The Guadalajara Reporter
Guadalajara's Largest English Newspaper
Despite the rain and recent violence in Monterrey, spirits were high for the colorful and lively opening parade of Guadalajara's International Mariachi Festival.
Rising from humble roots in the highlands of west central Mexico, mariachi music has evolved over five centuries to become the emblematic sound that articulates the very soul of the nation. Historians say the country's signature musical ensemble derived from the Colonial era Spanish theatrical orchestra, evolving most prominently in the area of Cocula, Jalisco, which self-proclaims itself as the "Cradle of Mariachi." The genre first emerged from sonorous expressions of spirituality, a fusion of primitive instrumental accompaniment to rituals practiced by the region's indigenous people and European sacred music introduced in the 16th century by Franciscan missionaries.
The lively International Mariachi Festival parade featuring bands from different Mexican states and other nations rolls along Avenida 16 de Septiembre/Alcalde in downtown Guadalajara on Sunday, August 28, starting at 9:30 a.m. It’s a great spectacle but get there early for a good view.
A new community-funded mural at Ajijic’s cemetery will honor one of Lakeside’s most significant figures: Zara Alexeyewa, affectionately known as “La Rusa” (The Russian). Created in partnership with the municipality of Chapala, the mural will be unveiled on Tuesday, August 11, at 4 p.m. on what would have been her 130th birthday.
Naomi Rubio is stepping into the spotlight. The 20-year-old Ajijic mezzo-soprano and violinist recently earned a technical baccalaureate degree after completing a three-year course of study at the Conservatorio de las Rosas in Morelia, Michoacán — the oldest music conservatory in the Americas.
Lakeside Little Theatre (LLT) will offer season tickets for its 62nd season on Saturday, August 1, including two distinct season ticket packages: One involving all six productions for 2,200 pesos (a savings of 400 pesos if purchased individually), and another with only four shows at 1,700 pesos that excludes the first and last plays of the season when most snowbirds are not in town.
Students of Jill Flyer’s Cell Photography and Composition class will be showing their photos at the Centro Cultural Ajjic’s 21st anniversary collective exhibition, which opens August 14.