Tonight (Sunday, Feb. 25) is the kick-off of Latin music’s longest-running and most-watched music pageant. More than 200 million individuals are anticipated to observe the tv broadcast of the Viña del Mar Song Festival, which celebrates its 63rd yr (uninterrupted, save for 2 years of Covid-19 shutdown) with performances by international music stars.
Alejandro Sanz and Manuel Turizo will open the pageant on the Quinta Vergara Amphitheater tonight. Then, the week continues with Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo Bocelli on Monday, Feb. 26 (with Miranda! because the second act); Maná and Men at Work on Feb. 27; Mora and Anitta on Feb. 29; an evening dedicated to Chilean artists with Los Bunkers and Young Cister on March 1; and for the finale on Feb. 2, Maria Becerra, who took the place of Peso Pluma after the Mexican artist canceled his Latin American tour final week. Trueno would be the second artist of the night time.
Although the artists, worldwide and people competitions, and comedy units are the principle attraction of the pageant, the spine is its hosts. Chileans María Luisa Godoy — who returns for the fourth consecutive yr — and Francisco Saavedra, have the titanic activity of actually “conducting” the pageant six nights in a row, in marathon six-hour plus evenings. Saavedra and Godoy, each veteran journalists, presenters and commentators, not solely host and introduce all through the night, however they have to navigate the subtleties of many artists (and new artists who come to compete), comedians and the stay viewers at Quinta Vergara, generally known as “the monster” for his or her energetic involvement in what occurs on the stage.
This yr, Godoy and Saavedra even have an extra problem, as the town of Viña del Mar was severely affected initially of the month by fires that left greater than 120 individuals useless and greater than 15,000 houses destroyed.
Just hours earlier than they go on stage, we spoke with Godoy and Saavedra about what it takes to organize to host the biggest pageant on the earth.
The Viña del Mar Song Festival has been celebrated for nearly 70 years. What is completely different this yr?
Francisco Saavedra: It’s completely different as a result of a tragedy occurred in Viña del Mar, greater than 100 individuals died and there are lots of locations which can be badly broken. Therefore, the pageant took on a supportive tone. Throughout our broadcast, a QR code shall be displayed from the place everybody can donate for the reconstruction of Viña del Mar.
María Luisa Godoy: It’s a wounded metropolis, and we would like all of Latin America to assist us on this reconstruction. Therefore, the greater than 200 million individuals who watch the Viña Festival hope that you’ll collaborate with us. At the amphitheater now we have a sales space for donations, and in addition, we purpose to heal with music, with leisure.
How do these details change your work as hosts?
Saavedra: We’d been rehearsing for eight months, and we needed to change the tone of what we had been going to say. The artist introductions stay the identical, however empathy is what modifications the tone of the scripts. We needed to re-study.
Godoy: The first night time is the massive problem, as a result of it units the tone. So a lot so, that we even modified the skin [Godoy will wear a white pantsuit, Saavedra will wear all black]. The pageant has at all times began with a celebration, and the outfits had been flashier, however we’re placing a extra sober notice out of respect.
This shouldn’t be a traditional internet hosting job. Literally everybody in Chile — almost 90% of the inhabitants –watches this present in some unspecified time in the future. How do you put together?
Saavedra: There is only editorial work. We had 18 rehearsals inisde a tv studio the place the producers gave us all types of prompts of what may occur: applause, booing, the teleprompter slicing out, delays. They wished to see our capacity to improvise. You know that the viewers in Viña del Mar could be very completely different from different international locations. They prefer to take part, and so they’re very radical. If they don’t like one thing, they’re ruthless. So one needs to be ready for that.
Godoy: It is the biggest pageant on the earth. There are six nights, the place there are two artists who sing, plus the competitors, plus the comic. So it forces us to be taught the biography of every individual as a way to current them in the very best manner. And a part of the identification of this pageant is that it has the “monster.” And the monster could be very distinctive. It’s an viewers that may actually eat the artist who’s on stage.
In your three years on the Festival, María Luisa, what second stands out?
Godoy: There was a very tough pageant in 2020, in the course of the nation’s interval of social unrest. They even put up barricades across the venue, and it was tough for artists to get there. The opening artists couldn’t come as a result of crowds had been setting vehicles on fireplace outdoors the lodge and wouldn’t allow them to go. And I wish to let you know about Ricky Martin who saved the pageant in 2020. Every night time, we weren’t certain if we’d have a present or not. When Ricky got here to the venue, he needed to lie down inside his SUV as a result of protesters had been throwing stones on the vehicles, not even understanding who was inside. Every worldwide artist began calling Ricky to ask what the scenario was. And Ricky, such and beneficiant individual, utterly calmed everybody down, put them comfortable, and helped the pageant happen.
Saavedra: An analogous factor that occurred with Alejandro Sanz this yr. He went to see a number of the individuals who misplaced their houses within the fires. It was very emotional.
Francisco, it’s your first yr. Did you lengthy to do that?
Saavedra: I believe it’s a very powerful pageant in Latin America, and for any Chilean tv host being in Viña is an important step in your profession. You are seen by audiences from all around the world. You cross borders. To stay as much as this we’ve been finding out and dealing. It’s a dream for me since I used to be little. Now having the ability to fulfill it excites me deeply.
María Luisa, and also you? How did the chance come to you?
Godoy: It was a shock as a result of my profession was in political journalism, so it was by no means one thing I believed I may do. It’s not the sort of factor you possibly can say no to as a result of it’s like sporting the Chilean T-shirt for the world. It has merely been a very powerful factor that has occurred in my skilled profession.
You are a mom of 5 youngsters. How do you steadiness such a posh job with motherhood?
Godoy: As a mom, I can’t transfer with out my puppies. I’ve from 1-year-old to a 10-year-old and they’re all right here with me. What makes me most completely happy is being with them and preventing for ladies. Ever since i hosted Viña whereas I used to be pregnant — there had by no means been a pregnant lady [as a host] — I at all times stated, my dream is to make sure that having youngsters shouldn’t be an obstacle to working, and that working shouldn’t be an obstacle to having youngsters for a lady who needs a toddler. You have to interrupt down limitations. Motherhood will be made appropriate with work.
Pancho, you might be additionally breaking parameters as a homosexual man with two youngsters. Your baby is simply months outdated…
Saavedra: Absolutely. My daughter Laura and my son Emilio and my husband are right here. It is the primary time, I consider, in these 63 years that Viña del Mar has been, [that it] has had [an openly gay host] and it has to do with the evolution of the world and the way minds are opening. There is lots of homophobia on the earth. This is a superb step ahead. And the one factor I’ve acquired on the road is affection, love and empathy. Being in a position to do an interview and speak about my husband and my youngsters, and never elevate an eyebrow, is a big step in the fitting course.
The Viña del Mar Song Festival will be seen outdoors Chile on streaming platform Star+.
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