A theater filled with the presence of Mexicans, Americans and Canadians this weekend saw three performances of the Christmas Gala, a performance that provided entertainment beyond the musical and brought relief, encouragement, and the certainty that there will always be a better tomorrow.
With the three performances of the Christmas Gala at the Ángela Peralta Theater, the Instituto Municipal de Cultura, Turismo y Arte de Mazatlán closed the programming of the Festival Cultural Mazatlán 2023 with a bang.
The Christmas classic conquered the happy audience because the production took care of even the smallest detail in lighting, scenery, costumes, multimedia images and additional elements such as small particles in the form of flakes and fog to represent snowy environments.
Emotional images of Santa Claus and the iconic sleigh on a fascinating journey could not be missing in this magical show, while the Camerata Mazatlán, directed by Maestro Sergio Freeman, performed Christmas Festival.
Music, snowflakes, dreamy lights, pine trees, a Nativity scene with the presence of “Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph”, and messages full of fantasy such as “be good…Santa Claus is coming to town!”, created an environment very conducive to exalt values such as faith, hope and unity that should prevail in families.
The imposing voices of Sarah Holcombe, Penélope Luna, Andrés Carrillo, Eduardo Tapia, Iván Valdez, and the American Douglas Williams captivated the audience during their performances as soloists, duets, and sometimes in ensembles.
The performance filled with fantasy and encouraging music to wish happy holidays and a better New Year will be remembered as a high-end show full of celestial symbols and essential scenic elements in a representation of the warm and loving atmosphere that is usually associated with Christmas.
The program was made up of 18 musical themes such as: Angels from the realms of glory, Adestes fideles, Hallelujah, El Farolito, among others, performed by soloists, choirs and musicians from the Camerata Mazatlán with the brilliant performance of classical dance dancers from the Municipal Ballet School and the Mazatlán Ballet Company.
In one of the kindest moments of the evening, Greta Mariela Hernández Angulo, a member of the CMA Children’s Choir, accompanied tenor Eduardo Tapia in the song “El Farolito”, and with her sweet voice she transmitted tenderness to the audience who generously gave her loud applause.
In this performance where music and dance merged to the delight of everyone, José Francisco Zamora, a student at the Municipal School of Classical Ballet, conquered the audience with his two memorable performances, first with a perfect march when personifying “The little Drummer Boy”, and later during the piece “A Wondrous Christmas” in which he surprised with the skill, strength and balance of his body.
Given the applause received, the boy felt excited and so happy that from the first night of the Gala (Friday, December 15), the little dancer discovered that he would dedicate his life to the study of classical ballet.
During the show, which flowed with dynamism, the splendor of the production was notable, as it decided to place a tall pine tree in the center of the stage as a symbol of unity and family coexistence, flanked by two uneven staircases from where the voices of the Ángela Peralta Choir – directed by teacher María Murillo – and the Children’s Choir of the Municipal Arts Center, under the direction of teacher Mariela Angulo, were gaining height until they spread throughout the room and merged with the voice of the soloists and the sound of the orchestra.
Outstanding was the artistic performance of dancers from the Mazatlán Ballet Company and students from the Municipal School of Classical Ballet under the direction of teacher Zoila Fernández, who accompanied each of the songs performed during the long-awaited Christmas Gala.
From the orchestra pit, the members of the Camerata Mazatlán gave themselves with passion and starred in a concert full of melodies that the majority of the spectators were able to remember and retain without the dynamism of the program diminishing the joy produced by music; The performance of the instrumentalists brought smiles of satisfaction to Maestro Freeman’s face.
In one of the most beautiful moments of the Christmas Gala, tenor Andrés Carrillo performed God Bless Us Everyone, a piece brought to the stage by maestro Ramón Gómez Polo, who masterfully closed his performance by remembering little Tim, a fictional character from the novel “Un A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and his powerful phrase “God bless us all.”everyone!”. Merry Christmas!
Soprano Penélope Luna and mezzo-soprano Sarah Holcombe gave a very heavenly scene when they performed Hallelujah to the delight of hundreds of spectators.
During the Christmas show, the series composed of The Little Drummer Boy, The Shepherds at Bethlehem, Bell on Bell and Silent Night could not be missed, a repertoire that made it clear that singing Christmas carols unites people, and creates magical and unforgettable memories like the which the audience surely took away when observing the appearance of children turned into angels on ballet pointe who surrounded the room with a lit candle in their hands as a sign of ardent faith in a better tomorrow.
The Christmas Gala was filled with songs with encouraging messages such as “The Endless Cycle” from the film The Lion King in the voice and performance of Iván Valdez to remember that you learn from everything and there will always be much more treasures that can be discovered under the sunlight.
Singer Douglas Williams had his stellar moment when he performed “Deck the Halls,” a classic that cannot be missed during the holiday season.
Near the end of the event, dressed as the popular “Santa,” tenor Iván Valdez made a triumphant entrance, coming out on stage on a sleigh to sing “Santa Claus is coming to town.”
Upon leaving the theater, the audience tasted sweets, punch, buñuelos, and esquites, among other pleasant desserts, while outside the theater, children, young people, and adults hit the piñata.
During the three concerts presented on Friday the 15th, Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th of December, the public packed the hall of the Ángela Peralta Theatre, which after this great success at the box office lowered the curtain to conclude the Festival Cultural Mazatlán 2023.
