State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico to perform as part of Arts Association season Jan. 15

By Rebekah Martin
Assistant Editor

Returning for its first American tour in seven years, the State Symphony Orchestra of Mexico will be performing at the Opelika Center for Performing Arts Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the East Alabama Arts Association, and the orchestra, under the direction of Enrique Batiz, will perform an all-Spanish program.
The concert will feature two guest instrumentalists, guitarist Alfonso Moreno and pianist Irina Chistiakova.
According to the biographical information provided by the arts association, Alfonso Moreno is one of the greatest interpreters known to the world of classical guitar. Moreno has given more than 3,000 solo concerts throughout Europe, America and Asia and has been the guest of some of the world’s greatest symphony orchestras.
Acclaimed Russian child prodigy Irina Chistiakova joins the orchestra as she now launches her adult career after being discovered by Batiz in a European piano competition and invited to Mexico to perform with the orchestra.
Phillip Preston, president of the Arts Association, said the event is special because it is a rare occurrence to have two guests perform with an orchestra.
“When Batiz heard of our interest in an all-Spanish program, he conceived of this concert of “greatest hits” from Spain,” Preston said. “He will host, narrate and conduct the program so that everyone will have direct access to the background information on each piece and his perspective on why it is important – a musical tour guide.”
This event is one of two performances on the orchestra’s national tour, the second performance is scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C., at the end of the month.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.eastalabamaarts.org or by calling the box office at 749-8105.