Harp On!

Can you imagine listening to a bunch of harps for three and a half hours (other than at the spa or shrink) and not lapsing into a coma? Marie, JP and I just got back from a night of on-the-edge-of-your-seat performances at the third annual world harp festival here in Asuncion – the “Festival Mundial del Arpa en el Paraguay”.

Yes: harps! And I’m not talking about pale women in gauzy dresses playing sleepy angelic tunes …. (although there WAS one of those in the mix …). I’m talking crazy, lively musicians pounding out LA BAMBA, BONANZA, national folk anthems and cosmic synthesized songs … with fingers flying (over 40 strings) toes tapping, audience clapping, and lots of “Viva Paraguay” tossed around.

The Paraguayan harp is the national instrument and an emblem of tradition and tremendous pride. The festival hosted a truly diverse mix of artists (and equally eclectic audience) performing an outrageous selection of music on a cumbersome instrument that sounded, alternately, like a banjo, player piano, harp, or slack key guitar ... There were old-time mariachis from Mexico; local kids plucking through folk tunes; a French harpist dressed in what looked like her gym clothes, with an electric harp strapped to her torso uzi-style; and an elderly Spanish woman seated behind a massive harp (Marie described as a ‘galleon’) playing classical pieces. The master Nicolas Caballero played (‘Oh Suzanna’ and other Americano themes); and Papi Basaldua attacked his harp (I’d like to have the string concession next door), while Christian Gonzalez made love to his, as it nestled against his chest and he swayed to ‘The Girl from Ipanema’. It was magic.(See Martin Portillo on YOUTUBE )

The small Teatro Municipal in downtown Asuncion was the setting this Friday night. The U-shaped performance hall has tiers of balconies, so we sat comfortably in a box on the first level of the mezzanine, and enjoyed our $5 seats. No intermission, no food court, no t-shirts for sale ... just harp music and an enthusiastic audience.

Okay ... five hour time differerence so ... manana!

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@ Betsy Crowfoot