Page 44 - Spanish Insight - October 2019

Spain

&

Spanish!

Spain & Spanish!

Test your understanding whilst learning facts about
beautiful Spain and what it has to offer.

1492 es un año fundamental en la Historia de España. 1492 is a pivotal year in the history of Spain. On January
El 2 de enero, los Reyes Católicos conquistan la ciudad 2, the Catholic Monarchs conquered the city of Granada,
de Granada, poniendo fin a casi 8 siglos de dominación ending nearly eight centuries of Muslim rule on the Iberian
musulmana en la Península Ibérica. Ese mismo año, el Peninsula. That same year, the Genovese navigator
navegante genovés Cristóbal Colón consigue financiación de la corona Christopher Columbus gained funding from the Spanish crown for his
José Plácido Domingo Embil José Placido Domingo Embil project to open a new trade route to the West Indies. The October
de Castilla para su proyecto de abrir una nueva ruta comercial hacia las
Indias por Occidente. El 12 de octubre de 1492 Colón llega a la isla de
(21st Enero 1941, Madrid) es (21st January 1941, Madrid) is a 12, 1492 Columbus arrives at the island of Guanahani, currently in the
Guanahani, actualmente en las Bahamas. Posteriormente realizó otros
un tenor, director de orquesta, tenor, conductor, producer and Bahamas. He subsequently made three other trips to America, boosting
tres viajes a América, lo que impulsó la expansión mundial de la cultura
the global expansion of European culture and colonization of the
productor y compositor español. Spanish composer. The current American continent.
europea y la colonización del continente americano.
Aunque Colón posiblemente no fue el primer explorador europeo en
El actual director de la Ópera director of the Washington Although Columbus possibly was not the first European explorer to arrive
llegar a América, se le considera el ´descubridor´ del Nuevo Mundo por
Nacional de Washington y de la National Opera and Los Angeles in America, he is considered the ‘discoverer’ of the New World for being
ser el primero en trazar una ruta de ida y vuelta a través del Océano
the first to trace a path back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean and
Ópera de Los Ángeles (California) Opera (California) was part of make known the news.
Atlántico y dar a conocer la noticia.
formó parte del trío de Los Tres the trio of The Three Tenors, The colonization (word derived of Columbus) of America caused the
La colonización (palabra derivada de Colón) de América provocó la casi
total desaparición de las culturas existentes (como los imperios Inca y
Tenores, junto al italiano Luciano together with the Italian Luciano almost complete disappearance of existing cultures (like the Inca and
Azteca) y la sustitución de las lenguas autóctonas por las lenguas de
Pavarotti y al tambíen español Pavarotti and also the Spanish Aztec empires) and the replacement of indigenous languages by the
los europeos: español, portugués (en Brasil) e ingles, en Norteamérica.
languages of the Europeans: Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian) and English
Josep Carreras. Domingo es Josep Carreras. Domingo is (in North America). Despite all the Spanish coexists in South America with
Pese a todo, el español convive en Sudamérica con decenas de
conocido por su voz versátil, known for his versatile voice, dozens of indigenous languages: Quechua, Guarani, Aymara, Nauhatl
lenguas indígenas: quechua, guaraní, aimara, náuhatl.... que todavía son
habladas por millones de personas. El 12 de octubre se celebra la Fiesta
lo que le ha permitido cantar which has allowed him to sing as .... that are still spoken by millions of people. October 12 is celebrated
Nacional de España.
the National Day of Spain.
como barítono y tenor. Se dio baritone and tenor. He became
a conocer internacionalmente internationally known with his
Join me, Mario Cabrera,
learning with other students
con su debut en Hamburgo en debut in Hamburg in 1967. He
of varied levels on my Babel
1967. Interpretó por primera performed for the first time at
Language course and on my
vez en el Metropolitan Ópera de the Metropolitan Opera in New
trips! Ever since ancient times,
Nueva York el 28 de Septiembre York on September 28, 1968.
languages have risen up like
ramparts between nations.
de 1968. Desde entonces, ha Since then, he has opened
In the past, those who could
abierto la temporada de este the theatre season on twenty-
speak foreign languages were
teatro en veintiuna ocasiones, one admired by others as they held
occasions,
surpassing
superando el recórd anterior, the previous record which was
the key to unknown worlds.
Even today, languages can be viewed as barriers between
que estaba en poder de Enrico held by Enrico Caruso, for four. As a final thought, be patient. Even
people, but they can also be bridges which can bring us closer
the Spanish take two years to learn
Caruso, en cuatro. Su repertorio His repertoire is very varied Join me, Mario Cabrera,
to people of other nationalities and cultures. Therefore, learning
their own language!
es muy variado y en varios and in various languages: he learning with other students
Spanish isn’t just learning another language. You can discover a
Classes available all along the Coast (Nerja, Trapiche, Puente
of varied levels on my Babel
whole new and fascinating world: the Spanish speaking world.
idiomas: ha cantado en italiano, has sung in Italian, French, Language course and on
don Manuel and more!)
On the other hand, learning a new language doesn´t have to be
francés, alemán, español inglés German, Russian, Spanish, my trips! Ever since ancient Mario Cabrera - Telephone: 649490959
boring. Practicing, making mistakes, and trying again can be fun
y ruso. En escena ha cantado English and Russian. On stage times, languages have risen Email: cabreragmario@gmail.com
stages of learning, especially if you are able to laugh at yourself.
más de noventa papeles he has sung more than ninety up like ramparts between
diferentes, y si se incluyen las different roles, and if you include nations. In the past, those
44 Spanish Insight October 2019
grabaciones, supera los ciento the recordings, more than one who could speak foreign
languages were admired by
veinte. Ha Ganado siete premios hundred and twenty. He has others as they held the key to
Grammy y dos premios Emmy. won seven Grammy Awards and unknown worlds. Even today,
En Marzo de 2008, un jurado two Emmy Awards. In March languages can be viewed as
de 16 críticos especializados, 2008, a jury of 16 specialist barriers between people, but they can also be bridges
convocado por la revista BBC critics, organized by the BBC which can bring us closer to people of other nationalities
Music Magazine, eligió a Plácido Music Magazine, chose Placido and cultures. Therefore, learning Spanish isn’t just
Domingo como el más grande Domingo as the greatest tenor learning another language. You can discover a whole new
and fascinating world: the Spanish speaking world. On
tenor de todos los tiempos. of all time. Amongst his records the other hand, learning a new language doesn´t have to
Entre sus recórds está el haber he has received an hour of be boring. Practicing, making mistakes, and trying again
recibido una hora de aplausos applause at the Vienna State can be fun stages of learning, especially if you are able to
en la Ópera de Viena después Opera after singing La Boheme, laugh at yourself. As a final thought, be patient. Even the
de cantar La Bohéme, una an achievement recognised by Spanish take two years to learn their own language!
marca recogida por el Libro the Guinness Book of Records, Classes available all along the Coast (Nerja, Trapiche,
Guinness, y haber reunido and has gathered 400,000 Puente don Manuel and more!)
en un concierto a 400.000 people for a concert in New
personas en el Central Park York’s Central Park, despite the Mario Cabrera - Telephone: 649490959
neoyorquino, pese a la lluvia. rain. Email:mariocabrera@wanadoo.es
34 Spanish Insight January 2016