Leonard Cohen Lauded With Music Poetry, Video, Love
Last night, Leonard Cohen continued his preeminent role during the ceremonies surrounding the 2011 Prince of Asturias Awards, attending a concert in his honor at the Jovellanos Theatre in Gijón which featured Nacho Vegas, Duquende, the Webb Sisters, Lorca Cohen, Javier Mas, and others.
Leonard Cohen tribute concert (by Meritxell, Spanish Cohen Brigade)
Leonard Cohen tribute concert in Gijón (screen capture)
Gijón tribute concert for Leonard Cohen (screen capture)
Text excerpts from Emotional tribute to Leonard Cohen in Gijón (ThinkSpain, October 20, 2011) describe the concert:
… the theatre in Gijón gave Cohen a warm reception and a standing ovation that lasted for several minutes, which Cohen acknowledged by raising his hat to the crowd.
Standing ovation at opening of Leonard Cohen tribute concert (screen capture)
Leonard Cohen responds to standing ovation (screen capture)
The tribute began with “Backstage Sketch”, a short video by Lorca Cohen, the Canadian artist’s daughter, and included a documentary “Songs from the road”, in which all the members of Cohen’s band related their experiences of life on the road with the great man.
Professor Andrés Amorós, a member of the Prince of Asturias prize jury, recited a number of Cohen’s poems and songs, translated into Spanish, accompanied by guitars and the voices of the “Webb Sisters”.
Amorós said: “His poetry has taken us to the most absolute sadness, melancholy, and to tenderness. The curious thing is, that when he talks about himself, he talks about all of us, it’s just that we don’t know how to express it like he does”.
Leonard Cohen doffs hat to audience at Gijón tribute concert
Laura García Lorca, niece of the poeta Federico García Lorca, also paid homage to Cohen, calling him “the best ambassador” her uncle could have in the world. She expressed her “gratitude and emotion” to Cohen for having brought her uncle’s poetry to so many people.
The emotional climax of the evening was audience clapping along with the playing of Cohen’s classic, So Long, Marianne, the combination of which brought the Canadian singer-songwriter to tears.
Update 20 October 2011; 10:24 AM EST: Photos of Leonard Cohen attending the opening of Leonard Cohen: The B-Side – Drawings And Engravings Of A Multidisciplinary Artist earlier today (20 October 2011) are now available. The exhibition of his prints at the University of Oviedo Humanities Campus is part of the 2011 Prince of Asturias Awards Ceremony. The photos can be viewed at DrHGuy – Leonard Cohen Attends Exhibit Of His Prints
Video: Leonard Cohen – Prince of Asturias Awards
RTVE’s coverage of the Prince of Asturias Awards includes videos featuring clips of Leonard Cohen. These cannot be embedded but can be viewed at the RTVE site:
- Moving tribute to the lyrics and music of Leonard Cohen in Gijon (20 October 2011)
- Leonard Cohen attends the homage of poets and musicians of his work (19 October 2011)
- Leonard Cohen comes to Oviedo, where they receive the Prince of Asturias Prize for Letters (19 October 2011)
- Leonard Cohen, Canadian poet and musician new Prince of Asturias Lyrics (1 June 2011)
Credit Due Department: DrHGuy offers a special thanks to Meritxell of the Spanish Cohen Brigade, who supplied the first photo of the concert performers in this post and who first informed Heck Of A Guy of Cohen’s response to the concert. The photo atop this post is by Angel Gonzalez for lne.es. The shot of a tearful Leonard Cohen wiping his eyes and the photo of Cohen tipping his hat were taken by Eloy Alonso for Reiters.
