Beethoven at the Angela Peralta Theatre

 

Last Sunday was our first concert of the season at the Angela Peralta Theater.  In January, February and March there is a concert on most Sunday afternoons.  They are called the Camerata Campbell series.  Last Sunday it was Beethoven.  During 20/21 the concerts were cancelled due to covid we did not go to the 21/22 ones as the vaccines had not come out.  However....we are happy to be back.  

It was a beautiful day and we sat in the Plazuela Machado while we waited for noon and the concert's start. 

Off to the left I spotted Gordon Campbell and his wife heading towards the theater. They and the orchestra come from Culiacan which is north of Mazatlan and the site of the "kerfuffle" earlier this month.  

For the first part of the program there was only a small portion of the orchestra on stage. 

A really good turn out but it was puzzling as to why three rows of seats had no one in them.  It is a truly beautiful theater. 

The house lights had been dimmed and we could see a large crowd of nationals arriving.  They were all in blue t-shirts and had arrived from Esquinapa de Hildago a small town about 80 kms south of Mazatlan.  They were attending some sort of conference there and would have arrived by bus. 

The program is introduced and Gordon gives us the outline.  He started with Beethoven's marches which are quite famous except most of us don't know they were actually composed by Beethoven!

The program is announced in English and in Spanish and Gordon always has lots of information. 

We were a little surprised by the music choices at the start of the program but it was just the beginning. 

Onward to bigger and better things in the second half.  About 75% of the conference group did not return after the 15 minute intermission which is too bad as it was a really good concert. 

At one point we could hear a deep baritone/ tenor voice singing and it turns out it was the bass player.  

Gordon explained that this gentleman had informed him he could sing as well as play the bass so he became part of the arrangement.  He was very good and received a huge round of applause. 

This is the lead violinist.  I was not given a program when we came in so I don't have the names.  Next time I'll be sure to get one. 

The concert is over and the orchestra is treated to huge applause.  We really enjoyed the concert.  Our next one won't be until the end of February as the ones in between are either not to our liking or are at Casa Haas which has one floor seating.  We prefer to be in the first floor balcony and not crowded together on the main floor. 

We were off to find lunch as it was now mid afternoon.  There are many lovely buildings in Centro. 

We were going to wander and find something different for lunch but in the end we were back at Mariscos Chon where we ate in years past.  We were surprised to find the restaurant almost full.  

Another good lunch with a couple of Pacifico cervezas and we were ready to head home. 

We walked back to the Pino Suarez market and Benito Juarez street to catch the bus home.  We did not need dinner after a big lunch!  A really nice afternoon and we're glad to be attending concerts again.  We do wear masks on the bus and we did wear them in the theater.  Besides covid there has been a really nasty cold going around.