Barack Obama visited Montserrat this Saturday with his wife, Michelle, and the Spielberg couple with whom he has shared his cultural and gastronomic activity in Barcelona these days, on the occasion of Bruce Springsteen's first concert on his European tour. Yesterday morning the group of friends, who have occupied the La Florida hotel on top of Tibidabo, improvised a morning in the monastery and the mountainous massif, which they did not leave without having signed the Abbey's Book of Honor.
Abbot Manel Gasch and Prior Bernat Juliol received them at 12:50 p.m. in the Plaza de Santa Maria, surrounded by the crowd that had come to visit the place, and led them into the temple, where they were able to visit the image of La Moreneta , the Mare de Déu de Montserrat, and immediately proceed to enter the sacristy, where Barack Obama would write a dedication in the Book of Honor, followed by his signature and that of the other three notorious American visitors.
"Thank you for the beautiful visit" (thank you for the beautiful visit), wrote the one who in 2008 became the first African-American president of the United States. And below she stamped his signature, with a generous B and O denoting extroversion. Next they signed Michelle Obama, the director of Hollywood and the actress Kate Capshaw.
In any case, the visit had not ended there. The two couples took the funicular to Sant Joan where they enjoyed the spectacular views of the mountain and walked for about ten minutes in the direction of Pla de les Taràntules. Hikers who had chosen to hike this trail on a lonely weekend morning were kept at arm's length by their security team. But upon recognizing the former president, a group of them spontaneously sang the Virolai. "Rosa d'abril, morena de la serra..." An emotional moment that Obama appreciated without being able to approach the singers.
Turned into a world symbol of the fight for equality and freedom, Obama, whose musical gifts have been amply demonstrated over the years, brought with him a tune that is not only the hymn dedicated to La Moreneta but also the spiritual symbol of a country. .
It was not the first time that he had heard Catalan spoken. Bruce Springsteen himself addressed the 60,000 souls who attended his concert at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc on various occasions in the language of the place. "Barcelona, Catalunya, us esteem, us esteem, us esteem", started The Boss his nocturnal dialogue with the city. A formula that he repeated throughout the three hours that the vibrant performance lasted.
This Sunday night he will hold a second concert in the Mediterranean capital. This time without Barack in the audience, as he flew alone to Zurich yesterday where they are expected to deliver one of his highly paid lectures. Michelle is still in town and perhaps she will repeat her brief appearance on stage to chant The Boss, just as she did on Friday with Glory Days.
The international press picked up on this apparition, which took place naturally and almost discreetly. Michelle Obama picked up a tambourine and sang along with Patti Scialfa, Springsteen's partner, and Kate Capshaw. It was just one song, but enough to see them enjoy and dance like three professional backing vocalists.
