Many people here in the park have season’s tickets to the Sunday afternoon concert series at the Angela Peralta. I have never attended but this week there were extra tickets so Geri and I joined Ruth and Eddie who regularly attend these concerts.
The plan was to catch the bus before 11am so that we would arrive downtown in plently of time for the 12noon concert. However, Marion/Fred and Donald/Eunice were going as well and Eddie sent Ruth a text about preordering a Red truck for transport and….Ruth didn’t get the text. So….we couldn’t find a Red truck and had to take the bus and now it was after 11. Sometimes the green bus that goes to Centro can take an hour to get there if it is very busy. Lucky for us we got there with 15 minutes to spare.
Off the bus on Constitucion and then down the the street to the Plazuela Machado.
Ruth leads with Fred and Marion just behind her.
I am always amazed at the beauty of the old buildings in Centro.
The Plazuela is beautiful and green….all the Christmas lights are gone now. Soon it will be decorated for Carnival in February.
That’s me just so you know that I’m actually here.
Eddie, Geri, Ruth, Fred, Marion and Marion’s friend.
A street shot.
Angela Peralta Theatre.
Ruth holds the program for the Gordon Campell concerts.
I am standing down front and you can see how beautiful it is here and how many people are in attendance. We were seated in the fourth row so we had great seats.
The Culican choir is partially seated.
The violinist tunes up.
The Maestro introduces the orchestra.
Almost ready to start.
But first…a welcome and information about today’s performance. Gordon Campbell is warm and also very enthusiastic about this afternoon’s performance. He speaks to us in English and then translates in fluent Spanish. A very personable man. He asks us to make sure and come to next week’s Vivaldi performance.
He explained the Culiacan choir is composed of many family members along with professionals who help motivate the group. They accept members from the very young to the very old so it is a very eclectic group. The practice sessions for these concerts are only 1 1/2 hours per week. I would expect that is because the choir must travel from Culiacan to attend.
Today we will hear pieces from The Messiah and also Zadok the Priest. Zadok the Priest has been played at every coronation of an English king or queen since 1727.
The very talented male section of the choir.
Here we have the first of two solo performances with back up from the orchestra and choir.
The clarinetist is introduced.
Flowers for the performance. Maybe he has a wife who will enjoy them!
The female section. The lady on the left is the Maestro’s wife.
The soprano’s were in the center and these two young ladies had very beautiful voices.
Here we are in the middle of a 14 part piece and we were asked not to applaud until the end.
The violinist in the center is Olena Bogaychuk and she will be featured in next weeks Vivaldi concert.
A solo by the violinist.
The concert is over and the bassoonist is cleaning and breaking down his instrument.
Always time time for a selfie!
So what did I think…well it was wonderful and I would not hesitate to attend again. I am not an informed concert attendee but I thought is was extremely well done. Another great performance at the Angela Peralta Theatre.
A bust in the lobby. Sorry I don’t know who it is.
And now for a bus home. We walk back up Constitucion and then turn left on Benito Juarez to find a ride. We had to walk to the back of the market to catch it as the Green bus did not travel it’s usual route and came onto Benito Juarez closer to the market.
While we waited who did we see….well Raphael and his girls! He’s holding Regina. This is his only day off during the week and as you see he is spending it with his family. He arrives at the park every morning by 7am and does not leave until 6pm. A long day.
We wait until we see the Green bus which will take us home.
Back on the malecon.
One of the many bronze statues along the malecon.
While we wait at a light there is a beautifully planted intersection next to us. Red poinsettas.
We were home by 2:30 pm and it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. So many interesting things to see and do in Mazatlan. Unlike many big cities in Canada and the United States everything here is easy to access and very affordable. You just have to make the effort to go.
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A very good post Kathy. I have mentioned this post on my post as you covered so many details. So glad that you enjoyed the concert.
ReplyDeleteColin works with Gordon Campbell in Culiacan every March when he attends the International Guitar Festival. FYI, all the members of the symphony yesterday live in Culiacan and travel here by bus the day of the concert. These concerts only began here in Mazatlan in 2012.
Thank-you Contessa. I realized after I had done this post that I had neglected to mention that I had run into you and Colin at the concert. Many of us bloggers never see each other in person but this day we did. I mentioned to my friends who you were and also that Colin is a very accomplished guitarist. Thanks for the kind words.
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