“Come Sing With Us “Mozart, Haydn y Handel” at the Angela Peralta Theatre

  A few days ago George and Sharen dropped by to offer us their tickets for today’s performance as they had decided to go to the Dixieland concert in the Plazuela and weren’t going to use them.  Eric has never been to the Angela Peralta but he really likes classical music so we accepted their offer. 

We were off on the bus by 11am and and downtown by 11:40.  The bus is still letting people off a couple blocks east of Benita Juarez so it’s a bit longer walk to the theatre than usual.  That’s Eric heading down the street.

 

This will be an impressive line-up today.  Along with the Culiacan choir and orchestra we will have four accomplished soloists. 

We are seated in Row D with Mike who has Eddie’s ticket and Angie.  Ruth is not here yet as she had to take her daughter Joanne and boyfriend Dwight to the airport.

Look at these two colorful young ladies.

The head violinist who I believe to be Olga Khodoblayak brings the orchestra and choir to attention.

Gordon Campbell greets us and explains today’s program.  He also mentions that the Culiacan community choir only meets once a week for one and a half hours to practice.  Along with this 90% of them can’t read music!  They practise from tapes and receive help from those who do read music.  Amazing!

As usual Maestro Campbell is so very happy that we have all attended.   He notes that at the end of the concert he will invite members of the audience to join them for three songs from Haydn’s Messiah …“And the Glory of the Lord,  ….For unto us a Child is born and the grand finale …Hallelujah.”

The orchestra starts….

The choir was ready and the performance started…it was absolutely breathtaking!  The sound of the choir was rich and full and the hair just stood up on the backs of our necks.   Amazing, amazing sound.

This is soprano Perla Azucena Orrantia Duran.  Perla is the voice professor at the Escuela de Musica of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa.  Along with this she has many other positions.  Her voice is just glorious!

Taking a bow is Lucia del Carmen Ramirez Casillas (mezzosoprano) and at present she is the soloist of the Community Chorus of Culiacan. 

Jesus Miguel Holguin Blancas (tenor) left andMario Alberto Salazar Vega (bass) on the right.   These four very accomplished soloists had just completed a number where they were alternating leads.  Sopranos on one side, tenor and bass on the other. 

All four performers received a huge round of applause. 

Here Gordon Campell  is inviting members of the audience to join them on stage. 

As members of the audience filed on stage the maestro asked them if they knew whether they were sopranos, altos etc.  They all did and the choir generously shared programs and opened up spots for them.  Even a few men ventured on stage.

I think all these ladies have sung before!

Men filing on stage for Hallelujah.

As we reached the last number “ Hallelujah” Gordon remarked that anyone who wanted to feel the glory and power of the music could come and just stand on stage.  A few people did just that.  Even in the audience you could feel the sound moving through your body.  An uplifting experience!

Thank you all for coming and please,please, please continue to come back.  We will!

The performance is over and we all file out.  The total time today was about one and a half hours without an intermission.  It would have been cumbersome to have the choir and musicians leave the stage for a 15 minute break.  The concerts start early so that everyone in the orchestra and choir can return home to Culiacan.

A huge undertaking to bring this many musicians and singers to Mazatlan for a performance.  To us it was totally worth it…..thank-you so much for coming!

Time for something to eat.  We had stopped at the box office to get tickets for the Feb. 25th performance and I will likely go back and get tickets for the 18th.  The 4th is sold out and there will be no performance on the 11th due to Carnival.

We are at an Italian restaurant right next to Gala where we ate last week.  That’s Mike and Ruth.

Sharen and George stopped by to say hi on their way to the Dixieland performance.  Eric gave Sharen a big hug and said how much he’d enjoyed the concert.  The Dixieland music is right next to us at the Gala restaurant….we think we got the better deal going to the Angela Peralta!

That’s Angie talking to Mike.  Angie flies to Mazatlan and stays in a condo by herself and Mike drives down in his small Class C from Vancouver Island. 

That’s the Dixieland Band playing next to us.  You bought a ticket at the restaurant which included music,  food and liquor. 

Relaxing with a drink while we wait for food.

Lots of people sitting in the square enjoying the music for free!

Here comes Sandi to say hello.  Many people from the park are at the Dixieland event.

I had a pesto pasta with walnuts.  Good.

Eric had a pepperoni pizza that only had ….pepperoni and cheese.  He said it was mediocre.  I’d told him he could have paella today but that’s at the restaurant next door where the Dixieland is playing.  Maybe next time!

Angie had pasta and Mike had ministrone soup that he also said was mediocre.

Ruth had pasta that was good as well.  I asked her to take our picture so everyone would know that Eric actually came!

So….time to head back and catch the bus.   Wait a minute Ruth came in her car and said she’d give us a ride home.  Bueno!

This is the Casa Haas where next week’s sold out performance of Death and the Maiden de Schubert is being performed.  A smaller venue so….less seats. 

Heading down the malecon at Olas Altas and home.

It was an absolutely wonderful performance and we are both glad we went.  If you have nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon in January and February go to the Angela Peralta and take in a performance.  There are always extra tickets that can be bought on the day for 300 pesos.  Next year we might even get season’s tickets!

We were home by 4pm.  A couple of beers (no supper), tv and early to bed as it’s been a busy few days.  We were out for dinner last night and on the big motorcyle ride on Friday and that’s a lot for us! 

Night night!