Renowned Cuban singer and songwriter Amaury Pérez Vidal has been appointed as Advisor to the Presidency of Casa de las Américas, as announced by Abel Prieto Jiménez, the institution’s director, on his official Facebook profile.
Prieto, the distinguished politician and intellectual, stated that the role will follow the noble purpose of driving projects linked to the promotion of Latin American trova and legendary figures of our continent’s musical heritage.
«In this way, Amaury returns to Haydee’s House, which was his House, and inhabits it once again with his talent and exceptional creativity. Welcome, brother!» added the president of the institution that for over 65 years has contributed to sociocultural integration with Latin America, the Caribbean, and the rest of the world.
In conversation with the Cuban News Agency, Pérez Vidal, author of classics such as «Acuérdate de Abril» and «Hacerte venir», said he was about to make one last album and retire after 50 years of his musical career when he received the proposal.
«Returning to Casa de las Américas is nothing less than that mystery that surrounds that institution of Haydee ‘Yeyé’ Santamaría (1922-1980), of Mariano Rodríguez (1980-1986), of Roberto Fernández Retamar (1930-2019), and now, of Abel,» he added.
«I know that place very well; now I believe I am the oldest worker there, because Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés (1943-2022) brought me in 1970, Sara González (1949-2012) a little later. It became our true House,» commented Pérez Vidal emotionally.
«I will try, with all my heart, to give back a little of the immense amount it has given me and the splendour of those times, advising Abel, María Elena Salgado, his First Vice President, Jaime Gómez Triana, his Vice President,» added Pérez Vidal.
He recalled the many afternoons when, upon leaving lower secondary school, one of the happiest moments was precisely going to the institution on G and 3rd; the exhibitions by Chilean Roberto Matta (1911-2002), or those of kinetic art by Sandú Darié (1908-1991); the concerts by Latin American singers; all of that was magical for him, as magical as Casa de las Américas was.
Among the proposals that align with his wishes is revisiting José Martí as they did in the past with the Mexican Oscar Chávez (1935-2020), Pablo, Sara, Teresita Fernández (1930-2013), and himself.
Furthermore, he plans to create a television programme called «Desde Casa» (From the House), and with the help of many friends, to materialise a recording studio for their own productions; in short, with these dreams, and in memory of «Yeyé», to help and motivate Cuban culture, including the troubadours from home and the continent.
«I am happy. It will be difficult because I won’t stop singing, making records and concerts around, but I am willing to devote a very important part of my time. A request from a friend has to be met immediately; thank you for the opportunity,» concluded the beloved singer-songwriter.
Amaury and the House possess a relationship forged in the heat of the New Trova Movement, in addition to that essential album, Versos de Martí (Egrem, 1978).
The 10 verses for an equal number of songs were remastered in 2020 on a double album, where another recording was added to the original phonogram, featuring the voices of Adrián Berazaín and Mauricio Figueiral, Eduardo Sosa, Raúl Torres, David Blanco, Leonardo García, Luna Manzanares, Daniel Torres, Annie Garcés, Buena Fe with Alexander Abreu, Ivette Cepeda and César López, alongside distinguished musicians.
A little over a year ago, the President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, placed the Haydee Santamaría Medal on the singer’s chest, which was not only a tribute for his cultural commitment, but also for his role as a witness and protagonist of the living history of Casa de las Américas.
