The orchestra brings the Fiestas de Octubre to a close with a free concert in the city center’s Plaza Fundadores
on Sunday, November 6, 6 p.m.
Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra seems to be all about “special.” Perhaps the high level of innovation is because the orchestra still lacks a permanent director, and so the various candidates’ proclivities are being taken into account, as well as the ideas of other people on the local music scene. And the three-way unofficial contest between Leslie Dunner (U.S.), Leonardo Gasparini (Italy) and Rodrigo Macias (Mexico) remains undecided after about a year, with orchestra manager Roberto Torres saying that other candidates could still be considered.
Examples of innovation so far this season were the opera gala “Carmen” in Guadalajara’s huge bullring and the first-ever National Congress of Danzon last weekend.
And even in this, its third weekend, the orchestra still won’t exactly settle into a routine. The program consists of an all-Latin lineup in the Teatro Degollado Friday (8:30 p.m.; tickets 90–170 pesos) and in the adjacent Plaza Fundadores Sunday (6 p.m.; free limited seating).
The concert will be the closing event of the Fiestas de Octubre, highlighted by an award to the grandson of Jose Pablo Moncayo, composer of one of the pieces to be played, the delightful “Huapango.” Another highlight will be invited director and JPO director candidate Macias. Besides “Huapango,” Macias conducts a potpourri of tango-style music, for which the invited bandoneon player is Raul Jaurena, composer of the potpourri and winner of a Latin Grammy in 2007. (The bandoneon is a type of concertina, similar to an accordion.) The orchestra kicks off the program with local composer Manuel Cerda’s most important orchestral piece, “Influencias” (1973).
The rest of the season will be a bit lighter than usual on European heavyweight composers. It features music by Beethoven (“Coriolan” Overture) and Brahms (“Symphony No. 2”) on November 11 and 13; by Elgar (“Cello Concierto,” 1919, with Israeli cello soloist Asaf Kolerstein) and Sibelius (“Symphony No. 2’) on November 18 and 20; and by German composer Paul Hindemith (“The Four Temperaments for Piano and Strings,” with Italian piano soloist Alessandro Dolci) on November 25 and 27.
After that, the orchestra launches into its holiday schedule, with a special “pops” concert of Beatles and movie music December 2 and 4, followed by Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” December 8 and 9. A date has not yet been set for the Christmas concert, which could even be held in the lovely, newly restored former convent and military school, the Museo de Arqueologia de Occidente, said Torres. The New Year concert is set for December 30 and 31, one of which is generally free and open to the public.
Ticket prices for the most part are still very reasonable. (Box office: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., 33-3614-4773) with a big 50 percent discount to students, seniors and teachers at the box office only. Other nice treats are the free rehearsals on Friday mornings before concerts at 9 a.m. on the dot and the free musical chats (in Spanish) at 7 p.m. in the Sala de Camara, accessible through the theater’s rear entrance.
Teatro Degollado is located a couple blocks behind the city’s main cathedral and Plaza Fundadores is a few blocks behind the theater.