A 10-Day Festival Celebrating the Diversity and Culture of the San Diego / Baja California Community
San Diego Opera is proud to announce a county-wide celebration of culture and diversity with Mariachi Week, a series of concerts and events throughout San Diego County and Baja California. San Diego is home to the largest mariachi student program in the world and the weeklong activities will showcase the County’s local high school and college mariachi groups in performances at popular locations throughout the region. The event will culminate in the West Coast Premiere of Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, the world’s first Mariachi opera on Saturday, March 16, 2013 for two performances at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Events for Mariachi Week include:
Friday, March 8 at 6:30 PM — USD Mariachi Student Showcase Competition — 15 of the best high school mariachi ensembles in the southland compete to perform in the professional Mariachi Showcase the following day on March 9.
Location: University of San Diego, Shiley Theater, Camino Hall. Tickets: $10
Saturday, March 9 at 6:30 PM — USD Presents Javier Rodriguez and Student Showcase Competition Winners. Experience a rare and delightful performance by professional mariachi with the student winners of Friday’s competition.
Location: University of San Diego, Shiley Theater, Camino Hall. Tickets: $20
Sunday, March 10 at 3:30 PM — Performances by Mariachi Aguila and Opera Ambulante. Spend a sunny Sunday enjoying lively mariachi and opera on the Esplanade at Ti-juana’s renowned “CECUT”.
Location: Tijuana Cultural Center/El Centro Cultural de Tijuana, Paseo de los Heroes 9350, Zona Urbana Río, 22010 Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Tickets: Free
Tuesday, March 12 at 5:30 PM — Mariachi Celebration at National University. Enjoy a Performance by Juvenal de San Diego at a reception honoring Mariachi Directors, and National University Alumni, Serafin Paredes and Wendy Charines.
Location: National University Spectrum Academic Center, 9388 Lightwave Avenue, Kearny Mesa, 92123. Tickets: Free
Tuesday, March 12 at 5:30 PM — La Raza Lawyers Mixer with performance by Mariachi Los Pasacalles, from Olympian and Otay Ranch High Schools. All San Diego attorneys are welcome to join La Raza Lawyers for no-host wine, beer, and tapas as we listen to one of our region’s hot young mariachi groups!
Location: visit www.sdopera.com/mariachi for location. Tickets: Free
Tuesday, March 12 at 5:45 PM— Performance: Mariachi Chula Vista. Listen to a spirited performance by a hot mariachi group, then browse the stores and the weekly Farmers’ Market.
Location: Otay Ranch Town Center Chula Vista, 2015 Birch Rd. #500, Chula Vista, CA 91915. Tickets: Free
Wednesday, March 13 at 5 PM — Performance: Bonita Vista High Mariachi
Location: Westfield Plaza Bonita Mall, 3030 Plaza Bonita Rd., National City, CA 91950. Tickets: Free
Wednesday, March 13 at 5:15 PM — Performance: Montgomery High Aztecas
Location: Seaport Village, 837 W Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101. Tickets: Free
Wednesday, March 13 at 6 PM — Taste of Opera – Mariachi and Margaritas. Taste a variety of margaritas to help choose San Diego Opera’s official “Mariachi Margarita” while enjoying an assortment of delicious hors d’oeuvres. The “Mariachi Margarita” will be featured by Herradura Tequila at the Cruzar la Cara de la Luna Post-Opera Celebration Dinner with Mariachi Vargas. We’ll also listen to a short, entertaining talk from Southwestern College Mariachi Program Director, Jeff Nevin, about the art of mariachi singing, with a demonstration by the all-female mariachi group, Las Divinas.
Location: Barra Barra Old Town Saloon, 4016 Wallace St., San Diego, CA 92110. Tickets: $25 – advance reservations required
Thursday, March 14 at 4 PM — Mariachi Night at the Museums. Here’s your chance to enjoy a private after-hours visit to view masterpieces – with live mariachi! The museums will stay open until 6pm and each will feature a different mariachi group including The San Diego High School Mariachi Kokopelli and Las Estrellas de Chula Vista, and spotlight a special art exhibit related to Mariachi, Music or Mexico.
Entrance fee: $2 at the door (Free at the Timken).
Participating Museums: Mingei International Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Man, Timken Museum of Art
Friday, March 15 at 5:30 PM — Performance: San Diego High School Mariachi Kokopelli
Location: Fashion Valley Mall 7007 Friars Rd., San Diego, CA 92108. Tickets: Free
Friday, March 15 at 6 PM — Lecture and performance: San Diego High School Mariachi Kokopelli. Mariachi expert Dr. Leonor Xochitl Perez of the San Diego Symphony will present a fascinating talk about the history of women in mariachi with a demonstration by one of our high school mariachi groups.
Location: Women’s Museum of California, 2730 Historic Decatur Rd. #104, San Diego, CA 92106. Tickets: Free
Saturday, March 16 at 12:30 PM — Mariachi Day. Come down to the San Diego Civic Plaza as we turn it into “Garibaldi Square” with a day of food, fun and performances by student mariachi groups including: Estrellas de Chula Vista, Montgomery High Aztecas, San Diego High School Mariachi Kokopelli, San Ysidro Mariachi and Mariachi Garibaldi of Southwestern College. San Diego Opera will be presenting the world’s first Mariachi opera Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (To Cross the Face of the Moon) at 2 PM and 7 PM.
Location: San Diego Civic Plaza, corner of 3rd and B Streets in Downtown San Diego 92101
Tickets to Cruzar la Cara de la Luna range from $35 – $125 and can be purchased online at http://www.sdopera.com/Tickets/OnSale