The Tabernacle Choir World Tour - Buenos Aires, Argentina

 I cannot watch the video of the Tabernacle Choir in Buenos Aires without tearing up.  The subtitle is songs of hope.  The concert brings back many memories for me.  I was a missionary there 48 years ago.  I am not without my biases.  The narration for the concert is all in Spanish; not just Spanish but Argentine Spanish.  I love to hear the accent.  The choir sings in both Spanish and English going back and forth.  

I watched the concert live and there are some differences.  In the live concert they cut to different places throughout South America.  Hoever in the version in the link this has been taken out.

The narration tells several different stories, including the lan of salvation, Lehi and his vision of the tree, the Joseph Smith story, and the story of the Church in Argentina.

The music is wonderful.  The choir starts with singing songs of praise.  They sing four different versions of Hallelujah, including a version from Argentina, an Italian version and from The Messiah.  As part of the story of the plan of salvation they play some tango.  Actors portray the plan of salvation, finding love and going through trials and facing mortality, bringing babies into the world.  They have guest accordion and violin players.  They also have tango dancing.  

When they sing "What a Wonderful World" it is just precious, arranged by Mack Wilberg.   The guest performers also sing some very nice songs.  Soledad Pastorutti is an Argentine Folk singer.  She sang "Tren del Cielo," (Heavenly train), "Brindis," (toast), and Los Paisajes, (and scapes).  La Sole sings with lots of emotion.  Tren del Cielo has a very catchy rhythm and melody.  She also sings "I Am a Child of God" in Spanish.  The audience starts the second verse and she comes in with the first.  So they sing the first verse twice.

The choir sings a couple primary songs after La Sole's set. They sing "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" and "Child's Prayer," singing both in Spanish.  Very nice.

When the missionaries march on stage it is very nice.  They are there representing the numerous missionaries that have served in South America in the last 100 years.  It is also very good to know that now days most of the missionaries are from the local population.  

The choir sang a series of familiar hymns such as "Come, Come Ye Saints," "I Believe in Christ" and "The Spirit of God.

I think the highlight of the night is all the guest performers sang "Cambia Todo" (everything changes) with the choir backing up.  It is very effective.  The idea is that through Christ everything changes, and we can have a new heart.

The night concluded with "God Be With You Til We Meet Again, Para Siempre Dios Este con Vos."

Music Review: Vivencia: Mi Cuarto

 

This is an album I purchased many years ago when I was in Argentina for my mission.  This group has the feel of Seals and Croft or Simon and Garfunkel, but a couple times get carried away with sound effects.  In my youth the son "Pequeno Pasajero" had a great influence on me becoming a social worker and wanting to do something for children.  It tells the story of a boy who rides the train selling candy in hopes of getting something with which to buy bread.  I actually saw these children when I was in Argentina.  Another song on a similar vein is is "Los Juguetes y los Ninos."  In this song the toys wonder why the children suffer with longing and they are stuck in the show window.  "Mi Cuatro" is the title song iin which the author seeks refuge in his room.

The duo has rhythmic guitar and acoustic guitar and adds harmonic at times.  

Movie Review: ****Operation Finale (2018)

This is a spy thriller which shows the capture and trial of Adolph Eichmann, the person in charge of the transportation arrangements for the Jews during the Holocaust.  Although there was a Jewish Mossad team, this mostly portrays Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) as they work to get Eichmann (Ben Kingsley) to sign a document where he agrees to travel to Israel for trial.  Malkin's girlfriend, Hanna (Melanie Laurent) joins them as a nurse to keep Eichmann drugged when needed.  The plan from El Al has this as a condition to flying him to Israel.  In other words, there plan was going smoothly until they are caught in a snag waiting to get the paper signed so they can go to the airport.  In the meantime they are holed in a safe house while the Nazi sympathizers, with governmental assistance get closer and closer.
Personally I enjoyed the views of Argentina presented including the Obelisco in Buenos Aires.