Happy campers get a perfect start to Christmas
By Dylis Jones
PANAMANIANS and expats, undeterred by threats of rain, flocked in their hundreds on Saturday, December 7, to the new home of Carols by Candlelight-Luces de Navidad on the Cinta Costera.
Some 800 of them. who had paid for the privilege, sat in reserved seats in the amphitheater on the Mirador del Pacifico, waving their LED candles. Well over 2,000 more sat on the perimeter walls or stood on the grass, to enjoy a free concert, although many of them purchased candles to help raise funds for Hospital Santo Tomas and Hogar Malambo.
Inside or outside the pale, all who showed up, in spite of threats of rain, were treated to a stunning presentation of seasonal music from over 150 performers from the very young to the more mature but young at heart.
The organizers of the event, The CanadaPLUS Club, were faced with heavy rain throughout the day before, forcing the movement of the sound and light checks to late Saturday
afternoon, which gave early arrivals a taste of the goodies to come, as performers trooped on and off the stage.
Preceding the show, a band from the Instituto Commercial Panama led candle carrying students from Arriajan, around the perimeter of the Mirador park. The students are part of a US Embassy English language program, and their trip to the Show was arranged by the Embassy which was a sponsor of the event.
The performances started with choirs from Knightsbridge
Schools International (KSI) with the candle waving audience joining in to sing Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer and, Kings College leading the audience in Away in a Manger, the Christmas carol that in 1937 first inspired an Australian radio broadcaster to launch the Carols By Candlelight tradition that has spread around the world and was introduced to Panama, in Casco Viejo, three years ago.
The choir from Hogar Malambo, which is located in Arriajan, under the direction of Maestro Carlos Berna, followed with a sterling mix of seasonal favorites performed with vigor and class.
DavidL, fresh from a UN sponsored tour drawing attention to the campaign to highlight the struggle against violence to women, gave a solo performance including White Christmas, one of the most recorded songs of all time.
Coro Redencion, seasonally attired in long red gowns, have been a staple anchor of each of the previous shows. Their performance on Saturday underlined why they, under the direction of Miriam Goddard, have won numerous awards.
The G. Harmony family quartet led by Richard Gayle, once again wowed the audience and led them in the singing of The Little Drummer Boy.
Coro Cantus de Victoria were newcomers to the Carols event, but their exceptional performance will hopefully see them return again next year.
Two performers from Opera Panama, Alonso Baysa and Graciela Saavedra did double duty as hosts of the program and as a much appreciated soloists and duetists giving sparkling performances reflecing their status with the opera company.
Sadly, Opera Panama founder and director, Irena Sylya missed the event. She was returning from Italy after conducting maestro classes for Italian singers, and a delayed flight left her stranded in Atlanta.
Alonso and Graciela were followed by a polished presentation by the
Thames Centre Community Choir directed by Patrick Mudge, from London, Ontario, Canada. Two stand out pieces were a Canadian favorite the Huron carol and The Shepherds and the Mejoranero. The mejoranera is Panama’s national instrument. The carol is a new addition to the Christmas repertoire by Canadian Composer Beverly Lewis. It was specially commissioned by the choir for the Panama event. Their singing of it served as a world premiere.
The choir paid their own way to Panama to participate and were accompanied by Terry Clifford, founder and director of Global Vision,
which has led teams of young Canadian ambassadors to Panama and around the world, including participation in APEC and Group of Eight conferences.
The final soloist of the evening was Odette Versailles with a talented rendering of Ave Maria, before she joined with DavidL and the Thames Community Choir for the closing Feliz Navidad lit up by on stage volcanoes.
And of course I have to acknowledge the performance of the audience in their rendering of selected carols, and their enthusiastic waving of their candles.
Behind the scenes, but very much in charge of the show, was Artistic Director Melanie Gilpin, well known to Theatre Guild of Ancon supporters
For over 3,000 people, including eleven ambassadors, and Archbishop Domingo Ulloa, and for the multi-talented performers, the event was a perfect start to
the Christmas season,and for those who purchased seats and candles a wonderful way of supporting Santo Tomas and Hogar Malambo.
As a footnote, I should point out that every one of the performers gave freely of their time to make the event yet another success. There was a small band of volunteers to help out in the penultimate days, but with the event continuing to expand, more assistance will be needed for next year. and anyone wishing to help in the planning, and/or implementation should contact clubcanadaplus at gmail.com.
Your message wil receive a very warm welcome.
Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad to all Newsroom readers and to the CanadaPLUS Club, which is already working on next year’s Carols by Candlelight/Luces de Navidad International Festival,( planning to make it an international event.)
