Birthday and the Symphony

Yesterday was LW's birthday. the last couple of years we have celebrated his birthday with a dinner we host here at home. There are a number of friends with birthdays in October. So we usually have one big dinner for everyone on our patio. We haul out the dinning room table and benches, make ice cold pitchers of Sangria. I dig out the huge paella pan, hit the shrimp ladies at the market and make some of the best paella this side of Spain :c} But this year there were vacations, and it has stayed way to darn hot and humid to be sitting on the patio, no matter how much Sangria there was to drink :c}

EEUUU I have a bit to learn about flashes, glare and good photography:c}

Soooo LW and I decided we would have a nice early dinner at the Plaza Muchado and then wonder over to The Angela Peralta Opera House to listen to the Mazatlan Symphony's first performance for the season.The symphony focused on European composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Music, the Arts and Dance are very important to the Mexican culture. Not just theirs but all the other cultures. Of course and rightly so they are most proud of their own culture's contributions. But they have a deep appreciation for all art and music. so much so that October 2nd each year starts ofF a 3 month long arts celebration. There will be art exhibits, opera, ballet, dance, jazz, blues, Banda, Flamenco, plays and on and on. Some will require fees but many others will be free. They will be in different theaters, churches, parks and plazas all over the city.In the first two weeks of October there is a performance every night. Tonight at the opera house is a Canadian brass group. Well you get the picture. Mexico is not all "Mariachi" bands.

The Angela Peralta Opera House is this wonderfully restored grand French influenced building... The French for a while thought Mexico belong to them. That was after Spain, but in between the USA. The theater sits in Centro Historico and like many historical city centers it fell into sad neglect. In our heat, humidity and salt air, neglect is a death toll. In 1973 Mazatlan was hit with a category 5 hurricane which ripped the the roof off, exposed the stage and boxes to the elements and dumped thousands of gallons of ocean on it.

In the 90s the city realized the tragedy of loosing their historical buildings and began a restoration project. Now the grand Dame is back to her old beautiful self.
All in all last night was a wonderful celebration of LW birthday . Oh I should go check the calander to see what is schedualed next month (my birthday ;c} )

Have a good evening or day my Bloglandian neighbors depending on what part of the world you are in!! :c}