One of the threads connecting so many of the pieces in El Puerto Rico is the odd, in-between political status of the island itself.
It's neither fully independent nor fully a part of the U.S., a colony in practice if not in name.
Composer Gabriel Bouche Caro uses a colloquial term to describe it, "Ni fú, ni fa," roughly translating to "neither here nor there."
Bouche Caro's piece explores the current situation, as well as the possible future outcomes for Puerto Rico.
Will it become independent, a fully-recognized country in its own right? Will it become a U.S. state, forging closer ties with America?
Or will it continue to exist in the in-between?
As Bouche Caro explains, living with this uncertainty is central to the experience of so many Puerto Ricans.
The Victory Players:
Tianhui Ng, music director
Angela Santiago, ensemble manager
Nathan Ben-Yehuda, piano
Clare Monfredo, cello
Giovanni A. Perez, flute
Robert Rocheteau, percussion
Eric Schultz, clarinet
Elly Toyoda, violin
You can watch an interview with Bouche Caro below, with a transcript in both English and Spanish.
Spanish language translation: Damaris Pérez-Pizarro
El Puerto Rico is a collaboration of the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts (MIFA), New England Public Media and GBH Music, which originally published a version of this post.