Yes, that's Sara, no 'h', as the newspaper put it this morning.
Our hallowed Instituto of Cultura, captained merrily once again by Jorge Esma, a local politician we just can't seem to get enough of, is presenting Sarah Brightman in concert, at the Chichen Itzá archeological site. Our friend Jorge was of course the guy who brought us Pavarotti and Domingo as well, thereby consolidating his position as artistic überpromoter and cultural go-to guy in the state. He has had some reasonably good ideas in the past but continuing to milk Chichen Itzá for profit seems to me a lousy one.
Call me a cynic but isn't this promoting concerts and charging exorbitant amounts for tickets (up to $8000 pesos or $600 USD in the so-called VIP area) the job of private capitalism? Should we really be paying taxes (the few of us that actually pay them) to organize and pay for this kind of event under the thin guise of 'promotion' for the state's touristic wonders? I don't know about you, but I don't want my tax pesos used to destroy more threatened Yucatecan fauna to make way for FOUR ADDITIONAL parking lots near Chichen Itzá. Or to DOUBLE the size of the 'abandoned' airport, which will mean paving over more jungle. See his interview in today's Por Esto newspaper.
Why not call this the Sarah Brightman Screw Global Warming Tour?
Promotion? Give me a break.
Let's face it: this event (and the upcoming concert with Elton John) will benefit Jorge and anyone on his good side involved in the planning and organization only. Promotion? Everyone in the world already knows where Chichen Itzá is!! And those that don't, also don't know or care about this Sarah Brightman person.
What are they promoting besides the lining of their own pockets? Nothing.
And how is it that neighboring Campeche state can bring in Il Divo, which must be charging an arm and a leg these days for a show, to celebrate their anniversary or whatever, and have the concert be completely FREE? Everyone makes fun of Campeche and their funny ways; boy are they ever stupid to offer a concert to everyone FREE when there is so much money to be made!
This sucks. I hope she gets laryngitis and has to cancel.
Before they cement over more jungle.
9 comments:
La Brightman looks more bizarre every time I see her. She seems to be going the way of Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton -- if the concerts aren't bringing in enough crowds, maybe the hair and costume isn't wild enough. She has to make a spectacle of herself, or they'd just stay home, save the admission and listen to her CDs. I am so over huge concerts.
These concerts cause damage to the structure of Chichen Itza itself because of the lights and noise levels - and we have laws against having such events - but they always get "special permission" and go right ahead. Wonder what it will take to stop this kind of thing? Chichen Itza to crumble? This is nuts and nobody should buy a ticket and actually pay to destroy a national treasure.
I haven't seen her in ages 1st Mate! Is she really that weird?
And yes, I'm sure we know all about those $pecial permi$$ions...
Concerts held at Chichen Itza are pretty harmless as development goes, they put locals to work, bring in some extra cash for the local tax base and do little harm. The lights and the sound system bounce right off all that stone and face it-they are REBUILT ruins, I've seen the photos on how it looked when they started rebuilding. As to cutting down some of the scrub jungle for the airport, there is just a ton of it in Yucatan. I'm a get-off-the-beaten-path kind of guy, drive south from Chichen Itza for an hour or so and see how far out in the sticks you get. The political people may be making a pile out of this but when do they not? I am amazed at how much the people of Yucatan have progressed in 30 years, I think regular concerts at Chichen Itza are good thing.
Thanks for the input Norm! I agree there is a lot of scrub brush out there but that's the vegetation we have and paving over more of it is happening at an alarming rate because so many people think that. As far as economic development, it is inconceivable that Chichen Itza which generates so much revenue - as will this concert - will not benefit any locals. Have you seen the disaster area right next door called Pisté? I don't see much progress, unfortunately. Maybe I need to take off my sunglasses. :)
Thanks for more appalling details! I'd missed the Por Esto! interview...and, presumbly (being Por Esto!) it was meant to be a "positive" spin on the promotional stuff.
Sure -- Norm is right that Chichen Itza is largely rebuilt, and somewhat of a Disneyland already, but, to me, the issue has more to do with how the state government is 1) wasting money on spurious "improvements" -- e.g., doubling the size of a virtually unused airport, and 2) wasting money on these spectacles while yelling "poor" when it comes to making their contracted contributions to agricultural development and infrastructure projects.
Of course, we don't really know how much money they are spending, do we? What a coincidence.
Grrrr.
Yvonne for President in 2018!
PS -- I'm not really as rabid as the above may sound, and can even imagine that there is some sincerity and good intention involved in some of the administrations initiatives (ummm, let me think -- oh yeah, Casa Digna, stuff like that). Just not this one.
I used to sneer at the Mexican government for allowing its publicly owned businesses to compete tax free against privately owned enterprises that paid the very taxes which funded the government-owned businesses. Now, however, I can do that without having to leave the US.
What a great reading list. Wish I had time for it. It's also nice to know I'm not the only one out here. Seeing as how I'm generally reclusive, this might just be the only place we'll ever meet. I do, however live in Mérida Centro.
Thank you Grant, Martin et al. Your feedback is much appreciated!!
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