Interesting Op-Ed piece in this morning’s Herald arguing that Bad Bunny’s halftime show was a failure. The author, Orlando Alonso, a “Cuban-American pianist, conductor and cultural entrepreneur,” makes the case that the Puerto Rican’s performance did not adequately represent Latin music, which has a rich and exemplary history, and asks: “When did we stop evaluating art as art?”
My question would be: When did the Super Bowl halftime show – or any halftime show – have anything to do with art? It’s about entertainment – and not just any entertainment, but entertainment that will appeal to the masses, particularly those who love football. It’s not a place for Yo Yo Ma.
I suspect that Alonso regrets (resents?) Bad Bunny’s phenomenal popularity. But his success is more as an entertainer than as a musician. (Personally, I enjoyed the halftime show because I thought it was riveting theater.) The great Latin artists – as well as those of other ethnicities – continue to perform, albeit in smaller venues and for smaller audiences. What Alonso was getting at in his article, I think, is that the vast majority of Americans have lost their ability to identify and appreciate artistic expression in music. Though he doesn’t say it, this is in large part due to the defunding of arts programs in schools, an initiative that is usually part of the Republican agenda. It’s interesting, then, that Republicans seemed to be the most vocal in their denunciation of the halftime show.
