Honoring the 40th anniversary of Alfredo Zitarrosa's return to Uruguay

Alfredo Zitarosa (1936-1989), Uruguayan singer, composer, poet, writer and journalist, and is considered one of the most prominent figures in popular music in Uruguay and Latin America.

In 1976, he went into exile in Spain and Mexico due to the censorship imposed by the military dictatorship. He was able to return to Uruguay on March 31, 1984 after the restoration of democracy, accompanied by a huge convoy of cars and people on the sidewalks.

On Tuesday, April 16, in Zitarosa Hall A Tribute to 40 years This happened after the musician returned to our country. Mayor of Montevideo, Mauricio Zunino, participated in the honor. Director of the Ministry of Culture, María Ines Ubaldia; Director of the Office of Municipal Development and Participation, Federico Grania; Director of Cultural Promotion, Deborah Quiring; Director of the Zitarosa Chamber, Cecilia Canessa; Zitarosa's widow, Nancy Marino, and one of his daughters, Serena Zitarosa.

In the entrance hall of the room, a permanent exhibition was opened to display ContrerasIt was the last guitar that Zitarrosa used during his years of exile in Mexico in 1980 until his death in Montevideo in 1989.

This ten-year-old Canadian red cedar guitar was handcrafted in Madrid in 1980, in a workshop founded by string instrument maker Manuel Contreras in 1962. He acquired it through José Luis Peñamaria, a Spanish guitarist.

At the opening ceremony, Zunino expressed that the municipality is proud to “continue to remember what this room is and the memory of Alfredo,” because he is “part of what Montevideo is.”

Later, on the stage of the Zitarosa Chamber, an audio and video clip of the musician's return to our country was shown.

On that occasion, in addition, a dialogue table was held, moderated by our Director of Culture, María Inés Ubaldia, with representatives of Uruguayan popular music and friends of the musician: Cristina Fernández, Washington Carrasco, Héctor Noma Moraes, Rubén Oliveira. Mauricio Ubal and Fernando Yanez.

The Great Lockdown was responsible for Montevideo Philharmonic OrchestraUnder the direction of Martín García and in collaboration with guitarist Julio Cobelli and composer Ignacio Algorta.