Although the lyrics and subjects of many Ladino songs (kantigas) and ballads (romanzas) date to medieval Spain, the musical arrangements tended to come later, influenced by Turkish, Balkan, Muslim, and other regional and local cultural styles. While it is unlikely that the lyrics of "Adio Kerida" come from Spain, it is said that the tune comes from Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, which debuted in 1853. 

While the lyrics are broadly about lost love, many have interpreted them as a bittersweet message to Spain from its Jewish exiles, who felt rejected by the miserable persecutions and expulsions from a land in which they felt at home.

This song has inspired dozens of different arrangements and performances over the years, emphasizing different elements of Sephardic culture. Some highlight Spanish influences through nylon-string guitar, others feature Middle Eastern instrumentation like the oud or borrow Balkan rhythmic styles. The two contemporary versions below, one from Israel and the other from Bosnia, are quite different arrangements of this same song.

Suggested Activities: Have students read through the lyrics in English. If students speak Spanish, have them read the transliteration provided in the left-hand column. Then have students listen to both versions of the song. Musically, what are some of the differences? Can you identify to which musical tradition each version belongs? By emphasizing either Spanish or Balkan/Turkish musical styles, how might this song apply to or connect with different parts of Sephardic history? By favoring one style over another, what claims are the artists making about Sephardic culture?