Chicago SInfonietta celebrates Día de los Muertos with The Dance of Life and Death

The Chicago Sinfonietta's annual Dia de Los Muetros concert explores "themes on loss, transformation, humor and celebration through evocative music and quirky silent films provided by Chicago Film Archives." This artistic collaboration marks the seventh annual concert celebrating the Mexican holiday known as the Day of the Dead.

The concert begins with Golijoy's Last Round inspired by tango composer Astor Piazzolla and continues with Beethoven's Coriolan. "Darkness dances across the screen next with an early version of Night on Bald Mountain (made famous by Disney's Fantasia) and Saint Saens' Danse Macabre set to the eerie 1922 film of the same name."

Chicago premieres of contemporary composer Carlos Rafael Rivera bring lightness back to the evening. His reinterpretation of the ancient Mayan creation story Popol-Vuh and the PizziCuban Polka lighten the mood. The evening concludes with Sones de Mariachi, Galindo's tribute to indigenous Mexican folk songs.

The program will be performed twice: Saturday, October 29 at 8:00 p.m. at Wentz Concert Hall of North Central College and Monday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m. at Symphony Center in Chicago. Tickets range from $18 to $60. There are special $10 tickets available for both concerts. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.chicagosinfonietta.org.