PUERTO RICO HERALD: Commonwealth's 50th Year Stirs Serious Protests

February 15, 2002
Copyright © 2002 THE MIAMI HERALD. All Rights Reserved.

You would think Luis Miguel would be used to the media spotlight. After all, he has been under it since he was 12.

But he remains famously private and press-shy, making only rare public appearances. So when he walked out to face some 200 members of

the international media in Miami last November, he looked extremely uncomfortable.

Wearing a tight, formal black suit on this warm, humid night, Luis Miguel was sweating heavily and breathing rapidly. At one point, he worked a finger into his collar, saying to the crowd at Casa Casuarina, Gianni Versace's former mansion on Ocean Drive, ``It's hot, no?''

When asked whether he regretted any of the effects of his immense success, however, Luis Miguel didn't hesitate.

''It comes with the territory,'' he said. ``I knew that in doing what I wanted I would have to live with the consequences.''

He'll be back in the public eye again Saturday and Sunday when he plays two concerts at the Miami Arena, the latest stop on a tour that featured six sold-out shows at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater. Luis Miguel may be uncomfortable with the pressures of fame, but he loves the attention and lives for the music.

''I think what really drives Luis Miguel is his love for music, his passion for life, the great respect he has for his career,'' says Mauricio Abaroa, president of Emilio Estefan's Crescent Moon Records and a man who worked with Luis Miguel from 1991-96, first as the head of artist and repertoire for Warner Music Mexico, the singer's label, and then as head of Luis Miguel's production company for two years.

``The contemporary history of the bolero is before and after Luis Miguel. You have to compare him to the greatest singers, because he's working toward that.''

So much so that it's hard to imagine Luis Miguel, 31, has time to experience the romantic emotions he sings about. He has spent almost his entire life as a star, recording his first album in 1982, then winning a Grammy three years later at age 15.

But it was the phenomenon he ignited with Romance in 1991 that took him into a different stratosphere. A recording of classic boleros, it introduced a new generation of fans to the traditional genre, selling more than 7 million copies internationally and marking Luis Miguel as the heir apparent to Julio Iglesias, then Latin music's supreme crooner and romantic idol.

Mis Romances, released last fall, is the fourth installment in Luis Miguel's bolero series. All four albums have been backed by lavishly produced concert tours, complete with mariachi and string orchestras, that provide a glittering, Las Vegas-style backdrop for his intimate material.

With his rich, powerful voice, Luis Miguel is one of the most vocally talented singers in Latin music. But his hyperbolic interpretations of such personal songs caused a Los Angeles Times reviewer to compare them to a disco version of My Funny Valentine.

For his part, Luis Miguel remains confident in the style that has defined his career.

''My competition is with myself, to maintain and to evolve,'' he said. ``This is the way I tell the history of love, and each new record is part of this series. I believe that the more you experience and the greater your maturity, the more this will be reflected in the work.''

Abaroa says that Luis Miguel is so protective of his privacy in part because he needs it for his music.

''He has achieved a seriousness in his professional and his private life, which I think he deserves,'' Abaroa says. ``I imagine that [his private life] delivers him a lot of personal richness, which, of course is reflected in his performances.''

But one result of finding love through best-selling music has been the unrelenting attention Luis Miguel's personal life draws. It's a situation intensified by Luis Miguel's tendency to get involved with other public figures, such as TV personality Daisy Fuentes and singer Mariah Carey.

Still, the consequences for anyone who tries to record these public pairings can be severe. Luis Miguel's bodyguards allegedly manhandled paparazzo Angel Mora after he snapped Luis Miguel and actress Sofia Vergara at South Beach restaurant Tantra last December.

''I get embarrassed by personal things,'' Luis Miguel says. ``One day I hope to have a family and another kind of love. But for now, I'm going to have love through my music . I continue more single than ever.''

On Saturday, Feb. 23, Hato Rey's Hiram Bithorn Stadium will be the setting for the highly anticipated "Mis Romances" concert by Latin heartthrob Luis Miguel.

After kicking off his 2002 world tour a few weeks ago in San Diego, Luis Miguel will arrive in Puerto Rico to offer love, magic, and romance, singing songs that span his 20-year career.

The tour carries the same title as the pop-balladeer's latest production, released in November. Following in the footsteps of its romantic predecessors--the series of three bolero albums "Romance," "Segundo Romance," and "Romances"--"Mis Romances" continues the musical genre that catapulted him to international super stardom. The album features 11 timeless boleros, making their debut in the new millennium through the voice of Luis Miguel.

Passion, disillusionment, betrayal, happiness, and anguish are among the different portraits of love presented, with the beautiful accompaniment of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Armando Manzanero, Manuel Alejandro, Carlos Gardel, Bobby Collazo, Oswaldo Farrés, and Myrtha Silva are some of the composers of these classic songs, into which Luis Miguel breathes new life.

Within a week of its release, "Mis Romances" achieved gold and platinum sales status. The album's first promotional track, "Amor, Amor, Amor," a catchy optimistic tune that Luis Miguel magically interprets, leaves listeners instinctively tapping their feet. The second promotional track, "Como duele," composed by Aramando Manzanero, currently occupies the No. 1 position on Billboard Hot Latin Tracks. The song is about a Don Juan who is painfully jealous of a past love who has found another.

Referred to as "El Idolo" (the Idol), Luis Miguel is adored by millions of fans worldwide and has been garnered with countless accolades. His past studio album, "Amarte es un placer," earned him three Latin Grammy awards in the categories "Album of the Year," "Best Pop Album," and "Best Pop Male Song" for "Tu mirada."

Before the Latin Grammy was created, Luis Miguel already had four Grammys under his belt or, more appropriately, on the shelf. The first he won for his duet with Sheena Easton in 1985, for the song "Me gustas tal como eres"; the second was in 1993 for the song "Aries"; the third for the album "Segundo romance" in 1995; and the fourth for the album "Romances" in 1998.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 32 years ago, Luis Miguel released his first album in 1982, entitled "1 + 1 = 2 enamorados." Twenty years and 20 records later, Luis Miguel returns to the place of his birth for this one night-only concert.

Tickets to the "Mis Romances" concert are available from Casatron at (787) 728-4000 and Casa de los Tapes at (787) 764-4061 for $99, $94 & $69 for arena; $54 palco (box seats); and $39 general admission.

THE MIAMI HERALD

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