I am really sorry not to have been in touch lately but life I have had several trips and a lot of work preparing for my upcoming concerts.
At the beginning of April we had a very successful tour in Tamaulipas – Nuevo Laredo, Cuidad Victoria and Matamoros – with PEDRO MI AMOR. Full houses everywhere and in Nuevo Laredo we celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the radio station Stereo 91. Our great friend Héctor Romero-Lecanda organised the concert and for me the two highlights of the evening were having the percussionist Juan Baez playing with me and meeting El Torito (Emilio Girón) who attended the concert and came to greet me afterwards. For those of you who don’t know El Torito, he was the little boy in the movie Pepe el Toro, one of Pedro Infant’e most memorable movies. Who went on to become a very distinguished actor – it was a real honor to meet him.
After the concerts in Ciudad Victoria and Matamoros we went to Brownsville where I met with the Mexican Consul General Juan Carlos Cué and gave two masterclasses with some very talented students at the University of Texas and I also played at the Willacy County Detention Center where we gave two concerts for many residents who are awaiting repatriation. The final concert was at the beautiful ConArte Theatre in Monterrey. There was a lot of driving between all the venues but it was a very worthwhile trip and we made a lot of new friends.
We came home for a peaceful Semana Santa and Easter in Mexico City before we took off for two concerts in Chicago as part of the Chicago International Latino Film Festival at the invitation of the director Pepe Vargas. The concerts took place in the beautiful Museum of Mexican Art. whose director is Carlos Tortolero and who gave us the warmest of welcomes. I urge any of you visiting Chicago to pay a visit to this wonderful museum. I played to two big crowds of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans and met some lovely people – including one family whose son is a flute player – and whose father complained that “he plays beautifully but he never plays Mexican music”. It was a very moving experience! Pedro Infante, his songs and the clips from his movies really strike a chord with audiences especially for those who are a long way from home.
Next Sunday, 14 May at noon, I will be playing the music of Henry Mancini and Paul McCartney with the Orquesta SinfónicaEsperanza Azteca Tepito conducted by the very talented Gabriel Diáz who is really great to work with. The Salvador Merchand Trio are also playing with me and as many of you know, I have been playing with Chava for more than twenty five years! He is one of the outstanding musicians in Mexico and a very dear friend. It is a fun concert entitled The Pink Panther and will be given in the Sala Roberto Cantoral, Mexico City’s newest and one of it’s finest concert halls. One of the highlights of the concert will be a completely new arrangement of the Paul McCartney song WE ALL STAND TOGETHER which has been made by Alexis Aranda. As some of you know, I recorded the original with Paul McCartney in the eighties and it became a big hit world wide – but especially in Mexico. I hope you can come and here the first performance of this wonderful song.
On 19 May at 8pm I will be with Cristina Pacheco on CONVERSANDO (Canal Once) talking about Pedro Infante and playing some of his favorite songs with Edgar Ibarra. I know that many of you in the USA will be able to see the program. Three days later, on Monday 22 May at 8pm, Edgar Ibarra and I will be giving a performance of PEDRO MI AMOR at the Politechnico.
Once we get to the end of the month I’ll be in touch again!
With best wishes,
Elena
