MEXICAN PUPPET COMPANY PERFORMS REVUELTAS COMPOSITIONS AT UNM DEC. 9-12

Nov. 6, 2003

MEXICAN PUPPET COMPANY PERFORMS REVUELTAS COMPOSITIONS AT UNM DEC. 9-12

Mexico's renowned puppeteer company, Teatro Tinglado, will perform danced pantomime to the works of famed Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas at a series of performances and workshops Dec. 9-12 at the University of New Mexico.

UNM Professor of Music Jorge Pérez-Gómez, director of UNM's Symphony Orchestra, has conducted research on Revueltas (1899-1940) and performed and recorded the music of famed and highly prolific composer for the past several years.

During his research, Pérez-Gómez consulted with top music scholars as well as Revueltas' daughter, Eugenia, and a puppet-making family who Revueltas worked with in the 1920's and 30's. As a result, Revueltas' compositions, originally written as danced pantomimes with puppets, have been "uncovered" and will be performed for the first time in the United States as intended, including the world premier of Troka el Poderoso.

Troka, a character created by Mexican writer German List-Arzubide, is a robot/transformer who explains to children the benefits of technology. List-Arzubide was a member of "Los Estridentistas" (the strident ones), and close to the circle of artists surrounding Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.
"Revueltas and others were convinced that through puppets children would learn about the concepts of the modern world, such as technology, in a much easier way," Pérez-Gómez said.

Pérez-Gómez worked with the puppet-making family, including Pablo Cueto, director of Teatro Tinglado, to create and design puppets for the UNM productions and workshops.

Events planned are as follows:

Tuesday, Dec. 9, and Wednesday, Dec. 10,
Puppeteer workshop by Teatro Tinglado, UNM Center for the Arts, Theatre X, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 9:30 -11:00 a.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 10, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Thursday, Dec. 11,
Lecture "Silvestre Revueltas: The Composer," featuring renown Revueltas scholars, Luisa Vilar Paya and Roberto Kolb Neuhaus, UNM Center for the Arts, Keller Hall, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 12,
Children's Concert and Puppet Performance, Keller Hall, 9 a.m.
Concert and Puppet Performance, Keller Hall, 7:30 pm.

Performance ticket prices are $7, $5 & $3, and are available at the UNM Box Office (277-2131).

The appearance of the puppeteers is thanks to a co-sponsorship between the UNM Center for Regional Studies, UNM Arts of the Americas Institute, UNM Music Department, the Mexican Consulate and the Instituto Cervantes in Albuquerque.

For additional information, contact UNM's Arts of the Americas Institute (277-2286).

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