May 17, 2022 7:00 pm

South Bend Symphony Orchestra’s String Quintet and Our Lady of Hungary present a performance that celebrates the rich heritage of Hispanic composers.

The concert is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is requested (please click the Ticket’s link).

Program

Solamente una Vez (Only Once)

(Spanish lyrics and music by Agustín Lara)

Only once,

I loved in life.

Only once,

And never again.

Only once,

In my garden shone hope,

The hope that lights the way

Of my solitude.

Once, and never again,

The soul is given,

With sweet and total

Renunciation.

And when that miracle performs,

The prodigy of loving oneself,

There are party bells that sing

In the heart.

Lejana Tierra Mia (My Distant Homeland)

(Spanish lyrics by Alfredo Le Pera; music by Carlos Gardel)

My distant homeland,

beneath your sky I want to one day die,

Within your comfort.

And hear the golden song of your bells,

For which I long.

When I contemplate my return,

I don’t know whether to laugh with joy or to cry with sadness.

The silence of my village breaks only

To the ardent serenade of a Romeo,

Under a sweet silver moon,

On a flowery balcony where one hears

the murmur of an oath,

Carried on a breeze with the rumor

of other departed loves.

The balcony is still there,

With its flowers, with the sun

Though you are missing.

Oh! My love.

My distant homeland of loves,

Whom I name on sleepless nights,

Causes my eyes to fill with amazement.

Tell me, my little star

That my dreams are not without hope.

Tell me that you know I will soon return

To my dear old life

In my distant land, my home.

Granada: Fantasía Española (Granada: A Spanish Fantasy)

(Spanish lyrics and music by Agustín Lara)

Granada, land of which I dream,

My singing brings me back to the gypsies,

My singing creates fantasies,

My singing, flower of melancholy,

Returns me to you.

Granada, your afternoons reddened in the blood of bulls,

Of dark-skinned beauties whose eyes bewitch,

Of rebellious gypsy women covered in flowers,

Of kisses sweet as apple juice

That speak to me of love.

Granada, a song of precious beauties,

Who give me no other choice,

But to offer bouquets of roses.

Of soft, fragrant roses,

Worthy of a gift to the dark-skinned virgin.

Granada, your land is filled

With beautiful women,

Who are of the blood of the sun!

Michael Snyder, vocals

Michael Snyder earned a Bachelor of Music degree, with a concentration in vocal performance, from the School of Music at The Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C. A lyric tenor, he sings pretty much anything from Bach to Broadway. He is a voice instructor at The Music Village.

Musicians

Symphony String Quintet 
Mark Portolese, violin 

 Nicolas Orbovich, violin

Rachel Goff, viola

Brook Bennett, cello

Edward Randles, bass

Michael Snyder, vocals
Anthony Beer, piano

Felix Marquez, translator

Dr. Marvin V. Curtis, host

Series Sponsor

Thank you to our generous sponsor; Shein Trust.