Prop. 187 Uproar Displaces San Diego Symphony Concert
Because of outrage in Mexico over Proposition 187, the Tijuana Cultural Center has canceled a scheduled joint concert Friday in Tijuana between the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and the Baja Orchestra.
Rather than let the event die, however, the San Diego Symphony has rescheduled the joint concert, to feature a Mexican version of “Romeo and Juliet,” to Copley Symphony Hall in downtown San Diego on the same night.
“This is crazy to have art and politics mix like this,” said San Diego Symphony executive director Michael Tiknis. “We’ve been banned from Mexico. For what?”
Jose Luis Pardo Aceves, sub-director of the Tijuana Cultural Center, notified Tiknis last week that the Proposition 187 controversy had caused Mexican sponsors to withdraw support for the concert. Also, Aceves said that the center could not ensure the safety of the San Diego musicians.
The San Diego Symphony was to be paid $30,000 for the joint concert, to feature Guillermo Briseno’s version of “Romeo and Juliet.”
The 19-member Baja Orchestra includes 12 Russian emigre musicians living in Tijuana.
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