Generosity is ''key'' to Lupita’s success,
May 25, 2007

Like any proud parent, the Biblioteca Pública would like to express its gratitude to all those involved in bringing “Lupita” into its life. The brainchild of José Luis Mendoza, the Biblioteca’s Cultural and Artistic Director, Doug Robinson, and Ken and Wendy Bichel, Lupita, a brand new Yamaha upright piano, is now a permanent member of the Biblioteca family. “This expands the range of cultural activities we’ll be able to offer immensely,” said Mendoza who has been working on this project for well over a year. The March fundraising event succeeded in raising three quarters of the amount required thanks to the musical delights provided by performers who graciously donated their time and talent. 

Music lovers, community benefactors, anyone and everyone who takes pleasure in the Biblioteca, is welcome to purchase one (or more!) of Lupita’s “keys,” complete with a “Deed of Ownership.” The Actors Lab donated all the proceeds from their April performances and are thus the proud owners of a full octave. Musician Doug Robinson and Mexico Advisor’s Raul Rodriguez bought middle C and C-flat, Lupita’s priciest keys but some are still available in the 200 to 350 peso price range. Your support is greatly appreciated.

José Luis Mendoza is in his office Monday through Friday and will be happy to present a deed of ownership to anyone who would like to own a piece of Lupita. A poster of the keyboard with the names of all of her patrons is in the works.

A special heart-felt thank you to all the event performers:

Ensamble San Miguel’s Enrique Prado, Javier Hernández, Lili Hernandez

Vishnu Wood

Doug Robinson

Wendy Bichel

Ken Bichel

Ken Bassman

Claude Lawrence

Elena Schumacher

Severo Barrera

Sergio Basurto

Myrna

Javier Estrada

Jack & Frances

Elsmarie Norbi

Shannon Day

For more information, contact José Luis Mendoza at 152-7305 ext.116

Georgia and Frida come to San Miguel
By Kendal Dodge Butler

Theater Still Life: A Theatrical and Musical Portrait of Georgia O’Keefe and Frida Kahlo Fri, June 8–Sat, June 16 Teatro Santa Ana  Biblioteca Pública Reloj 50 A

This year marks the 100th birthday of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and the 120th birthday of longtime New Mexico resident artist Georgia O’Keeffe—two of the most remarkable women and painters of the 20th century.

To honor these women and their work and to wish them a very special Felíz Cumpleaños, Camino Real Productions of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in association with AnYel Escuela de Música of San Miguel, presents Still Life: A Theatrical and Musical Portrait of Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo. 

The production comes to the Teatro Santa Ana at the Biblioteca Pública from June 8 to 16, direct from a hugely successful run at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This “parallel portrait” by Harry Clark vividly depicts the art, lives and loves of these two celebrated women by drawing on their correspondence, biographies and diaries. Not only were they contemporaries, they were also friends. They met for the first time in New York City in the early 1930s when O’Keeffe was already well established in the contemporary art world and Frida, not yet widely known as a painter, was accompanying her celebrated husband, the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, on a four year sojourn in Gringolandia, as she called it. During the following two decades they corresponded and visited but their friendship was cut short by Kahlo’s untimely death in 1954.

To enhance the dramatic interaction between the two women, playwright Clark, himself a noted cellist, has selected music played on the Spanish guitar for Frida and the cello for Georgia, evocative of their personalities and of the musical life of the period. As the music unfolds, so do beautiful projected collages of their extraordinary art works.

Still Life is directed by Linda López McAlister, who also directed the very well-received production of Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen that played in the Teatro Santa Ana in January 2006. “I’m very excited about the prospect of returning to San Miguel with another theatrical production from Albuquerque, which is one of the best theater towns of its size in the United States. We had a very warm reception from San Miguel audiences the last time we were here and I’m looking forward to another delightful run at the Biblioteca with Still Life,” says McAlister. 

The show stars veteran stage and screen actor Nancy Jeris as Georgia O’Keeffe, and Sabina Zúñiga-Varela, recently dubbed a “multi-talented treasure” by the Albuquerque Journal, as Frida Kahlo.

The eight scenes that portray the Kahlo-O’Keeffe friendship are interspersed with interludes of the music of such 20th century masters as Albeñiz, Ponce, Chavez, Copland, Satie, Ravel and Thomson, played by guitarist Carl Bernstein and cellist Christien Beeuwkes. Bill Kersey designed the beautiful visual interludes that accompany the music.

Tickets are on sale in the courtyard of the Biblioteca every morning starting Wednesday, June 6, and at the door. There will be a reception following the opening night performance on Friday, June 8. These performances of Still Life are benefits for the AnYel School of Music, which provides musical training to school children in San Miguel de Allende.

Acting workshop

Mondays & Thursdays, May 28–July 19, 1–3pm

Teatro Santa Ana

Biblioteca Pública

Insurgentes 25

Teatro Santa Ana and Ana María Muñoz begin a workshop for those interested in trying their hands at acting. “The Pleasure of Acting,” consists of developing improvisational skills following the Actors’ Studio Method. Everyone will have the opportunity to play scenes on stage, solving a fictional conflict through improvisation. Physical exercises to open your body to acting are included and everyone will learn much about acting appreciation from Muñoz’s comments on the improvised scenes. Classes are presented in both English and Spanish and are held from May 21to July 19, on Mondays and Thursdays. For more information, contact munoz_anamaria@yahoo.ca. You may register with José Luis at Teatro Santa Ana, Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25.