http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060531/ts ... MlJVRPUCUl

Wed May 31, 8:57 AM ET

NEW YORK (AFP) - A controversial Spanish version of the US national anthem was given its first live performance at Ellis Island -- the former immigration gateway to the United States.

"We chose Ellis Island because of the obvious symbolism it has for the whole American immigrant experience," said New York-based British music producer Adam Kidron.

Kidron, 46, provoked a heated debate last month when his recording label, Urban Box Office (UBO), released "Nuestro Himno" (Our Anthem), a Spanish version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" which he hoped would become a rallying song for protest marches against immigration reform.

Tuesday's event coincided with the launch by UBO of an album "Somos Americanos" (We Are Americans) which features the anthem and other songs about the immigrant experience by artists from across the United States and Latin America.

"Nuestro Himno" became the target of angry criticism on its release, with US
President George W. Bush echoing others who argued that the national anthem should be sung in English.

"We're not political. We didn't do this to create a big stink," Kidron said. "But the fact is that the worst thing you can do is make people leave their culture at the border, because that's not what made America great."

The mini-concert on Ellis Island in the middle of New York harbour was held under a white marquee with the skyline of downtown Manhattan offering an impressive backdrop.

The island was formerly used as a processing station for millions of immigrants seeking entry into the United States. It is now a museum.

After a group of schoolchildren sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" in its original form, an a cappella trio from the Dominican Republic, Voz a Voz, sang the Spanish version.

One of the trio, Gio D'Olio, said he was unfazed by the controversy surrounding the "Nuestro Himno" recording, on which his group was just one of many featured artists.

"When you do something for the first time, you're always going to have differences of opinion," D'Olio said.

"But we haven't changed the music or the lyrics. Music is the same language for everybody in the world," he added.