The Main Cup held its second “Night of Music” event featuring renowned violinist and singer Francisco Gonzalez and local musician Beth Harris Thursday night.

Gonzalez headlined the night, playing a mix of somber operatic songs and intense tango music. He explained the meaning and emotions behind each song before singing or playing, which created a unique aspect to his performance that, he said, connected the audience with the music on a deeper level. His explanations of the music allowed the meaning and emotional impact to cross language boundaries that they likely wouldn’t have otherwise.

“Art is something so big, and so intense. As a musician, I had to study years and years just to play one song for one minute. That last song I sang took me two years to learn how to sing it. It’s years and years of repeating until I feel comfortable with it. That is what inspires me to explain the music in order to get the audience closer to me and I closer to the audience,” Gonzalez explained.

Gonzalez is 25-years-old and hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He started training at age six in classical music, opera, and symphonies. His passions lie in tango and opera, but recently, he found a passion in Cajun music.

After studying in New York for a few years, Gonzalez came to Louisiana to visit a friend he met who had lived in Argentina for 15 years. Although he came for her, he quickly fell in love with the music, food and culture of Louisiana, which he said sometimes mirrors his home, especially in the area of music. After staying in Louisiana for several weeks, Gonzalez left again for New York City Friday morning for advanced training with professors from the Metropolitan Opera Theater and Curtis Institute of Music. When he returns to Louisiana, he will first visit New Orleans before returning to the Teche area.

His love for music stems from his family, whose musical tastes shaped the way he plays, even to this day. But Gonzalez said pursuing music has been one of the greatest challenges he’s faced in his life. For years, he wasn’t satisfied with his music, going so far as to say he hated it. But his family and friends supported him, and life put him in a place that encouraged his art, which changed the way he viewed himself.

“I don’t care if I’m not singing for the Metropolitan Opera, I just want to sing and be happy and share the happiness with other people,” Gonzalez said.

Following Gonzalez’s solo performance, he was joined by local musician Beth Harris. She started playing piano at seven-years-old, and she’s studied traditional fiddle and vocals for two years with a primary focus in Cajun and Creole music. She grew up in the Iberia Parish French Immersion Program, so she is fluent in the language.

Together, Gonzalez and Harris performed a mix of Cajun, Latin, and Appalachian folk music, which included a haunting rendition of “Wayfaring Stranger.” Each song kept the audience engrossed, with Harris singing classic Cajun-French tunes, and Gonzalez belting deep and somber operas.

The success of the night, which drew a sizable crowd, encouraged owner Jonas Hebert to establish weekly open-mic nights and continue expanding the “Night of Music” event. He encourages anyone looking to share their musical or comedy talents to join them at the Main Cup every Friday and Saturday night.