The Guadalajara Reporter

French cultural feast kicks off

Guadalajara’s May Cultural Festival got underway on Thursday night with a stunning performance by the Malandain Ballet Biarritz at the Degollado Theater.

Popular Toronto and San Francisco entertainers at El Piano Rojo

When 13-year-old Kevin Levesque performed his first Broadway-style number in his parent’s living room, he knew he had found his calling. 

Satirist feted on centenary of his death

The illustrations of Jose Guadalupe Posadas (1852-1913) are usually associated with the period leading up to Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 2, due to his penchant for biting social commentary in the guise of skeletons.

Artist on the rise

Local artist Susana Hubert opened a new solo exhibition Wednesday at the Galeria de Juristas in the Jalisco Congress building, located on the Plaza Liberacion, to one side of the Degollado Theater in downtown Guadalajara.

Entertainment listings

Check out upcoming entertainment events in Guadalajara.

Dance company on the edge

The future of the Compañia Estatal de Danza Clasica y Neoclasica hangs in the balance with the incoming administration unclear about how to manage Jalisco’s only professional state-funded dance company.

Local ballet star announces Mexico City show

Guadalajara-born dancer Isaac Hernandez is bringing a star-studded team of talent to Mexico City next month in a bid to widen the appeal of ballet in this country.

Celebrated UK ensemble to play at Diana

Britten Sinfonia, an acclaimed ensemble from Great Britain, are undertaking a four-concert tour of Mexico later this month, including one presentation at Guadalajara’s Teatro Diana on Thursday, March 21, 8 p.m. 

Guadalajara's wild horses

It’s been 15 years since these wild horses made their move from outside the Hospicio Cabañas to a grassy mound at Lopez Mateos and Niños Heroes. “La Estampida” was created by sculptor Jorge de la Peña in 1982. The horses now gallop in the shadow of the Hotel Rui, the city’s tallest building.

Film festival primed for Nordic invasion

Guadalajara’s 28th International Film Festival (FICG28) gets underway on Friday, March 1 with the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as this year’s special guests.

Brits book dates at Telmex

Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and his All Star Band,  and singer Sarah Brightman will be appearing at the Telmex Auditorium in November.  Brightman is booked for November 11, while  Starr and friends make their bow on November 16.

Tickets for the Brightman concert – part of her “Dreamchaser” tour – cost from 350 to 1,750 pesos, while prices for the Starr gig range start at 250 and go up to 1,550 pesos.

Orchestra kicks off season with all-Mexican program, acclaimed US director

Although hobbled by two incomplete and rocky transitions — of state governors and artistic directors — the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra has embarked on its first season of 2013.

Philharmonic Orchestra Patronato has new leader

Alejandro Raul Elizade Gutierrez, the new president of the governing body (Patronato) of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra,  has promised to help build audiences and find a “dignified” musical director.

Elizade says the Patronato will be reorganized, with three vice presidents in charge of liaising with the public and private sectors and helping promote musical development.

Orchestra in a pickle but some see sweeter times ahead

With the abrupt exit of Alondra de La Parra after only 10 months as artistic director of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, and the imminent installation of new state politicians to control the orchestra, changes are whizzing around as fast as the jet that took the acclaimed young director to Europe the day after she stepped down last week.

Jazz fest set for August

An alliance of local cultural players chose Tuesday, April 30  — International Jazz Day — to announce that the International Jazz Encounter in Jalisco (Encuentro Internacional de Jazz en Jalisco, also called TÓNICA) is set for August 2 to 11.

“We’re going to inundate the city with events,” threatened local jazz luminary Sara Valenzuela, artistic director of TÓNICA along with fellow musician Gilberto Cervantes. She mentioned that this is the first year that the seven-year-old event will have an international focus.

State orchestra begins year with benefit concerts

Guest conductor Anatoly Zatin leads the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra’s first major concert of the year.  This benefit concert features Shostakovich’s “Festival Overture,” “Piano Concerto No. 2,” Prokofiev’s “La Suite Escita,” and Scriabin’s “Prometheus, the Poem of Fire.”  Invited performers are the Zapopan Choir, directed by Santiago Cumplido, and pianists Daniela Liebman and Vlada Vassilieva.  The beneficiary from the concert is the Mexican chapter of the World Children’s Transplant Fund.

Local ‘mythical’ group to play intimate venue

El Personal, a Guadalajara reggae band that is described as “very melodic” and that boasts name recognition dating back to the 1970s, is slated to perform Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4, at the small but well established El Rojo Cafe in Guadalajara’s Colonia Americana.

Tapatia filmmaker to direct Chilean miners movie

Guadalajara-born film director Patricia Riggen is to direct a movie based on the true story of 33 Chilean miners who were trapped in a collapsed mining shaft for 69 days in 2010.

Status Quo concert called off

British rock band Status Quo’s concert in Guadalajara on April 25 has been cancelled for “logistical reasons” (i.e. poor ticket sales).

Alondra de la Parra leaves state orchestra

Just 10 months after assuming the post as director of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, 32-year-old Alondra de la Parra has handed in her resignation.