Omara Portuondo (born in Havana, Cuba on 29 October 1930) is a Cuban singer… Read Full Bio ↴Omara Portuondo (born in Havana, Cuba on 29 October 1930) is a Cuban singer whose career has spanned over half a century.

Portuondo was born in October 1930 in Havana, one of three sisters; her mother came from a wealthy Spanish family, and had created a scandal by running off with and marrying a black professional baseball player. Omara started her career in 1945 as a dancer at Havana's Tropicana Club (following her older sister, Haydee). The two sisters used to sing for family and friends, however, and after a brief time in a band called Loquibambla Swing, in 1952 they got together with two friends (Elena Bourke and Moraima Secada) and formed the singing group Cuarteto las d'Aida, backed by pianist Aida Diestro. The group had considerable success, touring the United States, performing with Nat King Cole at the Tropicana, and recording an album for RCA Victor.

In 1959 Portuondo recorded a solo album, Magia Negra, involving both jazz and Cuban music. This didn't, however, mark the beginning of a solo career, and although Haydee left the group in 1961, Omara continued singing with Cuarteto las d'Aida until 1967.

In 1967 Portuondo embarked on a solo career, and in the same year represented Cuba at the Sopot Festival in Poland, singing Juanito Marquez' "Como un Milagro". Alongside her solo work, in the 1970s she sang with charanga band Orquestra Aragon, and toured with them.

In 1974 she recorded, with guitarist Martin Rojas, what would become one of her most critically acclaimed albums in which she sings praises to Salvador Allende and the people of Chile a year after the military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. Among many other hits from the album, she also praises the work of Ernesto "Che" Guevara in the beautiful "Hasta Siempre".

During the 1970s and 1980s Portuonda enjoyed considerable success at home and abroad, with tours, albums (including one of her most lauded recordings in 1984 with Adalberto Alvarez), film rôles, and her own television series. Her international profile was due to soar, however, in 1996.

Portuondo sang (duetting with Compay Segundo) on the album Buena Vista Social Club in 1996. This led, not only to more touring (including playing at Carnegie Hall with the Buena Vista troupe) and her appearance in Wim Wenders' film The Buena Vista Social Club, but to two further albums for the World Circuit label: Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo (2000) and Flor de Amor (2004). In July 2005 she presented a symphonic concert of her most important repertoire at the Berlin Festival Classic Open Air am Gendarmenmarkt for an audience of 7,000. The entire program was specially orchestrated by Roberto Sánchez Ferrer, a colleague with whom she had worked during her early years at Havana's Tropicana Club. Scott Lawton conducted the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg.

Hermosa Habana
Omara Portuondo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Habana
Hermosa Habana
Lindo es tu prado
Lindas son tus calles
Bello es tu mar

Habana
A ti va mi canto

Como gemir de violines
Que solo tocan para ti
Se ven en el cielo azul volar
Palomas como símbolo de paz
Que es la gloria para ti
Habana

Habana
Hermosa Habana
Lindo es tu prado
Lindas son tus calles
Bello es tu mar
Habana
A ti llega mi canto
Como gemir de violines
Que solo tocan para ti
Se ven en el cielo
Azul volar
Palomas como símbolo de paz
Que es la gloria para ti

Habana
Habana

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Omara Portuondo's song "Hermosa Habana" are a tribute to the beauty and distinctiveness of Havana, the capital city of Cuba. The song exalts the many features that make Havana a unique and special city, such as its lush parks ("Lindo es tu prado"), picturesque streets ("Lindas son tus calles"), and breathtaking sea views ("Bello es tu mar"). The lyrics express a deep sense of love and admiration for the city, portrayed as a place of peace and harmony, and celebrate the many symbolic elements that represent Havana's cultural identity, such as the soaring flights of doves in the blue sky ("Palomas como símbolo de paz").

The chorus repeats the phrase "Habana, Hermosa Habana" several times in a joyful and enthusiastic tone, conveying a sense of pride and belonging to the city. The comparison of the singer's voice to the mournful sound of violins underscores the emotional intensity of the song and highlights the importance of Havana as a source of inspiration and creativity. Ultimately, the lyrics of "Hermosa Habana" paint a loving and evocative picture of a city that is not only beautiful but also full of cultural richness and historical significance.

Line by Line Meaning

Habana
This is a reference to Havana, the capital city of Cuba.

Hermosa Habana
The singer is describing Havana as beautiful.

Lindo es tu prado
The singer is saying that the city has a beautiful green area (prado).

Lindas son tus calles
The singer is complimenting the city's streets, saying that they are pretty.

Bello es tu mar
The singer is admiring Havana's beautiful sea.

A ti va mi canto
The singer is saying that she is dedicating this song to Havana.

Como gemir de violines
The singer's voice is compared to the sound of violin playing, which is a symbol of passion and beauty.

Que solo tocan para ti
The violins are playing only for Havana, symbolizing her significance and worth.

Se ven en el cielo azul volar
The singer is describing the sight of birds flying in Havana's blue skies.

Palomas como símbolo de paz
The birds (palomas) are seen as a symbol of peace, adding to the city's beauty and significance.

Que es la gloria para ti
The singer is saying that peace is a source of glory for Havana, adding to its beauty and significance.