SOUTH BEND, IN – The vibrant Día de los Muertos celebration returns to the Morris Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 2 at 3 p.m. Now in its third year, this beloved community event is organized by the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with the Shein Family Trust, Gurley Leep Automotive Family, the Morris Performing Arts Center, and many more.

This year, Guest Conductor Fernanda Lastra, Vanessa Alonzo, Trio Chapultepec, and Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano join the South Bend Symphony Orchestra on stage to celebrate Día de los Muertos. The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are required for entry and are available at the Morris Performing Arts Center box office or the South Bend Symphony Orchestra.

“The Día de los Muertos celebration is a unique and vibrant way for our community to come together and honor the rich cultural traditions that make this event so special,” said Dr. Marvin V. Curtis, South Bend Symphony Orchestra Board President. “We invite everyone to join us for this joyful and unforgettable celebration of life, music, and heritage.”

The concert showcases the South Bend Symphony Orchestra performing works by Mexican composers under the baton of Guest Conductor Fernanda Lastra. The concert will also feature the local Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano, Mariachi singer Vanessa Alonzo, and Trio Chapultepec. All performances are free to the public.

Shein Trust Community Series proudly presents Día de los Muertos with additional support from the Gurley Leep Automotive Family. Fernanda Lastra’s appearance is generously underwritten by Victoria Garrett. We also extend our gratitude to the City of South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, Morris Performing Arts Center, and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra for their invaluable support.

TICKETS are FREE.

About Fernanda Lastra
Fernanda Lastra holds the position of Assistant Conductor, Diversity Fellow for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, under the mentorship of JoAnn Falletta.

In 2022, Fernanda was appointed Conductor Diversity Fellow and was promoted in 2023, accompanied by a one-year contract extension. In this role Fernanda serves as assistant conductor, cover conductor, and main conductor for the BPO Family Kids series, Music for Youth concerts, and community engagement performances. Fernanda also serves as a member of the BPO’s artistic team, the BPO’s music education committee and the BPO’s Diversity Council, among other responsibilities.

In 2023, Fernanda received a prestigious recognition from Argentina’s National Classical Radio at their annual “Premios Nacional Clásica” in the category of “established female conductor.” Additionally, in November 2024, she will be presented with the “Career Advancement Award” at the Women in Classical Music Symposium held by the Dallas Symphony.

About Vanessa Alonzo
Houston native, Vanessa Alonzo created the role for three mariachi operas. She has performed with first class mariachi musicians including Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, Mariachi Los Camperos, and Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan. She studied mariachi and voice under the direction of the late Alfonso Guerra at the Houston community-based program Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA). In 2019, Alonzo created the role of Lupita for the world premiere of Houston Grand Opera’s El Milagro del Recuerdo/The Miracle of Remembering, which is a prequel to Cruzar la Cara de la Luna/To Cross the Face of the Moon, the first mariachi opera in the world. In 2021, she reprised the role for Arizona Opera’s production of El Milagro.

About Trio Chapultepec
Based in San Antonio, Texas, Trio Chapultepec is a multi-instrumental group known for its mastery of Mariachi music. Formed in 2019, the group has performed with the Houston Grand Opera and other major cultural institutions. Their members have won national accolades and continue to bring the rich tradition of Mariachi to new audiences.

Symphony Season Subscriptions / Tickets

Subscriptions
Discounts, priority seating, and other exclusive benefits are available to season subscribers. Subscribe at www.southbendsymphony.org or by phone at (574) 232-6343.

SINGLE TICKETS start at $24.

  • Online: www.southbendsymphony.org
  • Phone: Morris Performing Arts Center Box Office (574) 235-9190
    (10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday & Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Thursday & Friday)
  • In-person: Visit the Morris Box Office (211 N. Michigan St., South Bend) during the times listed above or two hours before any performance, or stop by the Symphony Office (127 N. Michigan St., South Bend) between (10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday – Friday).

To VIEW the 2024-25 Season schedule, visit www.southbendsymphony.org.

Dates, programs, and venues are subject to change.

For questions or media appearances, please contact Sarah Perschbacher at sperschbacher@southbendsymphony.org or (574) 230-4875.

About the South Bend Symphony Orchestra
The South Bend Symphony inspires, entertains, and connects the community with the transformative power of orchestral music. Producing more than 20 mainstage programs each year and nearly 70 smaller ensemble concerts, the Symphony serves more than 29,000 attendees annually. As the region’s only professional orchestra, the Symphony is committed to fostering a robust, connected arts community in service to the greater Michiana region.

In addition to being recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and other state and local arts funding organizations, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra is the recipient of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County’s Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence, which recognizes the best-run nonprofit organization in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

Learn more about the South Bend Symphony Orchestra at www.southbendsymphony.org.