Bad news for those who decided to wait to make reservations for “Corazon del Bolero”: The three-performance run is sold out. (There is a waiting list.)

Those who planned ahead will be richly rewarded. The show — the third collaboration between writer/vocalist Jose Ruben De Leon, pianist Aaron Prado and bassist George Prado — is an eloquent dive into the bolero, featuring 20 beautifully rendered songs.

De Leon, ever the gracious host, offers well-chosen snippets of information about the composers who wrote such songs as “Sabor a mi” and “Besame mucho.” He also translated a few key lyrics which illustrated the recurring themes of longing, love and heartbreak.

At Friday’s opening performance, the first big response from the audience came for “La ultima noche,” prompting George Prado to say, “Leave that one in!”

Choosing just  a few boleros, De Leon noted, had been a difficult task, given how many there are. Agustin Lara alone wrote 162, he said.

They chose well. And all three performers are in top form.

As posted on MySanAntonio.com by Deborah Martin

Jose Ruben De Leon, Aaron Prado and George Prado — shown during an earlier show — are performing “Corazon del Bolero.”