He left wearing an imperial smile in which, just for a moment, the moved gesture was guessed. It was no wonder, in view of that audience that, more than applauding her, was telling her that he was there with her, next to her, closing ranks, unavailable to the storm and evil tongues. Nobody is going to be able to handle Isabel Pantoja, the artist who takes the world by storm, who devours the stage and life, and who this Saturday, at the Palau Sant Jordi, dedicated herself to a conscientious recital of gratitude. “To God, for completing those 50 years on stage“, to those who are here and to those who are no longer here, and who are above and continue to see and hear me.”
The vocal power was already hinted at in the opening song, ‘Bewitched by your love’ one of those couplets from his first stage, by Solano y León, which he will collect, with new arrangements (disruptive rhythmic breaks), in his announced new album. That it will come out “approximately in January”, she said with rare imprecision. “It’s coming out right now!”. Sant Jordi, in a format of two thirds of the venue (advance stage), of which just over three quarters were occupied. And on stage, the diva, with her collection of sparkling dresses, supported by a large orchestra (seventy musicians) and a lush choir (another ten), directed by Carlos Checa.
With first and last name
There was Isabel Pantoja, wearing his first and last name, in very large letters, as a stage background so that no one would confuse us, and confessing herself touched by the time travel that had been imposed. “I’m very excited, I’m sorry.”, he slipped into that initial section based on songs from his youthful years, such as the first one he recorded, ‘Tené compassionate de mi’, as well as ‘Fue por tu voz’ and ‘Esta penamine’. Pieces, some, reduced to sketches, but in which everything flowed. “If I start singing the entire songs we are here until December 30… ¡next year!”.
Her catalog allowed her a variety of styles, and through the sevillana and the chotis (the funny ‘El Señorito’), and following a script of chronological order, she ended up with the impetuous ‘Nada’, music by Paco Cepero, and from there to the melodious and long-suffering shores of ‘Sailor of Lights’. “A record that is not a record, it is my life”. She grew there not only in her vocal modulations, moving the microphone away and playing with the distance from her, but also in her grimace and gesture, giving wings to each rhyme. Although when the audience stood up she went to ‘ Así fue’, by Juan Gabriel, long and meandering.
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Isabel Pantoja usually gives generous concerts, and this career anniversary turned out to be oceanic, with more than 60 songs performed or quoted. A festival for the connoisseur of his work, who was able to follow his evolution album by album, this time avoiding thematic blocks, through the song with a southern wind, the nod to Miami (his nineties period) and, from there, to bolero with voice and piano (‘Dos gardenias’, ‘Perfidia’), and of course, the classic couplet of ‘Yo soy esa’, ‘La zarzamora’ and a pinch of ‘Ojos Verdes’. And the carol of ‘The fish in the river‘. And a couple of surprises that the new album holds, ‘My friend’ and ‘I would like to say no!’, pieces that one day Rocío Jurado made her own, and in which she saw a tear running down her cheek.
Sensitive material invoked with power, stretching the repertoire at will up to three hours. “Are you OK? prove it!”, he inquired with commanding skills. Indomitable Pantoja, of whom the world so often forgets that she belongs to a rare lineage of artist, with all the consequences.