Tijuana Gringo |
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I've never been inside here before, so there's a little thrill of architecture working up my spine. We go in the central doors, into the foyer, up the stairs into the grandstands. Ah yes, it IS like a huge racketball court. Huh. On one side, the stands of seats tower up and up and up toward the distant ceiling, five stories up there....
Down on the floor of the long, long ballcourt, bedecked and framed by multiple giant beer banners, a temporary stage has been constructed. Empty chairs and music stands await the musicians. And wait. And wait. Hundreds and then thousands of Tijuanenses flood into the great hall. Maria leads me by luck straight into a reserved seat zone -- the young woman guarding the gate happened to step away and we just wandered in without realizing it was reserved. After we sat down, the woman came back in her short skirt and Tecate Beer sash and began turning everyone away from the wooden gate. Anyhow, we end up with excellent seats dead center, looking down toward the stage, not TOO high up, either.
More and more people come in. Waiters scurry around with buckets of ice and bottles of beer and stacks of plastic cups. More people. More people come. More people come in. The stands fill and fill and fill. The hour scheduled for the concert comes and passes and still the streams are flowing in and rising up and around us, great wings of humanity assembling for the free concert of chamber music with singing. Then, at last, after several anxious outbursts of polite applause, the musicians file in and the dedicatory words are spoken and the music begins.
The orchestra is good. The four singers reasonably so. One is Excellent. They present a program of classical works, mostly opera, followed by an intermission and then selections from the popular repertoire. But the whole time, waiters are circulating with their buckets and plastic glasses, selling and pouring beer. Just a little distracting. But... the brewery (maker of Tecate and Bohemia) does support the orchestra and is offering a free concert, so I... well, I grin and listen, only wondering whether they want to sponsor a concert or a nightclub.
The musicians and singers are called back by a standing ovation and perform several encores, including Mexican standards (among them Granada by Agustin Lara) which reduce the audience to sighs and tears and cheers. My heart flutters and chills run up my spine. God I love this country. Yes. How sweet to have a neighbor like Mexico, and be able to live here.
Afterwards Maria and I go over to Ricardo's a block away at Madero & 7th, for tortas and beers. Maria seems very happy. The food is delicious.