San Francisco Symphony's Día de los Muertos celebration

Dia de los Muertos is a time to remember those who have passed while celebrating the connection between life and death. That tradition will be reflected throughout the San Francisco Symphony's 19th annual celebration. On Saturday, November 7th, Davies Symphony Hall will feature installations and altars created by local artists, along with music and dance honoring Mexican culture and the people who came before us. Joining us now is Martha Rodriguez Salazar, curator of the annual Dia de los Muertos program. Good morning Marta. Good morning and happy Dia de los Muertos today. It just happens to be today. Dia de los Muertos, that's right. You know yesterday I went to a celebration here in Oakland in the Fruitvale and obviously you know you it's on my mind those of us who are Latino it's on our mind but one thing I didn't know Marta is how the symphony is connected to this because you wouldn't think the symphony is connected but it is. Can you tell us how? Correct. We're celebrating our 19th anniversary, and it so happened that back then we thought it would be awesome to have a celebration that really had to do with the Dia de los Muertos. And so we're proud to say that we are one of the first symphonies, for sure, here in California to do this. So we're having a big celebration for the past three years. Two weeks now we have been having altars and artwork in the lobbies which people can come and see this Saturday, November 7th. The concert begins at three but the doors will open an hour and a half before 1:30. And come over with your family because we have lots of activities for for all family. We have live music. This year we're celebrating the art The culture of a state in Mexico called Tlaxcala, well known for beautiful imagery and pre-Hispanic murals, as well as a really beautiful insect that brings a lot of light at this very moment, which is the firefly. They have a big sanctuary there in Tlaxcala and so we thought that Tlaxcala would be, you know, the reason why we're celebrating lots of art there at the symphony. Marta, I couldn't help but notice the beautiful images that we were just looking at there. So even for people who are not of the culture, they can immediately get drawn in. You have Catrinas and Catrinas walking around. So it's not just the music, but it's also all this beautiful imagery, which is part of the evening, part of the entertainment, right? Yeah, correct. I mean, the moment that people go into Davies Symphony Hall, they're going to feel that they're in Mexico. They feel that they can be part of a tradition that is just so inspired by this combination between pre-Hispanic culture and, you know, and basically like the conquest and the mix of cultures as well. And also, well, once they're there, they can really admire the art, then go into the concert hall and also be infused with music that's beautifully played by... by the San Francisco Symphony this year we have a wonderful wonderful guests you know we have a director from Venezuela bringing over We have violin players as well, and we have also a premiere of a piece by a composer from Tlaxcala who composed a piece called El Baile de la Catrina, and two wonderful musicians from Tlaxcala are going to be playing the salterio, which is the dulcimer, and it's a premiere that we're going to have. Martin, I have something, and I'm glad you talked about the actual program, because I was curious, but I have something to ask you that I ask everyone who is involved with Dia de los Muertos, and that is, do you think, or is it my imagination, that this is becoming more in the consciousness of mainstream now? Absolutely, yes. It's just so much more well-known nowadays than before and truly, I mean, the San Francisco Symphony is proud to like really be going through this process and being more open and like really exhibiting what the art of Mexico is and I mean some parts of Central America do it as well, so it's very true. All right, well, Marta Rodriguez Salazar, I really appreciate your time. It looks like a wonderful evening, and, of course, the visuals are wonderful as well. Thank you for joining us. Thank you so much, and I hope that a lot of people come and see us this Saturday. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Thank you. Back to you.