As we have noted before, the Cuenca symphony is free. They play at a few different venues around town.  Tonight is the first time they have played at the Iglesia La Merced that we can remember.  This church is only a block from our apartment, and we had never been in it, so it seemed that we should attend another symphony tonight.

There was heavy rain for several hours before the concert, which probably reduced the attendance.  Still, the church was mostly full, with only a few seats here and there vacant.  As we entered this magnificent 18th century church, we were handed programs, telling us (in Spanish, of course) what would be played, and why the symphony was here tonight.  This was to celebrate the 131st anniversary of the opening of the La Merced church.

The music consisted of selections from Mozart, Haydn and Franck, and was done with humor as well as typical symphonic musical talent.  Towards the end of Haydn’s Symphony #45, the orchestra began to leave the stage in groups of 5 or 6.  The conductor waved with his baton for them to return, but they continued to leave.  The piece ended with a solo violin (as the music is intended to be played) and the rest of the stage empty.  The audience was clearly amused and confused. The woman sitting next to us jokingly said that maybe the orchestra was leaving because they had not been paid by the government.

After the main program was over, they received a standing ovation.  At that point, many (mostly gringos, I noted) started to leave.  However, the orchestra then came back with an encore, which included individuals and small groups standing while playing solos, as the audience continued to erupt in applause.

As always, an enjoyable (free!) evening for those that enjoy music in Cuenca.☺