Guitarist Pepe Romero has enjoyed a long and storied career, and he is not done yet. The native of Spain now divides his time between that country and California. In Spain, he and his brothers were knighted into the order of Isabel la Cátolica by King Juan Carlos I.
You can listen to the conversation here.
Friday night, Romero will play a benefit concert for Florida Lyric Opera at Tampa's Centro Asturiano. His wife Carissa, and daughter Angelina Romero Kressin will dance flamenco while he plays. Local artists, Dr. Mark Switzer, a classical guitarist and soprano Linda Switzer will perform with Romero on some selections.
Romero spoke to us about the popular work by Isaac Albéniz, Asturias. He said he thinks it resonates with people because of the "genuine expression of love for Andalucia that Albéniz had."
Romero called it "perhaps the single most famous piece by Albéniz."
https://youtu.be/vpow-RTT_XQ
As to what the Spanish word "herencia," which means heritage or inheritance means to him, he said it means "long chain of tradition that unites in profession and in my vocation, the past with now and gives us the strength and desire to project it forward into the future generations," Romero said. "It's an unbroken continuation of a deep love for the art and for what the art represents."
As to what keeps him coming back to Florida, he said, "I love everything about Florida, I love the weather, I love the warmth and of course, I love the people."
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