Des Moines Symphony opens 2019-20 Pops Season with 'Havana Nights'

The Des Moines Symphony opens its Pops Series with "Havana Nights" at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Des Moines Civic Center.

Hailed as a leading interpreter of classical Spanish song by NBC Latino and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, star soprano Camille Zamora and the Mambo Kings join the Des Moines Symphony for an evening of Latin jazz from Spain and Cuba.

The evening includes orchestral and vocal selections from the Spanish Zarzuela period combined with the Afro Cuban rhythms of the Mambo Kings. 

In collaboration with artists ranging from Yo Yo Ma to Sting, Zamora has garnered acclaim for her interpretations of repertoire ranging from Mozart to tango. She is known for her “dignity and glowing sound” (The New York Times) in “luminous, transcendently lyrical” performances (Opera News) that “combine gentility and emotional fire” (The Houston Chronicle).

The Mambo Kings have earned national acclaim for their explosive blend of Afro Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation. From the burning rhythms of Tito Puente to the rhythmic playfulness of jazz great Dave Brubeck, the Mambo Kings celebrate the sizzling music of Latin America and the United States.

“We are thrilled to open the fifth year of our Pops Series with Havana Nights,” said Des Moines Symphony music director and conductor Joseph Giunta. “Our Pops concerts have allowed us to welcome new audiences into the concert hall, while giving our regular patrons a new, exciting experience. When they feel the sizzle and heat of this concert, I guarantee audiences will be dancing in the aisles of the Civic Center.”

Single tickets start at $35 and are available at dmsymphony.org and at the Civic Center Ticket Office. Single ticket prices are subject to a $5 increase on the day of the concert.