Peruvian Independence Day is July 28th. But in reality the entire month of July in filled with a variety of events that help to celebrate the culture of Peru. For the past two years, the Ministry of Culture in Peru has partnered with many other cultural institutions in Peru to sponsor the "Retablo Sinfónico." We heard it was a great and fun performance, so we decided to get tickets we are so glad we did.

The idea of the Retablo Sinfónico is probably not obvious to most readers. To understand this performance you have to understand the idea of a retablo. Retablos are a form of folk art consisting of a wooden box with painted carved figures depicting something of cultural significance. Originally, retablos were a sort of portable altar that provided people an opportunity to take their altar with them for the purpose of religious observance. But over time retablos have expanded into the secular. Now it is possible to see retablos featuring scenes of particular historical importance for the country, families will commission retablos to tell the family's story, and retablos are a high art form in the highlands of Peru. Here is an example:

The symphonic version of a retablo takes the concept into the realm of performance, in this case to music, song, and dance. But the core idea that the retablo commemorates history and culture is held intact. Instead of a box with painted figures and little wooden doors telling the story, the story is on stage. And instead of the curtain rising, two giant doors were opened to reveal a full symphony and an Andean folk band with vocalists. From there, the performance consisted of a series of dances and songs representing the various regions of Peru - from the coast to the jungle, to the highlands and everywhere in between.

The costumes were beautiful. The dancing was incredible. The music was energizing. I felt like we were essentially given a tour of all the street festivals across the regions of Peru, but instead of amateurs showing up in the square we saw the best performers in the whole country. This is a show that should tour internationally. If it ever comes to your city, I highly recommend it. You will learn about Peru and you will come away entertained and energized. I was not allowed to take photos of the performance, but here is the program which includes some examples of the level of production.