Tag Archives: opera

San Miguel de Allende

Amazing grace of Operisima’s holiday concert

It is times like these that you realize what a precious treasure Operisima Mexico is for San Miguel de Allende.

The operatic troupe’s Christmas Concert in the Iglesia San Francisco added rocket fuel to an already soaring holiday spirit.

Nearly a dozen elegantly dressed singers poured heart and soul into a program of popular and sacred seasonal music under the direction of Rogelio Riojas-Nolasco and in conjunction with Casa Europa Mexico.

Here’s a small taste of the evening. It repeats tonight (Sunday, Dec. 14, by the way. You can walk up and get tickets $300 — 600 mxn.

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San Miguel de Allende, Uncategorized

FASMA2025 is more than a festival; it is a feast served up by local arts and culture groups

Read the latest on FASMA 2025 here.

The third edition of the San Miguel de Allende Festival of the Arts (FASMA2025) is coming in August and will offer more than 100 events from scores of local arts and culture organizations.  Music, theater, opera, film, dance, literary and plastic arts programs will be presented in many of San Miguel’s finest venues, Aug. 1-17.

Individually, these are the kinds of events for which this city is famous around the world.

Collectively, this is an opportunity for San Miguelians to sample the many lively, beautiful, and inspiring performance programs that make up the fabric of this community.

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San Miguel de Allende

Terry Barber: A Night of Emotion and Music in San Miguel on March 19

A countertenor knocks your socks off, every time. Because you don’t see it coming.

The fellow is moving along in the sweet clarity of a tenor through a lovely piece of music, something about love lost and regret, let’s say. You’re feeling it. Because the singing matches the lyrics and matches the emotions. On the edge of crying, let’s say.

Suddenly the singer veers upward into a celestial aural region that you were in no way expecting – up where the emotions and sensations are usually reserved for the pure of heart. For angels and their earthly equals.

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San Miguel de Allende

Soprano Barbachano has grown from flirty teen boy to a young maiden to savvy Countess Rosina in ‘Figaro’

It was just one year ago that opera soprano Jacinta Barbachano performed in San Miguel de Allende as the youthful and highly desirable single Rosina in “The Barber of Saville.” One year on, she will have to age 10 years as the story resumes this weekend in “The Marriage of Figaro.”

Older but wiser, as they say. 

For soprano Barbachano that may well be the key to her character, the now Countess Rosina, in the highly anticipated Pro Musica production of “The Marriage of Figaro.”

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San Miguel de Allende, The Week in SMA

Go ‘Figero’: A night at the opera that’s right on the Marx (Harpo, Chico, Groucho …)

There is a comedy – a musical sitcom – about a powerful man who believes he has the right to do whatever he wants to women. 

It’s a sequel, in fact, that gives off a sort of a bro-boy’s “Your body, my choice” vibe.

But the women in this comedy are smart and savvy, with a sort of a “Me too” vibe. They know how to stand up to power in clever ways. They know how to work the angles on the patriarchy.

And, no, it is not called “Trump’s Second Term.”

The musical is actually an opera and it was written in 1786. A huge hit in its day. Now, it is considered one of the greatest operas of all time. 

Apparently, things haven’t changed all that much in the last 239 years.

The opera is Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte.

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San Miguel de Allende, The Week in SMA

San Miguel events, Aug. 18-24: Spend a day on the farm, check out cool cars, music, art, opera — just do it

Sunday, August 18

8 –10 a.m. OK, what’s a “botarga”?
I’ll tell you: It is a full-body costume often of a cute animal, vegetable, or a sports team mascot — or Spiderman and Deadpool. Put yours on, zip it up, and join the first Botargas Race at Plaza La Luciérnaga. Be your anthropomorphic best as you “Run, jump, and laugh.” Those are the rules. That’s all we’ve got. Registration is $100 pesos.

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San Miguel de Allende, The Week in SMA

SMA events, Aug. 11-17: (Fresh updates!) Walk for art, watch birds, catch ‘Carmen,’ or see ‘Office’ & baseball!

Sunday, Aug. 11

10:30 a.m. – Noon — Ecstatic dancing
San Miguel’s longest-running ecstatic dance community Danza de Alma meets at The Nautilus Chamber with the music of DJ Grandpa setting the swirling dervishes in motion. Here’s a map to Nautilus.
Danza del Alma is a scent free zone. Suggested donation is $150-$400 pesos ($8-$20 usd). paypal.me/JoanElenaGoldberg.Can’t make it in person? Zoom in: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6777780270 (Zoom Passcode: Danza, Meeting ID: 677 778 0270)

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San Miguel de Allende, The Week in SMA

SMA Events July 14 — 20: Futboll! Baseball! Opera! Theater! Photos ops! A tea party! A coffee mixer! Cows! Get out there!

OK, there’s nothing going on with cows this week. At least, I don’t think so. But, in case nothing else on this blog appeals to you, you can download this photo and stare at the cows out in the Compo. I took this photo Saturday morning while hiking near the railroad tracks, just below Los Frailes.

Sunday, July 14


8 a.m — 4 p.m. Bomberos Flea Market
After 40 years of protecting San Miguel de Allende, the local fire department still counts on this monthly flea market to make ends meet. Crazy, huh? But this is our life! You will find new and second-hand clothes, glasses, perfumes, lingerie, toys and collectibles, and much more.
Where? At the firehouse on Salida a Queretaro, next to Real de Conde plaza.

10 a.m. — Play ball!
Baseball game between the San Miguel Paric and the San Miguel Pirates this Sunday at the Stirling Dickinson Stadium. The Pirates will try to break the undefeated record of the green-feathered Pericos De San Miguel De Allende. This is quality baseball, up-close, on the region’s finest baseball field. Located at Avenida Las Américas #113.

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San Miguel de Allende, The Week in SMA, Uncategorized

SMA events, May 5-11: Everything’s coming up music (but also, happy Cinco de Mayo)

Celebrations are breaking out all over San Miguel this week. Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, the Red Cross anniversary, the religious Celebration of the Cross, and even the Locos/Crazies begin to honor their patron saint.

Or, you could just go bird-watching. There is that.

I’m guessing the performance of the week will be pianist Théo Fouchenneret and the deal of the week will be The Rondalla Señorial of the University of Guanajuato (free). The most poignant performances will be by the many wonderful musicians coming together to remember their comrade Tony Duncan.

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Reviews, San Miguel de Allende

So much to do this week in San Miguel de Allende, my head is about to burst

Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle will be performed this week in San Miguel (See information below.)

Ah, that special time of the year when you ask yourself, “Why can’t I be in two places at once? Or three?” That time is now.

This is the time when people with money from the north pour across the border unchallenged and settle in for one month or several and begin to madly buy up tickets to a vast number of events – all of which we only see a hint of the rest of the year.

But few and far between though they might have been, you could reasonably trust that an empty seat could be claimed moments before a performance would begin.

You know the Season is here because – even though arts and cultural events have multiplied like sex-crazed rabbits – you will frequently hear that dreaded phrase, “Sorry. Completely sold out,” from a voice that actually sounds quite chuffed and hardly sorry at all.

Facebook, in a marvelous act of undercounting, posts a message to me on Monday morning: “Reminder: You have five events coming up this week.” It didn’t even get the right five.

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