Guadalajara’s annual May Cultural Festival starts next week, encompassing some 300 separate events at venues in the metropolitan area. The headline shows take place at the historic Teatro Degollado in the city center. Ticket prices for these are very accessible, and are available through Boletomóvil, and at the Degollado box office. All other events are free of charge. The full program can be viewed at festivaldemayo.org.
Here’s a list of what’s on at the Degollado.
• Inauguration: Circa (Australia). Thursday, May 7, 8 p.m.; Friday, May 8, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 9, 8:30 p.m. 400-550 pesos.
“Duck Pond”: contemporary circus reinventing “Swan Lake,” full of acrobatics, humor and feathers.
• Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, with guest Santiago Cañón on violonchelo. Thursday, May 14, 8:30 p.m. 150 pesos.
Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 and orchestral transcriptions of J.S. Bach.
• Compagnie Marie Chouinard (Canadá/Quebec). Sunday, May 17, 6 p.m.; Tuesday, May 19, 8:30 p.m. 150 pesos.a
Latin American premiere of “Magnificat” and “Henri Michaux: Mouvements.”
• Piano recital by Martín García García (Spain). Thursday, May 21, 8:30 p.m. 200 pesos.
Works by Tchaikovsky, Ravel and Brahms.
• Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, with guest violinist Geneva Lewis (United States). Friday, May 22, 8:30 p.m. 250 pesos.
Brahms’ Violin Concerto Op. 77 and Symphony No. 1 Op. 68.
• Piano and percussion recital with Lilya Zilberstein, Anton Gerzenberg and others. Sunday, May 24, 6 p.m. 250 pesos.
Hungarian Dances for four hands (Brahms), Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.
• Coro Universidad Panamericana and others. Monday, May 11, 8 p.m. 200 pesos.
A special evening of grand opera choruses featuring combined choirs from Guadalajara and Zapopan.
• Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlán. Saturday, May 23, 8 p.m. 300-1,200 pesos.
A 20th-anniversary celebration of women’s mariachi music with guest artists.
• Attacca Quartet (United States). Wednesday, May 27, 8:30 p.m. 250 pesos.
Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 77, Gabriela Ortiz’s “Mujer Ángel” (Mexico Premiere), and Brahms’ Piano Quintet.
• Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, with pianist Lilya Zilberstein. Friday, May 29, 8 p.m. 250 pesos.
Brahms’ Piano Concerto and a Viennese night with music by Johann Strauss II.