.

Tampoco podemos olvidar su creación literaria, que fue extensa y con traducciones incluso al chino mandarín o japonés: Borges y yo, Ayer soñé que podía y hoy puedo, Cuaderno de Facundo, Los papeles de Cabral, etc. Todo un talento el que perdimos hace pocos días a causa de unos disparos posiblemente errados.

“He was mute until the age of 9, illiterate until 14, he was tragically widowed at 40 and met his father at 46 years old. The most pagan of all preachers is 70 years old and reviews his life from the hotel room that he chose as his last dwelling “.

This way Facundo Cabral summed up his life. However, this hotel room was not to be his last home, since he lost his life on the read from the shots fired by some hit men on July 9th 2011.

With a life that could have been used as the plot for a Dickens’ novel, or an Argentine version of ” Angela’s ashes “, this “platense” (born in La Plata, Argentina) lived on the streets from a tender age. Being 9 years old he disappeared for four months, and went to Buenos Aires to meet the president Juan Domingo Perón, because he had heard that he was giving work to poor people. He avoided security, slipped past into the presidential house, and got a job for his mother. He was in a reformatory and jail being only 14 years old, and it was there where a priest taught him how to read and write. A vagabond exposed him to religion, although he always defined himself as a freethinker.

He began his musical career under the name of The Indian Gasparino, and he was a fervent follower of Atahualpa Yupanqui. In 1970 he recorded “I’m not from here nor there”, and he started being famous. He recorded with singers such as Alberto Cortez several times, Julio Iglesias, Pedro Vargas or Neil Diamond. The spiritual influence of Jesus, Gandhi and The Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and the literary influence of Jorge Luis Borges and Walt Whitman led him to sing social criticism with a touch of humor. Exiled during the Argentine dictatorship, he won numerous honors during his career still kept by a taxi driver, who was acquainted with him. He was declared Messenger of Peace by UNESCO, and he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

In his discography there are titles such as “Stamping nachos”, “Between God and the Devil”, “The prophet of Gibrhan”, “On the trade of singer”, “The world was calm when I was born”, “You are not depressed, you are distracted”, “To sing only to sing/Cabral only Cabral”, or “The Cortez does not remove the Cabral” (two volumes) and “Cortezías and Cabralidades” singing with Alberto Cortez.

We cannot forget his literary creation, which was vast and translated even into Chinese and Japanese: “Borges and I”, “Yesterday I dreamed that I could and today I can”, “Facundo’s Notebook”, “ Cabral’s papers”, etc. An incredible talent that we lost a few days ago because of some stray bullets.

El Lazarillo de Tormes

Posted by Magda 4 Comments

Jun 17 2011

“La vida del Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades” es una novela corta pero muy interesante, publicada de forma anónima en 1554, que es considerada la precursora del Quijote de Cervantes. La razón de que el autor no desease ser conocido podría ser el contenido “herético” de esta novela satírica: fue incluida en el “Índice de libros prohibidos” de la Inquisición española. Ha sido más de cuatro siglos después cuando descubrimos el nombre del presunto autor: Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, un hombre renacentista nacido en la Alhambra, cuya vida sería un tema perfecto para algún otro artículo.

El libro está escrito en forma de carta, y narra la vida de Lázaro González Pérez, un chico humilde nacido en el río Tormes, en Salamanca. Si alguna vez visitáis la ciudad, veréis la estatua del Lazarillo (en referencia a los perros guía) y su amo ciego junto al puente romano, así como el toro de piedra en el cual golpearon la cabeza de Lázaro en una de sus primeras aventuras.

Tras el Prólogo, leemos sobre la vida de Lázaro y su aprendizaje con diversos amos. No aparecen nombres en la novela, solo “el ciego”, “el clérigo”, “el escudero”, “el fraile”, “el buldero”, “el capellán”, y “el alguacil”; y las experiencias de Lázaro con cada uno de ellos serán relatadas en un capítulo, o tratado. Nuestro protagonista pasará de ser un niño ingenuo a un superviviente en aquella dura época, obteniendo al fin una “buena” vida gracias a la relación adúltera de su mujer con un arzobispo. Al contrario que en la novela caballeresca, el Lazarillo describe de forma vívida y realista las desgracias de la gente pobre, y la hipocresía y bajos valores de la clase alta. Un buen ejemplo de esto último sería el hecho de que el sustento de Lázaro decrece según la clase social de su amo sube.

Así que si necesitais una buena lectura para este verano que os provoque alguna risa, no olvidéis el “Lazarillo de Tormes”. Y para ayudaros, aquí dejo un enlace a la novela tanto en español como en inglés: http://www.4olin.com/indice.html

¡Estaré esperando vuestras opiniones!

“The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and of His Fortunes and Adversities” is a short but very interesting novel, published anonymously in 1554, which is considered the precursor of Cervantes “Don Quixote”. The reason why the author didn’t want to be known could be the “heretic” content of this satiric novel: it was included in the”Index of Forbidden Books” by the Spanish Inquisition. It was over four centuries later that we found out the name of the alleged writer: Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, a renaissance man born in the Alhambra, whose life would be a perfect topic for another post.

The book is written in the form of a letter, and it talks about the life of Lazaro Gonzalez Perez, a humble boy who was born in the river Tormes, in Salamanca. If you ever visit the town you will see a statue of both the Lazarillo (as a reference to guide dogs) and his blind master next to the Roman bridge, as well as the stone bull where Lazaro’s head was knocked in one his first adventures.

After the Prologue, we read about Lazaro’s life and his apprenticeship with several masters. There are no names in the novel, just “the blind man,”, the priest”, “the squire,”, “the friar”, “the pardoner”, “the peddlar”, “the chaplain” and “the constable”; and Lazaro’s experiences with each of them are related in every Chapter or “treatise”. Our protagonist will grow from a naïve child to a survivor in those hard times, getting at the end a “good” life due to his wife’s adulterous relationship with the archbishop. As opposed to chivalry novels, Lazarillo depicts in a vivid and realistic manner the misfortunes of poor people, and the hypocrisy and low values of higher classes. A good example of it is the fact that Lazaro’s nourishment decreases as the social class of his master goes up.

So if you need a good reading for this summer which will provide you with a good laugh, have “Lazarillo de Tormes” in mind. And to help you, here is a link to the novel both in English and Spanish: http://www.4olin.com/indice.html

I’ll be waiting for you to share your opinion!

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