Weekend happenings
Art lovers have plenty of options to attend happenings booked for this weekend.
The Conrado Contreras 60-year retrospective opens on Friday, November 8, 7 p.m. in the lobby at Chapala City Hall.
Quilt and fabric artists will display their creations on Saturday, November 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Paseo de las Canoas 29 in Lower La Floresta.
A dozen of lakeside’s most accomplished artists are lined up for the collective show opening Saturday, November 9, 4 p.m. at Galeria Axixic Galeria de Arte Axixic, Rio Zula 1 at Ocampo, with cocktails and live music by Brazilian guitarist Pedro Jorge de Souza.
Painting Guild
The Lake Chapala Painting Guild will hold an artists’ opening reception for their show “Inspired by Mexico” on Sunday, November 10, 3-5 p.m. at Gloriosa Salon.
Artists showing work are Betty Petersen, Varn, Geraldine Classen, Joan Lowndes, Lois Schroff, Cynthia Dubois, Winnie Hunt, Carol Ann Owers, Nancy Gray, Inak Gieysztor, Steve Achs, and Helen Marie K.
Gloriosa Salon is located at Plaza Interlago 132 on the Ajijic Libramiento. To learn more about this group go to www.lakechapalapaintingguild.org.
Danzon spectacle
Chapala will host the grand finale of the third annual National Danzon Congress, to be held Sunday, November 10, noon, on the waterfront Malecon just outside the Beer Garden Restaurant. Hundreds of fans of the sensuous Latin style dance genre visting from all over the country will be there to perform to the sounds of the famed Danzonera Acerina. The public is welcome to attend the free festival event and get in on the action.
Israeli dancers
Anajnu Veatem, a traditional Jewish dance group from Mexico City, will give two performances at the Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta on Saturday, November 9, 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 10, 1 p.m. Tickets cost 200 pesos and may be purchased at the door. The show will raise funds for the Lake Chapala Shrine Club.
Let’s Do It Again
Mac Morison will be kicking off the holiday season singing classic romantic songs with guest vocalist Judy Hendrick at the one-off “Let’s Do It Again” show to help the Ajijic Fire Department purchase much needed equipment.
A special surprise will be guest comic Jeff Capri opening for Mac. been. Capri has been seen on Comedy Central, Comics Unleashed and Last Comic Standing. He has just returned from entertaining U.S. troops overseas.
The ticket price is 300 pesos (includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres.) There will be a full no-host bar.
The date is Wednesday, December 4. The place, Club Exotica on the Ajijic Plaza. Doors open at 5;30 p.m.; the show starts at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are on sale Diane Pearl Colecciones, Mia’s Boutique and Lois Cugini’s Opus 1.
Piano Rojo
El Piano Rojo marks its first anniversary November 14-17 with the much anticipated return of the Michael Holmes hysterical parody of Judy Garland’s 1960s television show found in his riotous The Judy Show. Some of the guests Holmes also plays include: Carol Channing, Mae West, Bette Davis, Billie Holiday, Katherine Hepburn, Pearl Bailey, Peggy Lee and Tallulah Bankhead. Accompanied by acclaimed pianist Mark Kahny, Holmes sings old standards including The Trolley Song, Hello Dolly, God Bless The Child, and Over the Rainbow among others.
Also joining them is Francesca Amari who will be performing her “Gilda Radner” show, a musical biography of the brilliant comedienne including a mixture of songs from the Great American Songbook, the cabaret world, Broadway and even country.
This promises to be a fabulous weekend of entertainment at the El Piano Rojo. Showtimes are Thursday, November 14 through Sunday, November 17, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cost: 200 pesos cover and 50 pesos off if you attend both showings.
Jocotepec exhibition
La Nueva Revolucion art show is set to open Friday November 22, 5 to 8 p.m., at Jocotopec’s Casa de la Cultura, located at Miguel Rana and Hidalgo, just off the town plaza. Music, poetry, cocktails and botanas will be offered to inaugurate the exhibition of works by Isidro Xilonxochitl, Francisco Gonzalez, DePaul Durham, Antonio Lopez Vega, Jesus Lopez Vega, Manuel Santillon, and David Mendoza.
Orchestra bus trip
Viva la Musica has arranged a bus trip to the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra concert at the Degollado Theater in Guadalajara on Sunday, December 1. Italian Guido Maria Guida conducts a Wagner Gala, as well as Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 3.”
The bus departs from Ajijic at 10.30 a.m. Tickets are 250 pesos for members, 350 for non-members.
Contact Marshall at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or buy tickets at the LCS on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon.
Viva holiday concert
Viva la Musica presents a special holiday concert, “Opera and Christmas Music Between Friends,” in the Auditorio de la Ribera on Friday, December 6, 6 p.m.
The concert features Gaby Zepeda, piano and soprano; Antonio Hermosillo, baritone; Patricia Hernandez, mezzosoprano; Hector Lopez, baritone; and children Mariana, Lucia and Jorge Hermosillo, who will sing and play the violin.
Hernandez and Lopez are familiar to many lakesiders as exceptional former students of the late Harlan Snow. Both are now professional musicians, teaching and singing in Mexico.
Tickets cost 200 pesos for Viva members, 300 pesos for general admission. They are on sale at the Lake Chapala Society on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m to noon; the auditorium and at Diane Pearl Colecciones.
Everyone is invited to take advantage of Viva’s sepecial offer until November 15: buy one ticket, obtain a second ticket free of charge.
Live from the Met
There are 10 tickets still available for the Viva trip to Guadalajara and the Live from the Met simulcast of Verdi’s “Falstaff” on Saturday, December 14, noon.
Tickets are available at the Lake Chapala Society, Thursdays and Fridays 10 a.m. -noon, or from M. Krantz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Cost: 300 pesos members, 400 pesos non-members. The bus leaves Ajijic at 10:30 a.m.
Opera trips in 2014
Viva trips planned to Live from the Met simulcasts in 2014 are:
Saturday, February 8, noon Dvorak’s “Rusalka.” Bus leaves 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, March 1, 11 a.m. Borodin’s “Prince Igor.” Bus leaves 9.30 a.m.
Saturday, March 11, 11 a.m. Massenet’s “Werther.” Bus leaves 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 5, 11 a.m. Puccini’s “La Boheme.” Bus leaves 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, May 3, noon Mozart’s “Cosi Fan Tutti.” Bus leaves 10:30 a,m,
Saturday, May 10, noon Rossini’s “La Cenicienta.” Bus leaves 10:30 a.m.
Heads-up
December 10-11: Los Cantantes del Lago Christmas-Hanukkah holiday tradition concert programs at the Auditorio de la Ribera, Tuesday, 7 p.m., and Wednesday, 4 p.m. Tickets, 250 pesos per person, at Diane Pearl, Mia’s Boutique or via email requests to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
December 14: A Mexican Fiesta fund-aiser for the Pepe Martinez Equine Therapy Center, 2 p.m. at Rancho La Ilusion, located off the Chapala-Ajijic Libramiento. Tickets, 50 pesos each, at Yoly’s Unisex Salon, Plaza Bugambilias or DIF Chapala.