Los Valientes Receives A Standing Applause

Elizabeth Phan, staff writer

The lights dimmed and suddenly music quieted the chatter. On Oct. 12, from 7:30 – 9 p.m., Los Valientes, The Courageous Ones, gave a beautiful performance in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. The group performed in the Dickinson building on the Main Stage Theatre. Ticket prices were $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children.

 According to PVCC’s website, The CORE ensemble brings diversity, culture, and history with the story of human rights and social justice. Los Valientes told the story of many men including Diego Rivera and Joaquin Murrieta–a real-life Zorro.

The ensemble played a variety of songs from traditional Latino folk, some famous scores by Astor Piazzolla, and Osvaldo Golijov.

Each character is an iconic figure in Latin America and Mexican history. Books, movies, and documentaries were made about these figures. 

“The performance of each figure and how the music reflect on their persona was very unique,” said Elizabeth Valtierra, an attendee. “I’ve read books about them but what got me was the music behind the performance,” she said. 

Valiant, meaning brave or courage in Spanish, had a monologue that expressed a deeper meaning to the performance. 

“I had originally thought Joaquin Murrieta’s ‘El Zorro’ would have inspired me the most, but it was Oscar Romero,” she said. 

Oscar Romero is an Archbishop of San Salvador. In the performance, his character spoke out about poverty, social justice, economic shifts, and political wars. 

“Those are all topics that are very real to this day. Sadly, he was assassinated,” she said. Many leaders and activists were assassinated during a Mass. The musical pieces heightened the meaning of each character’s performance. 

“The music only left me wanting more scenes of each character,” she said. “ I also want to point out that Oscar Romero is a Catholic figure from San Salvador. It’s a country that is often overlooked when recognizing Latin America.”

At the final scene of the performance, many attendees stood to their feet and applauded the performers. Valtierra, and a few others, wiped their tears. 

“I would love to see Los Valientes outside of PVCC. The performance needs to be brought to the community as a Latinx community in Charlottesville. The community is quickly growing,” said Valtierra.