'Tres Vidas' Comes To Laredo Thursday, March 17

Laredoans can partake in a unique experience March 17 through the collaboration of Texas A&M International University and the Laredo Center for the Arts.

The community is invited to "Tres Vidas" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 17 at the Laredo Center for the Arts, 500 San Agustin. This free event is open to the public.

The work, performed by singing actress Georgina Corbo and the chamber music trio of the CORE Ensemble, celebrates the lives of three powerful Latin American women: Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Salvadoran peasant-activist Rufina Amaya, and Argentine poet Alfonsina Storni.

In addition to the evening's performance, Georgina Corbo and the CORE ensemble will conduct a workshop at TAMIU on Latin American culture and theater. The workshop is also free and open to the public, and will take place from 12 to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, in the Western Hemispheric Trade Center, room 111.

Dr. Mehnaaz Momen, TAMIU assistant professor and one of the coordinators of the event, said the work was conceived by the Core Ensemble and features a script by award-winning Chilean writer Marjorie Agosin.

"Georgina Corbo will portray all three women with the Core Ensemble onstage. The trio will perform popular and folkloric music from a variety of Latin cultures including the tangos of Astor Piazolla, Mexican rancheras and popular songs from Latin America," said Dr. Momen, "Also featured in the musical score are new works by Latin American composers including Michael deMurga and Carlos Sánchez-Gutíerrez."

Dr. Phoebe Godfrey, TAMIU assistant professor and co-coordinator, said the TAMIU Women and Gender Studies committee worked to bring the event to Laredo.

"The Women and Gender Studies committee is a group of faculty and staff at TAMIU committed to promote awareness and interest about women and gender issues around the campus. We feel this is particularly important for this campus community in Laredo, which is a highly underserved area and exhibits traits of traditional patriarchal cultural norms," said Dr. Godfrey.

Momen explained the three women featured in the performance are considered ahead of their times in promoting women's rights and cultural change.

"Frida Kahlo's life was marked by suffering, and her self-portraits are noted for their immediacy, frankness and strength," explained Momen, "Rufina Amaya was the sole survivor of an anti-Communist slaughter in 1981, in which nearly 1,000 peasants were killed. Alfonsina Storni was Argentina's first feminist poet, born in 1892."

Godfrey encouraged all Laredoans to attend the events, and said everyone would be sure to learn something about the Latin American women.

"It's a terrific opportunity for the community to learn about some incredible people and enjoy a wonderful evening of music and acting," said Godfrey.

She said the two events were made possible through a grant from Humanities Texas.

For more information, please contact the Laredo Center for the Arts at 725-1715 or Dr. Phoebe Godfrey at 326.2662.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.