Eryn Snyder looks into the making of the Vendimia's ultimate night, the ACTO CENTRAL
Carved into the hills of El Parque San Martin lies the Frank Romero Day amphitheater, and each year it lends itself to the creative minds of Mendoza who transform it into the grand stage of the Acto Central. The culmination of Vendimia festivities, the Acto Central is a theatrical performance divided into several acts that blend traditional dances with modern movement, national history with elaborate fantasy.
Complete with a dazzling firework finale, it is a two hour swirling spectacle requiring the synchronized efforts of hundreds of dancers, actors, stagehands, and technicians. For three consecutive nights the show is performed, the first being the grandest with the much anticipated election of the National Harvest Queen. Staging this grand production requires every bit as much preparation and labor as the harvest it annually celebrates.
Long before the vines begin to ripen, planning for the Acto Central is already afoot. As early as November, the National Secretary of Culture summons a panel of experts to hear carefully prepared proposals for the Vendimia show that will occur in March of the following year. Last year's winning script, "Cantos de vino y libertad", was told from the perspective of a horse and this equestrian theme was carried throughout; in the final acts a giant white horse was brought on stage to represent a new Argentina, independent from Spain. While each year is unique, certain components and themes are traditionally retained. General San Martin always makes an appearance, as does the holy Virgin de Carrodilla, patron saint of the vineyards.
The exciting part for Vendimia veterans, like actor Guillermo Jose Garcia, is finding new ways to represent the same themes, figures, and concepts that Argentineans have come to expect. Garcia tells me about a year when the Virgin was represented by several dancers, all dressed in the Virgin's robes, moving together on the stage. This was quite scandalous to many spectators accustomed to seeing the Virgin as a dignified statue carried out during the show. He explains, "Some thought it was unsanctified to present her in this way, but others appreciated the symbolism...she was more human and it also showed that every woman...everyone is a guardian of our heritage."
Such creative interpretations dreamt up by scriptwriters and directors must be carefully considered by the panel. The success and reception of a Vendimia performance is viewed by many as the litmus test of the current government. Not only is the show hugely important to the growing tourism industry, it is also nationally broadcast and regularly attended by visiting officials. Weighing innovation and tradition becomes a complex political affair; yet, eventually a decision is met. Once the production group has been chosen, the director hired, and the script approved, the real work begins and the government awards several hundred thousand pesos to see that it is done.
Close to a thousand people are hired to realize the director's vision for the Vendimia act. Workers are commissioned to transform the stage into that year's chosen design. Technicians are brought in to oversee the lighting, the fireworks display, and other visual effects. Stagehands are recruited from the local community and put to work in the final stages of production. Hundreds of costumes are made and enormous stage-props are built.
The most significant milestone in this hiring process is by far selecting the dancers and actors who will take the stage. In December, the show's organizers hold multiple castings in several districts and then are charged with the difficult job of deciding who will make it to the Frank Romero Day amphitheater. In 2009, close to 2,000 performance artists registered to compete for only 760 roles.
Dancers are expected to have ample experience and credentials. Professional dancers turn out from Mendoza's best companies hoping to make the cut. Folk dancers travel from Argentina's more rural regions and, if they earn one of the coveted spots, they return as heroes to their local communities who will watch the televised broadcast with pride. For the actors who typically make up the trees, vines, and various elements in the play, the competition is for the few leads that each Vendimia offers. However, regardless of the part, Garcia shares that he enjoys Vendimia because it's "the one time a year that all of us artists can work together on the same project."
For four hours a day, five days a week, the actors and dancers push themselves through a month of condensed practices and rehearsals. These committed artists endure ankle sprains, demanding directors, and outrageous costumes to make it to the stage. But the work is well worth it, Garcia assures me. "I remember my first Vendimia. There were over 40,000 people that first night...I can't even describe the feeling. I had goose-bumps all over". Anticipating the grand audience that will fill the stadium, all involved labor on towards the opening show.
However, the pre-production period is not without its fair share of road-bumps. Disagreements and delays inevitably arise. In recent years there has been local discontent with growing number of tickets withheld for government officials and tourism agencies. For the 2010 Vendimia, the limited amount of tickets for the opening show were rumored to have been sold out within hours of being made available to the public. In addition to external criticism, Vendimia organizers also face internal struggles. In the past, performers have gone on strike demanding higher wages, momentarily halting production. Also on the night itself, poor infrastructure, difficult access and overcrowding mean the event can be somewhat chaotic.
Yet, despite such obstacles, the show prevails. What the Acto Central represents to the people of Mendoza is far greater than any debates over money or politics. On opening night, those without tickets crowd the theater's surrounding hills to witness the show and any disputes between artists are pushed aside. All focus is on the stage and giving the audience an amazing show. Recent stagehand Federico Sanz shares that, far more important than his pay, he was grateful to just be a part of this great act. He passionately explains, "It is the most important event of the year! It is a celebration not only for Mendoza, but for all of Argentina."
For the hundreds involved in this tremendous undertaking, the Acto Central is an opportunity to express their pride in their heritage, their country, and their ability to put on one hell of a show.
