Ramiro Burr: Shakira's Tour DVD is the next best thing to live concert [Source]
For the Shakira fans who were rocked by her U.S. concerts last fall, the experience is only a thrilling memory today.Now they can relive the excitement with Shakira's just-released DVD "Oral Fixation Tour," a 16-track DVD that includes several bonus cuts.
Shakira also contributed three songs to the movie "Love in the Time of Cholera," an adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez's novel. Two are new: "Hay Amores" and "Despedida," both written and produced by Shakira with Pedro Aznar and soundtrack composer Antonio Pinto ("City of God"). The third is "Pienso en Ti," a track from her CD "Pies Descalzos."
Shakira talked about the songs and the movie at a recent Los Angeles press conference, which was made available to music writers via podcast.
"To create music for a movie based on one of the most extraordinary writers in history, and also a very close friend of mine, García Márquez, was an opportunity that I did not want to miss," she said. "That's why I accepted the challenge. I can't deny that making music for this movie has been one of the biggest challenges in my history as a person, as a musician, as a songwriter and as a producer.
"The big question mark was, 'How do you make music for a movie inspired by a masterpiece that already has so much music in it'? The works of García Márquez are very distinctive because of its cadence and its rhythm and the musicality and its metaphors."
"Love in the Time of Cholera," which is now playing in San Antonio, stars Javier Bardem and Catalina Sandino Moreno.
"It's an honor to be a part of a movie that captures so well the very essence of my country," Shakira said. "The Colombia of García Márquez, the Colombia of such beauty and contrasts and poetry; the Colombia that nurtured me like a mother, the Colombia that I so profoundly love."
With the latest in sound and stage technology, most new DVDs do a fine job of presenting a captivating effects-laden show, giving home viewers a sense of being there. Shakira's "Oral Fixation Tour" DVD does not disappoint.
The sound is stunning, especially if you have a home theater setup. The visuals are no less captivating, with mesmerizing overhead shots and tight close-ups.
At the same Los Angeles press conference, Shakira described how she approached her recent tour and DVD.
"My music is something I create in the isolation of my life and my recording studio and my home," she said. "But to bring all that music onto the stage and share it with thousands of people and see how they enjoy themselves and they're having a good time, that's what I live for, really. It's something that doesn't compare to anything else in the world."
The tour lasted 14 months and stopped in 140 cities. An entire month was dedicated to preparing the production and the design of the show.
"I dedicated a few hours every day to look for new moves and ideas for the choreography," Shakira said. "Another big part of the day was dedicated to re-arranging some of the songs with the musicians, which is something I get involved in to the most extreme details. I'm an arranger myself, so it's something that I really enjoy — reshaping the songs, especially for the live approach."
DVD extras include two documentaries, "Pies Descalzos (Barefoot)," about the Shakira foundation dedicated to building a school for underprivileged students in Colombia, and "Around the World in 397 Days," a behind-the-scenes tour diary.
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