Just ten days before Christmas, a sense of hope, harmony, peace, and unity filled the air at La Plancha park's auditorium. This was during the Christmas Symphony Gala, led by the state orchestra and the opera workshop. The Yucatan Symphony Orchestra and the Ministry of Culture and the Arts of the state government presented a festive evening that touched the spirits of over 10,000 attendees.
Typically, large concerts stir up euphoria and collective excitement. However, the La Plancha event evoked feelings of inner peace, joy, and affection among the diverse audience. The sublime performances even moved some to tears and hugs.
The desire to restore the values of unity, friendship, and affection was evident in the program. The Yucatan Symphony Orchestra performed timeless pieces like Mikola Leontovich's “Carol of the Bells” and Leroy Anderson's “Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride”. Under the leadership of maestro José Areán, the musicians and singers delivered heartfelt performances that encouraged the Christmas spirit.
The concert was so popular that thousands who couldn't fit into the amphitheater occupied the surrounding walkways and bridges. The orchestra members themselves got into the spirit, with many donning classic hats, and the timpanist dressing as Santa Claus.
A highlight of the evening was the performance of “El niño del tambor” by the choir and the orchestra. This popular song, based on the special orchestral arrangement of Pedro Carlos Herrera, stirred great emotion among the audience. The open auditorium of La Plancha became a resonance box as the public sang along to popular songs.
The Symphony marked another great musical moment with the presentation of well-known passages from Tchaikovsky's “The Nutcracker Suite”. Maestro José Arean announced all the 12 works of the program and expressed the orchestra's well-wishes for the new year.
The audience, which included men, women, and children of all ages, as well as people in wheelchairs, joined the celebration with attention and emotion. Governor Joaquín Diaz Mena and Patricia Martin Briceño, head of Sedeculta, along with other public servants and legislators, also joined in the festivities.
The final part of the concert featured two passages from Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria in excelsis Deo and Cum Sancto Spiritu, performed by the symphony and the choir of the Opera Workshop directed by maestra María Eugenia Guerrero.
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