Manuelita la Tortuga by Maria Elena Walsh with Martín Benvenuto

Lyrics:
Manuelita la Tortuga
Manuelita vivía en Pehuajó
Pero un día se marchó
Nadie supo bien por qué
A París ella se fue
Un poquito caminando
Y otro poquitito a pie
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita a dónde vas
Con tu traje de malaquita
Y tu paso tan audaz
Manuelita una vez se enamoró
De un tortugo que pasó
Dijo: ¿qué podré yo hacer?
Vieja no me va a querer
En Europa y con paciencia
Me podrán embellecer
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita a dónde vas
Con tu traje de malaquita
Y tu paso tan audaz
En la tintorería de Paris
La pintaron con barniz
La plancharon en francés
Del derecho y del revés
Le pusieron peluquita
Y botines en los pies
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita a dónde vas
Con tu traje de malaquita
Y tu paso tan audaz
Tantos años tardó en cruzar el mar
Que allí se volvió a arrugar
Y por eso regresó
Vieja como se marchó
A buscar a su tortugo
Que la espera en Pehuajó
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita a dónde vas
Con tu traje de malaquita
Y tu paso tan audaz
Translation by Martin Benvenuto:
Manuelita the Tortoise
Manuelita lived once in Pehuajó
But one day she left her home.
Nobody knows why she left for Paris.
Left a little bit by walking
And a little bit on foot.
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita, where are you going?
With your suit of malachite
And your very audacious gait.
Manuelita once fell in love
With a turtle that passed by.
She asked "Oh what can I do?
I'm old, he won't love me back"
With patience once in Europe
they can beautify me again.
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita, where are you going?
With your suit of malachite
And your very audacious gait.
In a laundry in the middle of Paris,
They painted her with varnish.
They ironed her out in French
Right side up and back again.
They gave her a lovely little wig
And boots on her feet.
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita, where are you going?
With your suit of malachite
And your very audacious gait.
She took many long years to cross the ocean
That her washing came undone.
That's why she returned
as old as when she set off
to seek out her dear turtle
who awaits her in Pehuajó.
Manuelita, Manuelita
Manuelita, where are you going?
With your suit of malachite
And your very audacious gait.
Companion pronunciation video: • Manuelita la Tortuga P...
I was so delighted to have Martín Benvenuto in the studio to share songs from Argentinean composer, Maria Elena Walsh. He offers these thoughts:
As most Argentineans of my generation, I grew up listening and singing songs by writer, poet and singer Maria Elena Walsh, an Argentine cultural icon. Her songs have traveled across the Spanish-speaking world, inspiring children (and adults) to sing along.
I gather I only fully understood the depth and inventiveness of some of her songs as an adult. However, I do remember Manuelita la Tortuga and the impact it on had on me as a shy and introspective boy. The adventurous turtle from the rural town of Pehuajó travels to Paris to undergo beauty treatments, fearing her age will cause her lover (turtle) to not love her back. She takes so many years to cross the ocean from Paris that her treatments come undone, but her lover turtle waits for her patiently in Pehuajó.
A lesson about ageism and the meaning of true love as no other for my 10-year-old self…
Martín Benvenuto is native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the Artistic Director of 21V, a Bay Area professional ensemble of soprano and alto voices of all gender identities with a focus on music of the 21st century of the Americas.
Active as a clinician, panelist, and guest conductor at home and abroad, Martín is recognized for his exacting technique, his passion for drawing the finest choral tone, and his extensive repertoire which includes the commission of many new choral works for treble voices.
Martín has also appeared as tenor soloist with leading Bay Area ensembles and holds a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Boston University, master's degrees from Westminster Choir College in Choral Conducting and Voice Performance & Pedagogy, and undergraduate degrees from the Universidad Católica Argentina in Choral Conducting and Composition.
www.martinbenvenuto.com
www.21vchoir.org
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