A Festive Evening of Music at Denver Botanic Gardens
Friday May 14 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Tickets will be available in timed-entry waves beginning at 5:30 p.m. and ending at 7:30 p.m. Performances scattered throughout the gardens will continue all evening long. All tickets will be sold on the Denver Botanic Garden website.
Canciones de Nuestras Tierras
Canciones de Nuestras Tierras (Songs of Our Homelands) invites you to explore the rich tapestry of Latinx music and culture at Denver Botanic Gardens. Discover festive performances of opera, works by Latinx composers, mariachi, and baile folklórico as you stroll through the gardens. Led by renowned soprano Cecilia Violetta López, performers include baritone Luis Ledesma, pianist Nathan Salazar, musicians from the Opera Colorado Orchestra, and Denver’s own Mariachi Sol De Mi Tierra and ArtistiCO Dance Company.
Music by: Gonzalo Curiel, Agustin Lara, Consuelo Velazquez, Mozart, Puccini, and more!
Venue: Denver Botanic Gardens, York Street Location: 1007 York Street, Denver, CO 80206
Language: Performed in Spanish and Italian
Event Details
Do I need to wear a mask and will performers be wearing masks?
Yes. Visitors will not be allowed entry without adequate masks covering their mouth and nose, which must be worn at all times by adults and children 3 and over, except while eating.
Certain performers will be permitted to remove their masks during the time they are performing.
Where and when will the performances take place?
Performances will occur in several locations around the Gardens from 5:30-8:30 p.m.—these locations may vary slightly depending on the performance and the weather. The performers will take staggered breaks throughout the evening, but never all at the same time.
Will there be seating in the performance areas?
No. To ensure that we adhere to municipal and state guidelines, these performances are meant to be enjoyed as you stroll through the Gardens. Please do not gather around the performers.
May I bring my own chair to watch the performances?
No. To ensure that we adhere to municipal and state guidelines, visitors cannot sit near the performers and other visitors. The performances are designed to be enjoyed while you stroll past.
Can I buy dinner at the Gardens? Can I bring my own food and drink?
The Hive Garden Bistro will be open until 8 p.m., with in-person and online ordering available. Deck seating is limited.
Visitors can bring any food and drink they like. Seating areas throughout the Gardens are limited, so we recommend packing a picnic blanket. Please note that drinking fountains are not accessible, so please bring your own water or purchase at the Hive.
Cast
Celebrated soprano Cecilia Violetta López has been named one of opera’s “25 Rising Stars” by Opera News. She has received accolades for her signature role of Violetta in La Traviata, which she has performed countless times throughout North America. This season, López will perform the role of Maria in a concert production of West Side Story with Opera Idaho, Violetta in La Traviata with Minnesota Opera, Adina in L’elisir d’amore with Virginia Opera and Opera Las Vegas, and Marguerite in Faust with Opera Omaha. Other concert engagements include a performance for the opening of the Idaho State Museum and performing as a soloist in Madison Symphony’s Christmas Concerts. Last season’s highlights include multiple role debuts, including Rosina in The Barber of Seville, the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, Lucy in Fellow Travelers, and Rosalba in Florencia en el Amazonas.
Mexican baritone Luis Ledesma has established a reputation as a “rich and well controlled baritone” (Opera News). He frequently portrays the heroes and villains of Puccini, Verdi, and the bel canto masters as well as roles in recent new works in Spanish including Florencia en el Amazonas and El pasado nunca se termina. His operatic and concert career has advanced in Europe, the United States, and South America and includes theaters such as Teatro alla Scala, the Liceu in Barcelona, Klangbogen Festival in Vienna, Wexford Festival, Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Semperoper in Dresden, Koeln Oper, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Bellas Artes in Mexico City and many more. This season, Ledesma will perform the title role in Macbeth with Syracuse Opera, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Pacific Symphony, Augustino in El pasado nunca se termina with Fort Worth Opera, and perform as a soloist in Carmina Burana with Acadiana Symphony.
Nathan Salazar holds a Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Martin Katz, and received his vocal and piano performance degrees from the University of Kansas. Salazar has performed in England, Scotland, Italy, and Russia, as well as all over the United States. He performed in the International Festival of Spanish and Latin American Music with mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza and has been featured at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Symphony Hall in Boston, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.
He has worked with composers Jake Heggie, John Musto, William Bolcom, Poul Ruders, and Libby Larsen; with pianists John Wustman, Margo Garrett, Graham Johnson, and Martin Katz; and with such singers as Marilyn Horne, Susan Graham, Wolfgang Brendel, Neil Schicoff, Christa Ludwig, Joyce Castle, and Jennifer Johnson Cano. He was invited by Marilyn Horne to perform at Carnegie Hall for The Song Continues. He has performed and coached with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, the Santa Fe Opera, the Boston Lyric Opera, the Handel and Haydn Society, and the Boston Symphony. He serves on the voice faculty at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and enjoys a full career as a tenor and pianist.
ArtistiCO is a platform created as a bridge to connect professional artists to the community through dance. Founders, José Rosales & Alfonso (Poncho) Meraza Prudente are former principal soloists of the internationally renowned Ballet Folklórico De México de Amalia Hernández. Chepe & Poncho created the ArtistiCO platform to offer a safe and inclusive space for artists to showcase their talent, passion and artistic experience with dance artists from all over the world. They have performed with the most prestigious orchestras in Mexico; the most famous mariachi in the world, Mariachi Vargas; in numerous international dance festivals while touring the world; and headlined more than 400 shows annually throughout Mexico. By far, their proudest moments took place in the Palace of Fine Arts in the heart of Mexico City.
Mariachi Sol de mi Tierra is a Denver-based mariachi group. In 1999, four young music enthusiasts—Oscar Vaca, Jesus Ramirez, Raul Romero, and Vicente Romero— gave complete trust and hope to the leader of the group, Juventino Romero. With a lot of determination, practice and hard work, they decided to plan an exciting musical adventure. Throughout the years, more musicians joined, which lead to the eight musicians who are a part of the group today. With a firm belief to keep demonstrating a beautiful part of the Mexican culture, Mariachi Sol De Mi Tierra is now more and better than ever, offering to their audience dedication, love, and passion for their music.