When a hundred, 200, many years pass, those of us who feel strongly the departure of Maestro Adalberto Alvarez, will obviously not be alive. Our descendants will be, and they will continue to enjoy the work of the Caballero del Son, treasured by all as an icon of Cuban culture, which they will in turn bequeath to other generations.
There is no way to eliminated that which is deeply rooted, nor any means to remove from our hearts someone who has given us so much pleasure, knowing that we are part of his songs, verses, rhythms, present in his always new work. Everything this creator has been for Cubans will endure. His dedication to the genre of son was more than an obsession; he found a formula to love it, to multiply those who uphold genuine Cuban music.
It is hard to find consolation in arguments of this kind, when someone who has given so much is gone. Every goodbye is painful, especially when in times of pandemic there are so many, leaving no time to internalize the idea. But there is something unmentionable when a death transcends the family circle. Grief shakes a country and sadness engulfs us.
While Adalberto was fighting the disease, his people did not abandon him, as they never did when he was healthy. Wishes for a speedy recovery from the population were constant, both on social networks and in daily conversation; concern for the legendary sonero marked the last days of his life.
When the news broke yesterday morning, September 1, personalities and cultural institutions expressed their sorrow and acknowledged the deep mark left by the Caballero in Cuban music.
Living anecdotes, recognition of his greatness, non-conformity before the inexorable, and certainty that there is no goodbye for a man who remains, alongside his people, abound in messages from the heart of Cuba, for an artist who, even upon leaving the world, will not abandon it.
President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez conveyed the sentiments of all Cuba in a tweet, "We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the excellent musician Adalberto Álvarez, to his friends and to the people of Cuba who hold him as one of their most beloved artists. His music and his avid defense of Son will remain forever. Today Cuban culture is in mourning."
