The Guadalajara Reporter
Guadalajara's Largest English Newspaper
The administrators of the Teatro Degollado, Guadalajara’s iconic neoclassical theater, have defended their decision to allow comedian Sofia Nino de Rivera to perform her show in the venue last weekend. State culture authorities sparked controversy by renting the stage to a stand-up, when the space is normally reserved for more “high-brow” offerings, such as concerts by the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra.
Last year’s hugely popular New York Jazz All Stars series, sponsored by the Universidad de Guadalajara in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center, continues through the end of November, with nine performances and related workshops scheduled (there’s a recess July and August).
If your Spanish is above par then the 31st Guadalajara International Film Festival from Friday, March 4 to Sunday, March 13 offers a huge variety of movies to enjoy. Not only films from Latin America and Spain, but also other European nations and Japan, subtitled in Spanish. For those whose language skills are more challenged, the festival provides a decent, if eclectic, selection of English-language films, both features and documentaries. Below is a rundown of what’s on offer, plus venues and screening times. For the full festival program and ancillary activities, see www.ficg,mx.
Contemporary Sounds
Popular contemporary music sessions continue each Monday with folk-rock band Leiden on March 7; and acoustic duet Espumas y Terciopelo on March 14.
Teatro Alarife Martin Casillas, Mondays, 8 p.m. Free.
Dozens of filmmakers, producers, distributors and actors will converge on Guadalajara March 4-13 for Latin America’s most prestigious cinema carnival. Invitees of note attending at the 31st Guadalajara International Film Festival will include German/Swiss director Marc Foster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger than Fiction, The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace, World War Z) and Alfonso Arau, the Mexican director of A Walk in the Clouds and Like Water for Chocolate. Actor Ron Perlman will be honored for his appearances in movies by Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, including the Hellboy series.
Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil
The Guadalajara Youth Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Guadalajara) celebrates its tenth anniversary with a gala concert at the city’s premier theater. Works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Revueltas will be included in the program.
Teatro Degollado, Saturday, February 27, 6 p.m.
Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra
The state orchestra presents “Cervantes’ Spain.” Musical director Marco Parisotto takes the baton, and the soloists are William Molina Cestari (cello) and Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey (guitar).