Filipino artists paid tribute to Luis Eduardo Aute’s life, music and artistic legacy in a concert aptly titled, Manila Born: A Tribute to Aute. The concert was organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, the cultural arm of the Embassy of Spain, to mark his 80th birth anniversary, last 7 November at the RCBC Auditorium, Makati City.

Aute’s legacy was brought to life with the screening of a documentary, “Con tu Latido,” and live renditions by Sheila Ferrer, Toma Cayabyab and his band, the Debonair District. “Con tu latido” was produced in 2021 by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, was filmed in Intramuros, and features Filipino singers, such as Bituin Escalante and Mark Anthony Carpio, performing some of the songs of Luis Eduardo Aute. It was also a glimpse of the life and genius of Aute through his past interviews where he shares his creative interests, moorings and intimate reflections of his childhood and his life in the country.

The very fabric of Aute’s art resonates with this shared and unique experience of being Spanish and Filipino at the same time. This duality in his cultural identity often informed the range of his creative work. His songs and poetry are often tinged by nostalgia, dislocation, and longingness which provide rich, evolved, and distinct narratives. 

“This is why his songs resonate with local audience,” said Javier Galvan, director of Instituto Cervantes de Manila.

For the part of the artists involved, Cayabyab said, “ it’s actually an honor to be working on this because it was only through Instituto that I got to know Aute. It’s really interesting to see that he grew up here in the Philippines and that he had a chance to embrace and enjoy our culture. It was also an honor to work with Instituto Cervantes and its director, Javier Galvan, who was very passionate about this project and was really eager to share Aute’s history and music with the Filipinos. I, along with my fellow musicians, also enjoyed performing his works.”

Meanwhile, Ferrer added, “as artists, we never perform the same song the same way twice. There are a million ways to interpret a song, and I think I can use that to expand my artistry, like what Aute did to his music.” 

Veteran actor Ronnie Lazaro, in attendance to the event and was moved by his introduction to Aute’s life and music, said this event made him proud of Aute.

 Aute was born on 13 September 1943, raised in Manila where he spent his formative years, and even went to De La Salle University for his studies before moving to Spain with his family in 1954. He would later become one of the icons of Spanish music in the second half of the 20th century and whose music transcended even to Latin America. He has released over 30 albums. In addition to his music career, he also was an accomplished painter, sculpture and film director.  After a decline in his health, Aute died in 2020 at the age of 76 in Madrid.