Cenart's opera series shows that this stage genre "is for everyone."

▲ The Boy and the Spells will open the program "Opera is Pure Fairytale... and Ballet and Circus Too!" on June 28. Photo by Jair Cabrera

Angel Vargas

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 23, 2025, p. 4

The possibility of the National Opera Company (CNO) including works aimed at children in its regular seasons at the Palacio de Bellas Artes is not so remote, according to Cassandra Zoé Velasco, artistic director of the Bellas Artes Opera Studio (EOBA).

"This is something that Marcelo Lombardero, the director of that group, should answer; however, these productions can be a start," the mezzo-soprano noted, referring to the staging of The Boy and the Sorcery, which will inaugurate the series ¡Opera is Pure Storytelling... and Ballet and Circus Too! on June 28 at the National Arts Center (Cenart).

According to the singer and official, this original title by composer Maurice Ravel and writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is part of the commitment of the CNO, and in general of the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (Inbal), to attract and generate new audiences.

It's about reaching out to children and families to show that opera is for everyone , he said. It's a huge commitment we have, because only in this way will we keep this beautiful genre alive .

In an interview, Cassandra Zoé Velasco emphasized that productions like this one also fulfill the CNO's purpose of promoting and disseminating the work of young singers and pianists who are training at the EOBA.

Many of them participate regularly with the company. The EOBA's goal is to professionalize these young singers who have shown sufficient potential and, by encouraging and supporting them in their development, give them their first opportunities as soloists with the CNO.

The staging of The Boy and the Sorcery is a co-production between the CNO, through the EOBA (National Association of Cultural Organizations), and the University of the Americas Puebla (UDLAP). It has been presented three times this year: once in the Scenic Pavilion of Chapultepec Forest and the other two as part of a social project aimed at schools. These were closed, relaxed performances for children from the neurodivergent community .

Thus, its inclusion now in the aforementioned cycle, where it will be presented in four performances, represents its grand debut , said the singer, who emphasized that this Ravel opera encompasses in its 50 minutes all the elements to be fully enjoyed by children and adults.

It's beautiful music, with gorgeous lyrics. It touches on very important themes, like the control of emotions , he noted, describing it as the story of a boy who, in a fit of rage, destroys everything around him, while ignoring, breaking, and challenging limits.

Unexpectedly, he added, the world around him reacts magically, organizing itself and giving rise to a fun musical revolution.

This transformation reveals essential aspects of nature and the human condition, thus bringing forth creativity, empathy, and tenderness, noted the director of EOBA.

The play speaks about awareness, unity, respect for our surroundings, understanding of what is different, love, the importance of parents, and, finally, the importance of having a healthy childhood. It's a very important message for our society.

The Boy and the Sorcery will be presented on June 28 and 29 in double performances, at 12 and 2:30 p.m., at the Cenart Arts Theater (79 Río Churubusco Avenue, Country Club neighborhood).

A place for everyone

The series "Opera is pure storytelling... and ballet and circus too!", Cenart's star offering aimed at children during the summer holidays, will feature relaxed performances for neurodivergent audiences in two of its five shows.

This option, made possible thanks to the collaboration of a specialized department at INBAL, includes special lighting and audio levels in the theater, allowing spectators to stand and enter and exit the venue. A relaxation and entertainment area will also be set up in the theater's lobby.

They are also our audience and deserve a space at Cenart , stressed Raúl Uribe, from the Artistic Programming Department of that institution, who in a press conference announced the details of the cycle −which will conclude on August 3−, accompanied by some of the members of the casts of the programmed works.

In addition to The Boy and the Sorcery, the operas Figaro and the Android (July 5 and 6), with music by classics such as Mozart, Dvorak and Rossini, and Bastian and Bastiana, a one-act opera for children by Mozart (July 12 and 13), will be presented.

Dance, meanwhile, was represented by Alice in Ballet Country , and circus arts with Salto mortal al Xib'alb'a (July 26 and 27 and August 2 and 3).

The relaxed performances will include Bastián and Bastiana on July 11 at noon, and Alice in Ballet Country at 2:00 p.m., both with free admission and seating for 250. More information is available at cenart.gob.mx .

The Independent

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 23, 2025, p. 4

The ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a cultural gem located at the foot of the Acropolis, is preparing for a significant hiatus while it embarks on extensive restoration work.

A must-see for visitors to Athens and a revered stage for international artists, the iconic theater will close at least three years after its current season.

