On Nevada Day, Oct. 25, the UNLV Performing Arts Center presents Disney•Pixar’s Coco in an exclusive family-friendly live-to-film concert at 8 p.m. in the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall.
Disney•Pixar’s Coco Live-to-Film Concert on Tour features a screening of the complete film with Oscar® and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score. Composer Michael Giacchino is credited on some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including The Incredibles, War for the Planet of the Apes, Ratatouille, Star Trek, Jurassic World, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Coco.
In addition to the original score by Giacchino, Coco also features the Oscar®-winning song “Remember Me” by Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina.
Music from Disney•Pixar’s Coco will be performed live on the concert hall stage by the Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. The 20-member orchestra stands out for its ability to fuse pre-Hispanic instruments with instruments from the colonial and modern eras, thus creating a unique and distinctive sound that evokes the rich history and culture of Mexico.
Authentically Hispanic, the orchestra is made up of expert musicians who are highly trained in the interpretation of a wide variety of genres and styles of folk music, like mariachi, jarana, son, and huapango. Among the instruments used by the Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México are traditional pre-Hispanic drums (like the huehuetl and tepobaztli), flutes, and ocarinas and other pre-Hispanic wind instruments. They also use guitars, violins, double basses, and other stringed instruments from the colonial era, resulting in a unique and surprising sound combination.
Honoring Las Vegas ancestors (as the characters in the film do), the UNLV PAC has engaged local Las Vegas artist, Elsa Cantú-Lizarraga, to build a community ofrenda. The ofrenda will honor and welcome deceased loved ones including those who lost their lives in the UNLV campus shooting on Dec. 6, 2023. The unveiling ceremony is on Oct. 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the concert hall and will feature dancers from Aztec dance group Calpulli Tlatelolco.
Members of the community are invited to contribute to the ofrenda by dropping off framed 4x6 photos on weekdays from Oct. 7-11 and Oct. 14-18. For additional details on how to participate, visit pac.unlv.edu. The finished ofrenda may be viewed in the lobby during the Coco live-to-film concert and will also be available for viewing when the concert hall is open for ticketed events through Día de Los Muertos (October 31-November 2), the UNLV Art Walk (November 1), and other times.
Single tickets are priced at $20 – $60 (discounts available), are on sale now, and may be purchased by telephone at 702-895-ARTS (2787), online at pac.unlv.edu or at the UNLV PAC box office from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
When purchasing a ticket or subscription package, consider making a donation to UNLV PAC to provide local students the opportunity to work with all the outstanding artists.
About UNLV Performing Arts Center
The UNLV Performing Arts Center is the original home for the arts in Southern Nevada; it opened in 1976 and celebrates its 48th season in 2024/25. A self-sustaining unit of UNLV, the PAC operates like many other arts organizations: costs for shows we produce, some facilities improvements, and other projects we undertake come from ticket sales, rentals, and donations. It hosts a variety of performances and events and is home to self-produced events plus productions of the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, UNLV School of Music, UNLV Dance, the Las Vegas Men’s Chorus, among many other community arts presenters, and various Clark County School District fine arts festivals and concerts. For further information, visit pac.unlv.edu.
