New Cuenca Philharmonic plays Vivaldi; Bienal art exhibit at the airport; Mercado 10 de Agosto parties; Two new parks open in September and October

Exposición en galería del aeropuerto Mariscal La Mar – The Bienal de Cuenca and the Bienal Sur are opening an exhibit, “La Mala Política: Capítulos 1 & 2” (Bad Politics: Chapters 1 & 2) in the Galería FLY in the Cuenca airport this weekend. <The show is a collection of different images of Pres. Trump from his first and current administrations.> The exhibit will run until el 7 de septiembre. There will be works from over 40 artists from Ecuador, Argentina, Chile & Perú on the theme of the effects of bad political decisions on society. Free.

Inaugural exposición – The exhibit “Improntas de luz” by artist Jorge España, will open el jueves, 7/8 in the salón del Pueblo “Efraín Jara Idrovo” in the Casa de la Cultura. The works use encaustic techniques <hot wax painting> up to acrylics with symbols, geometric shapes, natural elements and references to ancestral cultures.

Cuenca’s two symphony orchestras, the new Cuenca Philharmonic and the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra perform Thursday and Friday nights. (El Mercurio)

Festival “Viva Vivaldi” llega a cuatro iglesias cuencanas – The Orquesta Filarmónica de Cuenca (OFC) will return to the stage for the 2nd edition of the “Viva Vivaldi Festival.” The event will unfold from the 7-10 de agosto as part of the holiday for the Primer Grito de Independencia with free concerts in 4 historic churches in Cuenca. The concert on el 7/8 will be at the Iglesia de San Blas a las 19:00; on el 8/8 it will be in the Iglesia de San Joaquín a las 19:00; on el sábado 9 it will be in la Iglesia de Turi a las 20:30; and el domingo 10 it will be in the Iglesia de La Merced a las 19:00. <Do you think there are enough gringos to support another symphony orchestra?>

Unlike the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra, which is funded by the national government, the Cuenca Philharmonic Orchestra is funded locally by the municipality and the Cuenca Chamber of Industries. The Philharmonic is directed by former Cuenca Symphony Orchestra maestro Michael Meissner.

Speaking of the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra, it is performing Thursday and Friday, 7/8 and 8/8, at the Casa de la Cultura theater at 8 p.m. The repertoire includes various arrangements of Ecuadorian and Latin American music, including the Ecuadorian Fantasy Overture.

4 días de festejos tendrá ‘La 10’ – 4 days of festivities will start in the Mercado 10 de Agosto for its 71st anniversary. On el viernes, 8/8, the activities will start a las 8:00. After 12:00, the dance group Nuestra Tierra from Jordán, El Multifacético, and Tendencia, a romantic group will perform. Activities for el sábado, 9/8 include a mass a las 10:00, a solemn session a las 11:00, and starting at 12:30 there will be performances by groups such as Esteban Barrera El Chico Cumbia, and Paúl Ramón and the Soneros. On el domingo 10/8 at las 8:00, there will be performances by María Augusta, la Reina del Ritmo and las Diosas de la Cumbia Kumbara. <So you can get your weekend shopping done to the sound of music and maybe try dancing cunbia to amuse your fellow shoppers at the same time.>

Dos parques están a las puertas de inauguración – The construction on the Ferrocarril and Arco parks which were to be finished in julio, have new completion dates. The parque Ferrocarril in the Gapal sector is at 98% completion and the new delivery date is in septiembre. The park includes a plaza for cultural events and an agri-ecological fair which is already at the site. There are 4 zones in the park connected by rails: an administrative area and museum; an area with a cafeteria and bathrooms, a multi-use sports court, and space for crafts venders; a zone with children’s games and a biohealthy gym; and an urban lookout point.

A second park, the parque del Arco on Loja and 10 de Agosto, is at 72% completion and expected to be opened in octubre. The project includes a lookout point, parking lots, bike parking, walkways, biohealthy games, green spaces, and gardens. <I wonder if the old aquaduct and electric plant got incorporated into the new park.>

Sin apagones, por ahora comunicó el Ejecutivo – A spokesperson for the president reported that since the reservoirs for the hydroelectric plants are at 100% full, any cuts to electrical service in coming months have been ruled out. The flow rates at the hydroelectric plants are at highs not seen since 2010, 2011, 2021, and 1994. In the next few days, Ecuador will finalize a new process to rent floating energy generating up to 230 MW. Earlier this week, the Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología (Inamhi) released a forecast predicting an increase in rain through jueves, el 7/8. The most affected provinces are Azuay, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, Bolívar, Chimborazo, Cañar, Loja, and parts of Carchi. <I should have said Azuay was one of the affected provinces, but by then I was too far into copying the list to stop.>
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Information in the column provided courtesy of Cuenca daily newspaper El Mercurio.