For residents of the Greek capital, the Odeon is a staple of their summer cultural calendar, as its majestic stage has hosted countless legendary performances over the centuries. This venue, more than 18 centuries old, recently opened the 70th season of the annual Epidaurus Festival in Athens, a cherished tradition for many Greeks.

Renowned artists and groups that have performed here include Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Coldplay, and Greek artist Maria Callas.

When people think of Athens' cultural scene, they think of the festival and Herodium , said Katerina Evangelatos, the festival's artistic director since 2019, referring to the theater by its common Greek name. "It's the heart of the festival ."

The Greek National Opera opened this season's festival with Giacomo Puccini's Turandot .

Space of veneration

Giorgos Koumendakis, artistic director of this group, describes the Odeon of Herodes Atticus as a tense and tired space , which still inspires widespread veneration.

Conscious, cultured, and educated people who understand what this space is, its historical significance, the importance of the festival, and the history of the Greek National Opera, deeply respect it and enter it almost with reverence , he stated.

It's like entering a temple of art; it really has an impact. I can also see it in the singers and the orchestra. When they come here, they want to give it their all.

During previous restoration and conservation projects, the surfaces of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus were cleaned, cracks were filled with grout, and new seats were installed. This time, the scope of the work will depend on the results of ongoing studies.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stated that while the closing date for the venue is definitive—late summer—its reopening is not.

▲ The play will be presented on June 27 at the Estefanía Chávez Barragán Theater of the UNAM School of Architecture, and on June 29 at the Miguel Covarrubias Hall of the CCU. Photo courtesy of the group .

Fabiola Palapa Quijas

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 23, 2025, p. 5

The neoclassical proposal of Carmina Burana, created by Irina Marcano, is a free and expressive approach to themes such as destiny, fortune, love, and death.

The versatility of the dancers from the Choreographic Workshop of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (TCUNAM) gives an innovative touch to the work, which originally premiered in 1937 in Frankfurt.

The large-scale piece, featuring more than 20 dancers, will move audiences attending the performances on June 27 at the Estefanía Chávez Barragán Theater of the UNAM Faculty of Architecture, and on June 29 at the Miguel Covarrubias Hall of the University Cultural Center (CCU).

In an interview with La Jornada, Irina Marcano, choreographer and director of the TCUNAM, described her piece as powerful and dizzying. The neoclassical language is pleasing to the eye, and the narrative is also very relatable; the audience immediately connects with the staging, and I hope that at the end, people will come away with a reflection on life and death .

He added that Carmina Burana, with music by Carl Orff, has allowed the university group to showcase its dance versatility. They are classical dancers who approach neoclassical and contemporary styles; this versatility leads us to other stage approaches .

In the play's narrative, the TCUNAM director explores the evolution of human beings, adolescence, adulthood, passions, and death. To address these emotions and transitions in the life cycle, we use our own references , she indicated.

“We're constantly seeking to break out of certain parameters, and art is a tool to express ourselves and explore other spaces, even forbidden ones. This is something I find interesting about Carmina Burana.”

Regarding the character of Fortuna, he said that at the beginning of the play she is contemplative, because from the moment we are born we know how we will end up.

Fortuna transforms into the woman in red and leads humans toward passions and lust, and she also provokes that along the way. Throughout the piece, I transform this character, and in the narrative, she further explains the relationship between life and death.

The entire company will project fiery passions and emotions framed by the fortunes described in the secular medieval poems that accompany this popular work.

With the presentation of Carmina Burana, the TCUNAM concludes its 113th season, titled Intersections, where the group served as the focal point for meeting with other institutions within and outside the university in order to gain greater visibility.

Marcano announced that the TCUNAM's next season will be titled 55 Years, because its anniversary is in September, and it will be celebrated with several pieces by maestro Gloria Contreras and Mexican composers.

A work of mine will also premiere, and we'll collaborate with the National Dance Company. We'll also have another major premiere at the UNAM Culture Festival.

She added that on August 5, the university choreography workshop will pay tribute to Gloria Contreras at the Palace of Fine Arts as part of the Danced Autobiographies series, where they will present the program 90 Times Gloria.

Carmina Burana will be presented on June 27 at 12:30 p.m. in the Estefanía Chávez Barragán Theater of the Faculty of Architecture of the UNAM and on the 29th of the same month at 12:30 p.m. in the Miguel Covarrubias Hall of the CCU (Insurgentes Sur 3000, Ciudad Universitaria).

The workshop gave a performance on June 22 dedicated to lighting designer Francisco Muñoz Ávila, who died last May.