The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and the Spanish Embassy in Dhaka jointly captivated Dhaka audiences with an exclusive cultural event at the National Theater Hall, Segun Bagicha, in the capital on Monday.
The event included a special solo performance by renowned Spanish guitarist Miguel Trapaga and songs, instrumentals and dance performances by BSA’s cultural units.
Francisco de Asis Benitez Salas, Ambassador of Spain to Bangladesh and Director General of BSA, Liaquat Ali Lucky joined the cultural program along with others.
“Bangladesh is a country of great talents in many disciplines. This is why the Spanish government and the Spanish Embassy in Bangladesh have endeavored to take bilateral relations in general and cultural relations in particular to new heights. In doing so, we want to deepen cooperation between Spanish and Bangladeshi universities, learning and cultural institutions as well as civil society contacts between students, artists and the academic community of both countries,” said the Ambassador. Salas.
Introducing the lead guitarist of the evening, Salas added: “We are delighted to bring Maestro Miguel Trapaga who symbolizes all these efforts and has shown great enthusiasm in this concert since we contacted him for the first time. Mr. Trapaga is a well-known guitar soloist in Spain and currently teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Spain. He has performed in major concert halls and theaters in Spain as well as in China, Russia, Australia, Singapore, Portugal, Mexico, Japan, United States, Cuba, Canada, in Indonesia and now in Bangladesh.
After the introductory remarks, Miguel Trapaga performed some well-known Spanish and European tunes with his guitar. He grew up in Cantabria, Spain and studied at the Ataulfo Argenta Conservatory and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Madrid.
He played 16 compositions throughout his performance, including works by revered international guitarist-composers such as Federico Moreno Torroba, Manuel de Falla and Agustin Barrios Mangoré, to name a few.
Trapaga’s performance was followed by the BSA orchestra team, who performed an instrumental presentation titled “Love”. The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Music Group then performed two songs, “Joy Sottyer o Joy”, written by Enamul Haque and composed by Altaf Mahmud, and the famous Spanish ballad “Guantanamera”.
The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Dance Group then presented the closing show, a collective dance recital entitled “Shuveccha Valobasa”.
On May 12, 1972, Spain recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign and independent country. This year, the two countries celebrate the 50th anniversary of their bilateral relations.
