As you might imagine, the arts take a bit of a siesta in the summertime. But two promising events are serving as bookends for either side of the vacation period. One, a dance festival, is in progress right now while the other, a prestigious voice competition, comes up in early September. Meanwhile, you never know when a touring company will decide to book a date at the Angela Peralta Theater; these things sometimes pop up almost without warning. If you’re here throughout the summer, your best bet is to wander past the theater and see if anything is going on. Or you can check the website: www.culturamazatlan.com One midsummer happening that’s already on the calendar is the closure for maintenance of the Angela Peralta Theater from July 28 to Aug. 8. The current activity on the theater stage is the first Mazatlán Dance Encounter now in progress. This series of conferences, roundtables and performances of contemporary dance began June 28 and continues through July 5. The event, marking the 10th anniversary of the Mazatlán Professional School of the Dance, is featuring performances by former students of the school as well as several dance companies: La Lucier-naga (Mazatlán), La Serpiente (Morelia), Hunabku (Chile) and

Lux Boreal (Tijuana). On the September side of the equation, thanks to Mazatlán-born conductor Enrique Patron de Rueda, the most prestigious voice contest in Mexico will be held here in his home town for the first time. The National Carlo Morelli Voice Competition will give the final contenders (after two August semifinals) a chance to compete for cash prizes and, more importantly, national exposure, possible opera bookings, or scholarships for advanced vocal training at the school founded by Placido Domingo. Many of Mexico’s finest singers have participated in the annual Carlo Morelli, which was founded in 1980 and never before has been held outside of Mexico City. Aspiring young singers from voice schools in various parts of the country, already winnowed down in regional competitions and the semifinals, vie for glory in this event which can open the door to a successful career in the world of grand opera. It is a real badge of honor to move the contest to Mazatlán, where the final contenders will perform Sept. 6 with the accompaniment of the Sinaloa Symphony Orchestra of the Arts under the baton of Patron de Rueda. Performance times and ticket prices for both these summer bookend events were yet to be announced at the Pacific Pearl’s press time.