Conductor
Well-known conductor Leonardo Gasparini, the newly appointed artistic director of the Palacio de la Cultura y la Comunicacion in Guadalajara, will speak to the Canadian Club of Lake Chapala at their meeting on Wednesday, January 9 at Hotel La Nueva Posada (Donato Guerra 9, Ajijic.)
The Italian-born former interim director of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra will share his musical experiences as a conductor and musician.
Gasaprini is scheduled to conduct the Soctiabank Northern Lights Music Festival Orchestra in February.
The January 9 social hour begins at 3 p.m. with the program commencing at 4 p.m. The yearly club membership fee is 180 pesos and that includes four 25-peso drink tickets. There is a 50-peso charge for guests. Everyone is welcome.
(The Palacio de la Cultura y la Comunicacion is a state-of-the-art 1,900-seat auditorium currently under construction on the northern outskirts of Guadalajara. It is expected to open in June 2013.)
The event will also feature live music, cocktails and botanas.
ASA
The Ajijic Society of the Arts (ASA) will meet Monday, January 7, 10 a.m. at La Bodega Restaurant, (16 de Septiembre 124, Ajijic). The “virtual” speaker will be Marian Bantjes of Intricate Beauty by Design. She employs seeing with your right brain and listening to your left brain, encouraging all to change their approaches to personal work. She explores connecting what we do to why we do it.
This program is being made possible through ASA “techie” Ken Caldwell.
Get there early. The coffee is on at 9:30 a.m.
Collective
Three artists will share the limelight when Centro Cultural de Ajijic opens a new show with a reception on Saturday, January 12, 4-8 p.m.
Sala I of the center hosts “Amor de Lejos,” a display of abstract acrylic paintings by Patrick Kemal. Up in Sala II will be “Relatos Oniricos,” magic realism oil paintings and acrylics by Jesus Lopez Vega, along with some of his etchings. Watercolors, acrylic paintings and etchings by Jesus Eduardo Lopez Garcia (Lopez Vega’s son) are also showcased in Sala II.
Operas
Sign up now for the VIVA la Musica bus trips to see upcoming “Live from the Met” operas transmitted on Saturdays directly from from New York City to the Teatro Diana in Guadalajara.
You can pay for your tickets at the Lake Chapala Society on Thursday and Friday mornings between 10 a.m. and noon – or call Marshall Krantz at 766-2834 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Tickets cost 300 pesos for VIVA members and 400 pesos for non-members. State your plans in advance. VIVA must purchase the opera tickets one week ahead of the opera.
The schedule at the Teatro Diana is as follows:
January 12, noon,
“Les Troyens” by Berlioz
January 19, noon,
“Maria Stuarda” by Donizetti
February 16, noon,
“Rigoletto” by Verdi
March 2, 11 a.m.,
“Parsifal” by Wagner
March 16, 11 a.m.,
“Francesca da Rimini” by Zandonai
April 27, 11 a.m.,
“Giulio Cesare” by Handel
Membership
VIVA la Musica holds its annual VIVA Membership Gala party on January 20 to celebrate new and renewing members. There will be champagne and hors d’oeuvres and a recital featuring pianist Rodrigo Leal playing works by Bach and Mozart.
The party is free for members and you can take a guest for 100 pesos. The event will be held at the home of Roseann and Tony Wilshere, Nicolas Bravo 35 on the lakefront in Ajijic. Park on one of the side streets near the Lake Chapala Society.
Coming up
Next up for the My, My, How Nice Productions will be “The Gin Game,” the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by D.I. Coburn.
Showtimes are Thursday, January 31, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, February 1, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, February 2, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 3, 3 p.m. at Plaza de la Ribera (formerly Sol y Luna) at Rio Bravo 10.
“The Gin Game” cast will be Jayme Littlejohn and Gary Martinez, a visiting professional Actors Equity actor from California.
The story involves two people who meet in a nursing home and get to know each other while playing the card game Gin (Rummy).
The tragi-comedy is sometimes hilarious and sometimes poignant but always fascinating.
Tickets are 200 pesos. Read reservation and purchase information at the end of the next item.
Reprise
My, My How Nice Productions is bringing back the wildly popular production of “The Fantasticks.”
The original cast, including the talented local teen-aged actors, will be back, along with Lalo Munozuniga, Fred Koesling, John Ward, Valerie Jones, Ken Yakiwchuk and Roger Larson.
Those who saw the show in the fall and loved it will have the chance to see it again. And this time take your friends!
Performances will be March 1, 7:30 p.m.; March 2, 7:30 p.m.; March 3, 3 p.m.; March 4, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and March 5. 7:30 p.m. at Plaza de la Ribera.
Tickets are 250 pesos and on sale at Diane Pearl Colecciones and Mia’s Boutique. Also contact Jayme Littlejohn at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Film Festival
Don’t forget that the Lake Chapala Jewish Congregation is presenting the fourth annual Jewish Film Festival, with screenings every Sunday at 3 p.m. (except Feb. 3) from January 6 to February 10.
The Jewish-related films to be shown at the Movie Space Cinema in the Centro Laguna Mall are: “The Names of Love” (January 6), “The Human Resources Manager” (January 13), “The Round Up” (January 20), “Europa Europa” (January 27), “Nora’s Will” (February 3, 2 p.m.) and in its Latin America premiere, “Nava Nagila the Movie” (February 10). Tickets cost 60 pesos, with a portion of proceeds going to the Tepehua Centro Comunitario.
Sponsors of the festival include Michael Rosenblum, Absolut Fenix, Roberto’s Restaurant, Dana and Chuck, DanaArts, Diane Pearl Colecciones, Dr. Pinto Optica, Pretty Elli & The Robe, Maureen and Greg Davis and John and Tamara Theroux.