All the filing in Portillo de la Luz

He never suspected that he would become one of the most important exponents in Cuban musical history. Without aspirations to be great, just with his melodic impulses, he became a king of feeling

Written by Ana Margarita Sanchez Soler asanchez@enet.cu

A few days ago during her concert in Cuba, a Peruvian singer blamed Portillo de la Luz for her unexpected success on stage. Tania Libertad paid her tribute to the legendary Cuban artist suggesting her arrival at the National Theatre was more than the distance to accompany her. Like her, people of many generations, musicians or not, enjoy the closeness of Caesar through his compositions.

On October 31 this illustrious son of sentiment would have turned 93. He lived the glory days of Cuban song during the time when Portillo stroked the strings of his guitar. His melancholy voice full of serenity pioneered a genre that made its way during the 40s in Cuba, called filing. But long before, Caesar had been captivated by the music which he alternated empirically with his work as a domestic painter.

He never suspected that he would become one of the most important exponents of Cuban music history. Without aspirations of greatness, just unleashing his melodic impulses, he became a king of filing. Poetry was the talisman of Portillo, but not one of those amulets which are kept in privacy; before thousands of ears he unveiled the colours of his soul. So much feeling could not get caught up in one body or in the same guitar.

The themes that emerged from that fertile inspiration were interpreted by singers everywhere in the world. Nuances of all kinds have pounced on unrepeatable lyrics that everyone wanted to endorse. Elena Burke, Maria Bethania, Placido Domingo and many others used the repertoire of Caesar. Beyond the arrangements and musical adaptations, Portillo’s spirit remains vital in each of his creations.

Song of a festival, Reality and fantasy or the famous With you in the distance are, after a long time, still a poetic memory for those who find in filing a reason to live. To this we also learn: dressing with song every loneliness, nostalgia or love.