Master Rafael Solano will turn 90 this Saturday, April 10, and with his career and musical work behind him, he deserves all the tributes that can be dedicated to him.
Mentor and inspirer of many performers of different generations, and author of emblematic themes, not only of the Dominican songbook, but continental, Solano (born in Puerto Plata, in 1931) was the subject of an emotional tribute on this Thursday morning, from the hands of the Ministry of Culture.
“I’m very excited and especially surprised, but Dona Carmen (Heredia) doesn’t surprise me at all, because she’s always wanted me … she never tells me, but I know,” said the author of “For love “, obviously touched by surprise and showing his good humor.
The event, which included, of course, a musical part in which several of his most important songs were performed, took place in the main room of the building of the said ministry, a space that has a lot importance for Solano’s career, as in this place was where the first Song Festival was held, in 1968, and where his most momentous song, “For Love”, won first place, in the voice of Niní Cáffaro.
This detail was remembered by Heredia when he used the word to thank the musician’s family for being able to flatter. “To allow us to celebrate one more year of his extraordinary life and artistic career in the Dominican Republic and the rest of the world. For many years!”, Said the minister, who presented Solano with a plaque and a portrait of his person realized by the painter Joaquin Sanchez.
The surprise of the activity was the participation of Maridalia Hernández, Niní Cáffaro and Lena Dardelet, who performed “In the Dark” and “A Spring for the World”, the first; “Magic” and “For Love,” the second; and “April 10” and “Dominicanita,” the third. The artists were accompanied on piano by pianist Elioenai Medina, and guitarists Héctor Payán and Emmanuel Penya Silverio.
The documentary of his life
Another of the Dominican master’s ninetieth birthday gifts is for the public. This is the documentary “Solano”, produced by Patricia Solano, daughter of the musician, and the filmmaker Juan Basanta, and presented by Urano Films, which has been released on Youtube, so that everyone who is interested in knowing life and work of this artist can do so through this audiovisual.
Made and presented in 2018, it is a work done with grace, and with an agile pace, it moves between conversations with the musician, interviewed by the communicator Patricia Solano, as well as witnesses of many of its performers, such as Niní Cáffaro, Luchy vices, Fernando Casado, Adalgisa Pantaleón, Marc Antoni Múñiz, Els Solmeños: Nandy Rivas and Horacio Pichardo, instrumentalists like Guillo Carías, Armando Beltré or Tito Delgado, and personalities like Pedro Delgado Malagón and Ellis Pérez.
On the other hand, you can enjoy the songs in voices of Víctor Víctor, Fernando Villalona and Janio Lora, among others.
A visual journey, beautifully photographed, through the life of one of the glories of national music, and in which he moves through the spaces in which he developed his art, which reviews very well the historical moment he has had to go through. to Rafael Solano.