The legendary singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat experienced an emotional time on stage during an unusual evening at the prestigious Harvard University. The mythical song “Penelope” was the muse that inspired this unexpected return, immersing Serrat in a brief but passionate duet that enchanted the audience.
After his moving farewell when he retired from the stage, Serrat found himself back under the spotlight at Harvard’s Farkas Hall.
Sitting in a chair, listening to a recreation of his songs by a jazz quartet, the magic happened when the iconic melody of ‘Penelope’ flooded the room. Two minutes of pure connection with his artistic essence, where Serrat could not resist and getting up from his seat, he grabbed the microphone for a touching duet.
Joan Manuel Serrat: “singing is my vice”.
“Singing is a wonderful vice. I am fortunate to have turned my vice into my profession,” Serrat confessed, revealing the intensity and passion that music still awakens in him. The singer-songwriter reflected on his career and the decision to abandon biology to devote himself entirely to music.
His artistic and personal life was the focus of a nearly two-hour talk moderated by Harvard University professors Daniel Aguirre-Oteiza, Tamar Herzog, Mariano Siskind and Alejandra Varela.
The evening culminated with a musical surprise prepared by the event organizers. A quartet, made up of members of the jazz band, performed “Mediterráneo”, one of Serrat’s most emblematic pieces.
The energy took over the singer-songwriter, who, to the rhythm of the music, let his feet follow the cadence and his hands set the beat on the chair. At the end of the performance, Serrat stood up and warmly congratulated the quartet, but the night still had more in store.
Gabriel Ortiz, a talented singer from Texas and member of Mariachi Veritas, invited Serrat to join another performance. The notes of “Aquellas pequeñas cosas” resounded, and Serrat himself was thrilled to savor his own creation.
However, it was ‘Penelope’, another of their hymns, which unleashed the real madness in the room. At the first verses, Serrat could not contain himself. He stood up, took the microphone and encouraged Ortiz to join him in a duet that will remain in the memory of those who witnessed this unique moment.
It is an honor to sing with Serrat
“What an honor to sing his songs and what a privilege and what a gift to sing with him,” said an emotional Ortiz, highlighting the magnitude of the musical encounter. This spontaneous performance was the culmination of a night in which Serrat, known for making the lyrics of Machado and Hernández his own, captivated the audience with his closeness and authenticity.
Before the emotional performance, Carlos Ponce, an event attendee and teacher, posed a question that resonated with those present: “You have the vice of singing, but what do those of us who have the vice of listening to you do?”.
Serrat, with his characteristic sense of humor, acknowledged the difficulty of leaving the stage and revealed his optimism as he is about to turn 80 years old.
