Baroque Opera in the Amazon
For several years, the descendants of the Chiquitano people have been mastering classical music in the heart of the Bolivian Amazon. In a striking contrast between past and present, young musicians practice Vivaldi daily on their violins and cellos, surrounded by the Baroque architecture of Chiquitos villages and the lush landscapes of eastern Bolivia.
A prime example is San Ignacio de Velasco, a small town at the gateway to the Bolivian Amazon and a UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jesuit mission. Along its dusty streets, the sounds of Baroque music regularly drift from the church, where lessons take place. Beneath intricately carved wooden columns, shaped from the very trees of the Amazon, young Bolivians carry on a tradition that blends indigenous heritage with European musical influence.
