Esperanza Arts Center
presents
SanSe Filadelfia
Tony Mendez & Los Bomberos de la Calle
in partnership with American Composers Forum
TEATRO ESPERANZA, GRAN SALON & PLAZA
5/30/26, 3:00pm
$15 General Admission, Free for Students & Seniors (60+)
EAC Artist in Residence, 2024 Philadelphia Cultural Treasures Artist Fellow, Tony Mendez and Los Bomberos de la Calle present the world premiere of a new work modeled after the widely celebrated annual Fiesta de la Calle de San Sebastián in Puerto Rico. Mendez celebrates Plena and Bomba musical traditions through an evocative, multidisciplinary experience that immerses the audience and offers a guided tour of the history, significance, and legacy of one of Puerto Rico’s most important indigenous art forms.
Presented in partnership with the American Composers Forum ( ACF) . ACF’s Recomposing America is a multi-year initiative led by American Composers Forum that highlights artistic perspectives unique to the United States and the broader Americas through direct commissions, institutional collaborations, and public dialogue. Timed with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Recomposing America aims to refresh and reimagine the “who,” “what,” and “why” of the United States, and the stories therein. Music has always told the story of the United States. From anthems that forged unity and protest songs that challenged power, to the intimate soundtracks of our daily lives, music composition is a vessel to chart the stories, ideas, and origins of people and communities. Recomposing America is a platform that expands on this legacy by centering the role of music in our past and future stories — an evolving score shaped by many people and cultures across the U.S.
Part of VOCES: EAC’s VOCES series spotlights a different facet of Latin American culture and traditions each season. This year’s VOCES Series will feature indigenous cultural traditions from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Part of the U.S. Semiquincentennial: In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, EAC will present a series of programs that celebrate and explore the Latino voice within the American landscape. Through arts, culture, and community engagement, these programs will highlight the contributions, histories, and perspectives of Latino communities as part of the broader American story.
SanSe Filadelfia has received support from the City of Philadelphia, William Penn Foundation, Presser Foundation, and The Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia.
TICKETS
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