Melinda Martinez Becker and Nicolás Lell Benavides premiere “Canto Caló”

Witness the world-premiere performances of Canto Caló, a song cycle by composer Nicolás Lell Benavides, performed by Friction Quartet and mezzo soprano Melinda Martinez Becker. Following the world premiere, Benavides and Becker will release the work on innova Recordings as part of our Bay Area Pilot program.

Canto Caló takes inspiration from Benavides and Becker’s shared New Mexican heritage, through the lens of their grandparents’ life experiences. The song cycle celebrates the distinctive American dialect that was popular in the Southwest and in California among those who were part of the Pachuco movement of the 1930s and ’40s.

• May 5, at 8 p.m. PT; Old First Concerts (San Francisco) (in person and livestream). To order your tickets, click here ($25).
• May 6, at 7:30 p.m. PT; First Presbyterian (San Anselmo, CA). To order your tickets, click here ($10-$30).
• May 13, at 7:30 p.m. PT; Red Poppy Art House (San Francisco). To order your tickets, click here ($20-$30 advance/ $35 door).