Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Reading some poems by the Mexican poet Juana Inés de la Cruz struck me for its baroque language and also for its profound content expressed through allegories. She suggested melodic ideas and not-so-intricate accompaniments that directly support the words.

The first song, Verde embeleso (Green bewitch), takes a journey inside. Disregarding the glasses that distort the vision of reality, the poet highlights the false perception of the world through the deception that the filters of one's own desire imply. Human life is full of false hopes, of desires that, like in dreams, are empty. The happiness of a moment later becomes misfortune for those who pursue the shadow instead of reality. “Tengo en entrambas manos ambos ojos”, I only believe what I touch. This song is dedicated to my student Jèssica Roig.

The second, A una rosa (To a rose), tells us about the appearance and transience of beauty with a metaphor with the rose. The beauty of the rose represents the human essence, which unites the joy of youth with the sadness of death. A haughty and proud youth unaware of its irremediable expiration. It is dedicated to Marta Rodrigo..