On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, Instituto Cervantes Manila (ICM) hosted Bersong Europinoy. Bersong Europinoy is a poetry recital that started in 2009 as “a cultural bridge between the various cultures and languages of Europe and the Philippines”. In addition, it aims to place Filipino poetry at par with European works. Seven years after, it remains true to its original vision.
This year’s Bersong Europinoy had 16 poems that originated from Spain, France, Malta, Begium, Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, and the Philippines. The author or reader gave a short introduction before the poem was read; some were about the authors while others explained the context of the poems. They were read in their language of origin with the English translation provided in the booklet given to the attendees. In the lulls between poem readers, Batu, a Turkish flamenco guitarist, entertained the audience.
I used my phone to take the photos of the event and they turned out to be blurry. So, I decided to photograph the words of the poems I liked during the poetry recital. I chose them based on the delivery of the reader, on the content of the poem and the imagery that came to mind while I was listening to/reading the poem.
Ándeme Yo Caliente (Let Me Go Warm) by Luis de Góngora y Argote. Translated by H. W. Longfellow. Read by Carlos Madrid Álvarez-Piñer, Director of Instituto Cervantes Manila.
Ándeme Yo Caliente (Let Me Go Warm) by Luis de Góngora y Argote. Translated by H. W. Longfellow. Read by Carlos Madrid Álvarez-Piñer, Director of Instituto Cervantes Manila.
Il Risotto Romagnolesco (The Risotto of Romagna) by Giovanni Pascoli. Translated by Cristina Moricca. I like the introduction of the reader; she told an anecdote of how this poem came to being.
This opéra-bouche (culinary opera) is by Belgian poet Jean-Pierre Verheggen. Translated by X.L. The original work has some copyright issues, so only the English version is available. The reader said that this is filled with double entendres. He also delivered it with panache.
Bali-Balita (New Bites) by Vijae Orquia Alquisola. Translated by Rina Garcia Chua. If there was an award for best delivery, Alquisola would have won it. I like the detailed description and the local flavor. Pinoy na Pinoy ang dating.
Bali-Balita (New Bites) by Vijae Orquia Alquisola. Translated by Rina Garcia Chua. If there was an award for best delivery, Alquisola would have won it. I like the detailed description and the local flavor. Pinoy na Pinoy ang dating.
Some of the authors and readers at Bersong Europinoy 2015. The man on the bottom right is by Carlos Madrid Álvarez-Piñer, Director of ICM.
Before the event started, my classmate Hope and I met Batu, the flamenco guitarist.
Batu’s flamenco guitar. It is made of cypress wood, and there is an authentication mark on the wood.
This is a short video of Batu playing the flamenco guitar.