guatemala community chorus-- MESSIAH

back in september, my roommate and i auditioned for the 100-person guatemala community chorus, and we got in! i had never sang the Messiah before so i was wicked psyched for the opportunity. the first week of December was the culmination of weeks of rehearsals and headaches, but it was so worth it, as usual. it was a beautiful concert, if i do say so myself, and i was glad to have this as an outlet in my first few months in the country. i realized how much i enjoy singing. it was also great that this was a benefit concert for some youth vocational programs in poorer parts of the city.

thas me! the first concert was at the national theatre of guatemala city; it was exciting to be able to sing there.

we were accompanied by an orchestra...

we had to get fitted for these specially-made, floor-length dresses, which charlotte dubbed the "chastity dresses." here we are flaunting a bit-o-ankle (scandaloso!) the guys in the picture were concert-goers from school.

the next concert was in Antigua, a city about an hour's drive from the capital. antigua is a breath-taking mix of old and new, but mostly old. if you come to visit (hint hint) we will probably spend a lot of time here. anyway, here was the church ruins at the hotel. gooooorrrrgeous.

i still can't believe we got to sing here.


they had a miniture replica of the city of Antigua on the hotel grounds, so here we are pretending to be giants. haha.

the photographer for these shots was a CNN reporter (mexico) who was the son of one of the concert organizers. he was only mildly-amused at us, in a slightly condescending manner. whatev, we had fun.

carmen beatriz works in my department at school, and she's been in the choir for a few years. on the first night, she was passing out little cups of an amber-colored liquid, which i soon discovered was brandy and honey. she gave me a little cup, which i downed like a shot, and then i noted that people around me were taking little sips. hahah. good for the throat and the nerves.

ahhh, carlos, one of the soloists, and home-grown from guatemala. the first time i saw him and heard him sing during rehearsal, i actually had to tell myself to close my mouth. he's that amazing. at subsequent rehearsals i couldn't stop smiling when he would sing :) of course i became completely smitten and during the intermission of the second concert i got so giggly but eventually worked up the nerve to ask him for a picture. he said, "claro" and flashed this mega-watt smile (sarcastic.) then i got flustered and didn't know what to say so i said, in English, that i loved his voice. he said "thank-you." the end. sigh.