De Musica Ligera: Opera a la Mexicana

What happens when you combine two great forms of music? The result could be either an unmitigated train wreck or a brilliant concept come to life. Thankfully the latter occurred several nights ago in Houston, Texas.

“Cruzar la cara de la Luna” (“To Cross the Face of the Moon”) was billed as the world’s first mariachi opera and it took place on Saturday at the Houston Grand Opera. Mezzo-sopranos Cecilia Duarte and Vanessa Cerda performed along with the thirteen-member Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlan to tell a tale of family bonding, immigration, and the tying of cultures.

José "Pepe" Martinez, music director of Mariachi Vargas, composed the music while Broadway director Leonard Foglia helped guide the unique mariachi opera. In remarks to the Houston Chronicle, Foglia said that he wanted to write a story “with universal appeal” and he received personal inspiration from his Italian-born father. He added that now was the ideal time to feature such a one-of-a-kind tale:

"Everyone wants his story told," Foglia says, "wants to feel his life has some significance to the larger society. It's important to tell these stories, especially now, when there is sometimes such a rancorous debate about immigration."

Four additional staged performances (with the same vocal leads but a different mariachi group) of “Cruzar…” will be held from December 3-5 at the Talento Bilingüe de Houston. Otherwise please enjoy the following video taken by one of the audience members who attended Saturday’s performance:

Video Source - YouTube
Online Sources- Talento Bilingüe de Houston, La Opinion, Houston Chronicle, Wikipedia

Today's Video: Orale Queen!

C'mon who doesn't enjoy a good mariachi, especially if it's a great cover of an extraordinary Queen song:

(Hat tip: Neatorama).

Online Sources- Neatorama, YouTube

Daily Headlines: August 11, 2008

* Haiti: Haitian police officials denounced United Nations troops for allegedly assaulting two policemen.

* U.S.: “So this one time in mariachi camp…”

* South America: Spanish oil firm Repsol agreed to negotiate for a new contract with Ecuador’s government, while Brazil’s Petrobras plans to buy ExxonMobil’s assets in Esso Chile.

* Puerto Rico: Was “friendly fire” the real reason why a Puerto Rican policeman was killed by the FBI over the weekend?

Image- New York Times (“Hundreds of U.N. peacekeepers raided Haiti's largest slum (in February 2007) to arrest gang members.”)

Sources- Reuters, Canadian Press, Star-Telegram.com, Dominican Today

Hillary Clinton’s campaign mariachi

Supporters of Barack Obama have created reggaeton and mariachi versions of songs in honor of their preferred candidate for the White House. Hell, even Ted Kennedy took a shot last week during a campaign appearance. Thus, it was almost inevitable that Hillary Clinton would follow suit.

Presenting the Hillary Clinton campaign mariachi:

On Monday, the Clinton campaign unveiled a Latino campaign theme song entitled “Hillary, Hillary Clinton.”

An accordion-backed cocktail of traditional Mexican cumbia and tropical influences, the Spanish-language song says Clinton is the candidate who can deliver change Latinos want — by ending the war in Iraq, achieving universal health care, improving the economy and bringing about fair immigration laws.

To listen, click here.

The campaign said the song will be played at rallies, parties and other campaign events across Texas.

At this rate the John McCain electropop/rock en español remix will be playing soon at Nacotheque.

Sources- The Border Line, Papermag, Vivirlatino, Gawker, The Latin Americanist

Image- Wonkette