Miramontes tribute
A huge crowd of well-wishers turned up at the Centro Cultural de Ajijic (CCA) on September 6 to honor renowned sculptor Miguel Miramontes and join him for the unveiling of the sculpture Los Sobrevivientes, his gift to the town.
The event opened with a ceremony held outside the cultural center in which Chapala Mayor Joaquin Huerta and other local dignitaries paid tribute to the 95-year-old artist for his lifetime achievements. Friends and admirers then squeezed into the entrance of the building, watching Miramontes beam with pleasure as his newly finished work was uncovered.
CCA director Efren Gonzalez read the inscription on the commemorative plaque he had installed in the base of the sculpture acknowledging the Chapala municipal government and listing patrons who contributed to the bronze casting of the work: Casa Inarq, Mary Van Ouwerkerk, Ron and Cathey Merrill, Greg and Patty Hueni, the Reynoso Bedolla family, Animal Shelter, Yoly’s Unisex, Harry and Chris Bublin, John and Andrea Funkhouser, Carlos A. Soto Perez, Luis Aguirre, and Cass and Connie Bettinger.
Gonzalez also included a special dedication in memory of his father-in-law and accomplished artist Sidney Schwartzman and the late Reporter columnist Jeanne Chaussee, recalled as a dear friend.
Once the formalities of the occasion were over, the celebration continued with a recital by the CREM string quartet and a folk dance program featuring the Ballet Son de Mexico.
Viva concert
Viva la Musica celebrates Mexican Independence with a guitar and flute concert on Sunday, September 15, 4 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Riberas del Pilar (San Lucas, corner of San Luis).
Nury Ulate (flute) and David Mozqueda (guitar) will interpret works by Johann Sebastian Bach and his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, as well as pieces by Spanish and Latin American composers, including Manuel M. Ponce, Joaquin Turina, Agustin Barrios Mangore, Julio Cesar Oliva and Maximo Diego Pujol.
Local musicians of international standing, Ulate and Mozqueda are guaranteed to provide an enchanting afternoon’s entertainment.
As usual, there will be an open bar in the church garden starting at 3:30 p.m., as well as during the intermission.
Tickets will be on sale at the door. Entrance is free for students.
Orquesta Axixic
The Orquesta Axixic will celebrate its second anniversary with a concert on Thursday, September 19, 7 p.m. at the Auditorio de la Ribera. Performing under the baton of Daniel Medeles Cordova, the group of young native musicians and seasoned expats will present a diverse program of classical pieces, motion picture theme songs and popular tunes from around the world. Bar service will be available from 6 p.m. Admission is free of charge.
Art calendars
Local artists Belva and Enrique Velazquez host back-to-back coming out parties for the 2014 edition of their “Our Beloved Mexico” calendar on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21, at the couple’s Ajijic studio-gallery, Calle 16 Septiembre 7, a half block west of the Lake Chapala Society. Doors will be open both days from 4 to 8 p.m., with refreshments and live music by The Mixed Notes.
The 13-month bilingual wall calendar features color reproductions of the couple’s paintings of Mexican scenery, open blocks with notes on major holidays and space for noting your personal engagements. The original art works will also be on exhibit and up for sale.
Naked Stage
The Naked Stage presents the quirky Canadian comedy, “Here on the Flight Path” written by Norm Foster, on Friday, September 27; Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29.
The story takes place on two adjoining apartment balconies near Toronto’s Pearson Airport, where a man dealing with a failed marriage reflects on love and relationships while getting to know a few of his female neighbors.
Director Michael Warren is joined by cast members Kat Tetrault, Candace Luciano, Peter Luciano, Joan Cook and Dick Yanko.
The Naked Stage is located at Rio Bravo 10A in Ajijic, about two blocks behind Daniel’s Restaurant on the east side.
Daniel’s is open for lunch and dinner with a no-host bar available at 3 p.m. The box office opens at 3:15 p.m. and the show starts at 4 p.m.
Reservations guarantee a seat. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Michelle at 765-6408.
LLT opens 49th season
A modern fable about what happens when Wee Scotland meets up with Big Oil will kick off Lakeside Little Theater’s 49th season on Friday, October 4, 7:30 p.m.
“Local Hero,” adapted from the movie of the same name by director Neal Checkoway, sweetly reverberates with timeless themes about the search for our rightful place in the universe and how the choices we make affect both our happiness and the very social and physical environments that surround us.
Full of gentle humor, great characters and what is rumored to be a fantastic set, this play clearly opens the new season on a high note.
Opening audiences are invited to join the cast for a complimentary glass of wine after the show.
The LLT box office is open Wednesday, October 2 from 10 a.m. until noon, and then everyday except Sunday. For further information go to www.lakesidelittletheatre.com.
Lunch with artist/poet
Join artist/poet/cultural researcher Nancy Greenheart for lunch at Viva Mexico Restaurant on Wednesday, September 25, 12:30 p.m. she she will discuss her research into the Nahua and Huichol cultures, as well as the Toltec influence at Lakeside and in the Lake Texcoco area.
Two of Greenheart’s paintings are on display at Viva Mexico: “The Guardian Princess of Lake Chapala/Teo Michi Cihuali” and “A Wise Woman of the Huichol/Una Sabiduria de Huichol.”
Greenheart will read (in English) the companion poems she wrote in Nahua for each painting.
The cover charge is 150 pesos. All proceeds beyond expenses will go to Operation Feed – her favorite charity.
Viva Mexico Restaurant is located in San Juan Cosala, on Porfirio Diaz, one and a half blocks west of the San Juan Cosala plaza. To reserve your spot, call Greenheart at (376) 766-0932.
Cantantes del Lago
Lakeside’s own community choir, Los Cantantes del Lago, is starting rehearsals on October 1 for its upcoming holiday concerts celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah.
The choir is always looking for new singers who enjoy the hard work and endless rewards that music performance offers. This year, they will be performing songs in Hebrew, Ladino and Afrikaans, as well as some Christmas favorites. Anyone interested in joining the choir should contact music director Tim Welch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule an audition time and for further information. (Auditions are very gentle, he stresses.)
Rehearsals are held twice a week and MP3 files are provided to make learning the music easier. All those aged 13 years old and above are welcome, as are singers of all nationalities.
Israeli dancers
Israeli dance group Anajnu Veatem (translated as “You and Us” in Hebrew) will return to Ajijic in November for two performances to raise funds for the Lake Chapala Shrine Club.
This traditional Jewish dance group from Mexico City was formed by a group of university students in 1971. Over the years, Anajnu Veatem has participated in important international festivals, including the International Cervantino Festival and the Havana Ballet Festival.
The group played in Ajijic in 2003 and 2005.
Anajnu Veatem will present two performances on November 9, 7 p.m. and November 10, 1 p.m.
Tickets cost 200 pesos and can be obtained from Noble Denny Strole at 766-0485, Noble Perry King at 763-5126, or from any Shriner. They will also be on sale at the Lake Chapala Society and O&A Investments.
A no-host bar will be available one hour prior to each performance, and at intermission.
Funds generated from this event will benefit Lake Chapala Shrine Club activities, most importantly helping lakeside children in need of medical care. Treatments may be performed at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Mexico City, in Guadalajara or at lakeside, as the situation dictates.