San Miguel de Allende — The new auditorium in San Miguel de Allende known as “the heron” (La Gaviota) begins its flight and opens its doors with a concert offered by the artful Mexican-American folk singer Lila Downs on Friday May 12.
This new venue aims to attract more tourism and hold international events, and has the capacity for thousands of spectators.
This project was started by Luz María Núñez, former Mayor of San Miguel, with the support of people such as Eduardo Arias.
Then, Mayor Ricardo Villarreal indicated that when he became Mayor of San Miguel, he made an analysis of San Miguel’s patrimonial assets (including the Forum) “in order that they work satisfactorily”.
New auditorium in San Miguel de Allende (Photo: Atención San Miguel)
In 2014 the “San Miguel Forum” was flooded but no structural damage was presented, according to information from this year. So Mayor Villarreal said that several experts determined there are more damages for lack of use and reported that more restrooms and expanded parking lot were under construction.
Finally, San Miguel Forum will be catalogued as one of the most important auditoriums of the region. Now its construction is completed, and currently has 1,924 numbered seats and a general area for two thousand people.
Lila Downs
She is one of the most powerful voices of the Mexican music, a woman with Mixtecas along with American roots. Downs performed with great success in the city during the San Miguel Cantador festival in 2011, provoking to the audience to ask for encores.
For two decades, the American-Mexican singer has traveled the world singing her Mexican roots, with her peculiar voice and incorporated several rhythms from blues, jazz, cumbia to rock-pop and even rap.
Downs sings in Spanish, English and languages of Mixtec culture, Zapotec, Maya and Nahuatl.
For this occasion, Lila Downs will surely interpret “Cucurrucucú”, “La Cumbia del Mole”, “Tacha, La Teibolera”, “El último trago”, “Viene la muerte”, and “Cielo rojo”.
Lila Downs performs “Zapata Se Queda” during the 13th Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 15, 2012. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)
The cost of the tickets is:
- $ 1,000 pesos ($ 50 USD).
- $ 600 pesos ($ 30 USD).
- $ 300 pesos ($ 15 USD).
- Free in the general area (as the attendees will reach, they can enter in).
The inauguration concert will be held on Friday, May 12 at 8 pm in the new forum located at “Bicentennial Park”, on the road to “Doctor Mora”.
The mayor Villarreal concluded that despite the fact that the concert has a municipal subsidy, if there will be some proceeds, they would be delivered to the municipal DIF.
