R Rosa Rodriguez as Frida Kahlo

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith will host a performance of “Tres Vidas” in the theatre of Windgate Art & Design at 7 p.m. Oct. 26.

 

Presented by the World Languages Department, and the Spanish, Baha’i and Cultural Network clubs at UAFS, “Tres Vidas” is a chamber ensemble based on the lives of three prominent Latin American women: Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Salvadoran activist Rufina Amaya, and Argentinean point Alfonsina Storni.

 

A musical theatre performance, the piece incorporates a diversity of Latin American musical styles to include folk songs from Mexico and El Salvador, as well as tangos by Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzolla from Argentina.

 

Dr. Rosario Nolasco-Schultheiss, assistant professor of world languages, said the performance chronicles the lives of three women who have had a “profound impact on the artistic and cultural landscape of Latin America, and arguably the world.”

 

“Their ouvre is also relevant in area studies owing to the artists’ feminist viewpoints and their solidarity with the subjugated,” Nolasco-Schultheiss said. “Expectedly, the lives and works of these women have often been part of the academic curriculum of courses taught at UAFS.”

 

“The performance should attract a diversity in audience, from members of the Spanish speaking community to UAFS students engaged in all areas of study, especially those majoring in music, theatre, art, and languages,” she added. “In this manner, we hope to fulfill the goal of celebrating and sharing the culture of what is known as ‘Hispanic,’ while helping educate and familiarize the larger community with the cultures typically clustered under this umbrella term.”

 

For more information about the performance, contact Nolasco-Schultheiss at 479-788-7970 or rosario.nolasco-schultheiss@uafs.edu.

 

About the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university’s unique bond with its community, students at UAFS are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at UAFS, visit www.uafs.edu/do-more.