Production Details

The "Golden Age" of Mexican Cinema produced a musical renaissance as well as many unforgettable movies featuring mega-stars such a Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and Javier Solis. Composers included Manuel Esperón, José Alfredo Jiménez, Rubén Fuentes and Consuelo Velazquez with notable songs like "Bésame Mucho", "Ay, Jalisco!", "Amorcito Corazón" and "México Lindo y Querido" all of which will be featured in the program - together with clips from some of the greatest movies of the era. Elena Durán has been collecting and promoting this repertoire for the last thirty years, having first heard the songs when her grandmother took her to the Star Cinema, Oakland, as a young girl.

La "Época de Oro" del Cine Mexicano produjo un renacimiento musical así como muchas películas inolvidables protagonizadas por mega-estrellas como Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete y Javier Solís. Los compositores incluyeron a Manuel Esperón, José Alfredo Jiménez, Rubén Fuentes y Consuelo Velázquez con canciones notables como "Bésame Mucho", "Ay, Jalisco!", "Amorcito Corazón" y "México Lindo y Querido", todas las cuales estarán presentes en el programa. - junto con clips de algunas de las mejores películas de la época. Elena Durán ha estado recopilando y promocionando este repertorio durante los últimos treinta años, habiendo escuchado las canciones por primera vez cuando su abuela la llevó al Star Cinema, Oakland, cuando era niña.

Flutist Elena Durán and pianist Nicholas McGegan have come together to create duet concerts focusing on a number of classic themes. In addition to "México de mi Corazón", the artists have programs featuring....

Artist Biographies

Elena Durán
Elena was born and raised in Oakland, attended Skyline High School and Mills College and was appointed Lecturer in Flute at Stanford University. She subsequently leaft for Europe to continue her studies. She has appeared as soloist with major orchestras all over the world and for twenty years was director of the Stratford-on-Avon International Flute Festival. Apart from her concerts with orchestra, Elena has toured and recorded with the great jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli and made a hit single with Paul McCartney. She has appeared before Queen Elizabeth, King Charles and all the members of the British Royal Family on a number of occasions. Elena is now based in Mexico City where she divides her time between appearing with Orchestra, exploring and promoting popular Mexican music and taking music to those who cannot normally attend concerts, especially those in prison, with her personal out-reach program “Flauta sin Fronteras”.

Nicholas McGegan
Nicholas is one of the best known Bay Area musicians having been music director of the Philharmonia Baroque for thirty four years. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on Baroque Music and is in great demand with the major international orchestras. He is renowned for the intensity of his performances and has been honored with awards in many different countries. Upcoming concerts include appearances with the Philadelphia and Cleveland Orchestras and the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. Nicholas’ discography includes more than a hundred recordings including fifty recordings of music by Handel. He is very committed to helping the next generation of musicians and regularly works with young musicians at the Juilliard School, Colburn School, Aspen and at Yale and Harvard Universities.