Traditional music fest
La Son de las Olas traditional Mexican music festival hosted by the Chapala municipal government continues with more events through Easter Sunday, April 16.
Thursday, April 13, beginning 7 p.m., various folkloric dance groups will perform on the Chapala Malecon.
Saturday, April 15, Los Tecuexes, a traditional music group, and Mariachi Barranqueña will play a children’s concert at the Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia, beginning noon.
In Ajijic, music will be played by four traditional bands in front of the Ajijic Cultural Center, beginning 7 p.m. The groups are Amate, Agua de Todos Los Rios, Mariachi Barranqueño and Tlacolol.
On the Malecon in Chapala, Son de Coamil, Cuerdas de Pacho, Orquesta Ranchera e Claro Franco, Lola la Tequilera, Los Jilgueros de Altamira, Los Tecuexes and Jorge Mornos and su Con Cuexteco will play from 7:20 p.m., finishing with Fandango at 9:30 p.m.
Recitals
A series of free recitals is scheduled each Thursday, 7 p.m. at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo (old train station) in Chapala.
The programs begin on April 20 with Manuel M. Ponce, Estudio No.10 “Jarabe”; April 27: Alexander Scriabin, Vers la flamme Op.72; May 4: Nikolai Medtner, Sonata Romántica Op.54 No.1 I. Romanza (Andantino con moto, ma sempre espressivo) II. Scherzo (Allegro - Presto leggiero) III. Meditazione (Andante con moto) IV. Finale (Allegro non troppo).
Live from the Met
Viva La Musica! sponsors Saturday bus trips to the Teatro Diana in Guadalajara to view high-definition telecasts of Live from the Met productions. Opera screenings are April 22, “Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky; and May 13, “Der Rosencavalier” by R. Strauss.
Bus tickets, 400 pesos (500 for non-Viva members), are available at LCS on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon.
World Premier
Art Xik Xik and the Teatro CoyolliIzel present Ehécatl, an original puppet theatre production based on an Aztec legend, Saturday, April 22, from 5-8 p.m. in a lovely, private chapel in upper Ajijic.
The eclectic and creative presentation using original, pre-hispanic style puppets, is a fundraiser for Butterflies en Mexico (BEM).
The afternoon starts 5 p.m. with valet parking, wine bar and catered appetizers. Guests will take their seats at 6 p.m. to experience the world premiere presentation of Ehécatl.
In the Aztec legend of the god of wind, Ehécatl appears on the breath of all living beings and in the breezes that bring the rain clouds for the crops. His breath initiates the movement of the sun, announces and moves the rain and brings life to that which is still.
Ehécatl falls in love with a human named Mayáhuel. Mayáhuel was human at a time when people still could not love one another. Ehécatl gave all humanity the ability to love so that Mayáhuel could respond to the passion of the gods and reciprocate his love.
The script is by Izel Paz Villegas, Fabiola Paz Villegas and Francisco Nava, and direction by Abril Iñiguez.
Admission is 500 pesos and includes valet parking, music, catered appetizers, one complimentary drink ticket and the theater production. Tickets (only 50 available) are on sale at Diane Pearl.
BEM is a local, not-for-profit charity that empowers youth to make healthy life choices.
It achieves this in three ways: anti-violence education in Chapala public schools, community development in neighborhoods and vocational training projects that assist local youth in obtaining cost-of-living wages and employment. See www.gomariposa.org for more information.
Naked Stage
“Four Places” by Joel Drake Johnson is the next production of The Naked Stage Readers’ Theatre.
When Peggy’s two adult children take her out for lunch, they quietly begin to take apart her life. With excruciating patience, the playwright lets two middle-aged siblings and their elderly mother lead one another – with the best intentions – to a place where forgiveness, understanding, and even love may no longer be possible.
The play is directed by Pierre Blackburn and cast members are Pam Pettis, Chris L’Ecluse, Deanne Barber and Clay McAdam. Performances are scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 28, 29 and 30.