The Soraya will be hosting a performance in celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. at The Soraya’s Great Hall. “Dos Corazones: Día de Muertos” will feature singer Lila Downs, performing alongside dancers from the group Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles.

Día de los Muertos is more than colorful figurines, candy skulls and painted faces. It is a Mexican holiday that runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 and combines Mesoamerican customs with influences from Europe and Spain. Families take advantage of this occasion to formally welcome the ghosts of their deceased loved ones back into this world for a brief reunion highlighted by festive get-togethers, feasts, and vibrant ofrendas (altars) filled with offerings like food, flowers, and sugar skulls.

With Día de los Muertos being a powerful celebration of the dearly departed, it is fitting to have Lila Downs and her expressive voice be the one to lead viewers through the celebration of lost loved ones through this performance.

Ana Lila Downs Sánchez is a Mexican American singer and songwriter, noted for her musical versatility, which spans a variety of genres including Mexican traditional and pop music. Her 1999 debut album, “La sandunga,” helped her gain popularity through fusing indigenous Mexican influences into her music and singing in a variety of native tongues, including Mixtec, Zapotec, Mayan, Nahuatl, and Purépecha.

Downs began her musical studies at the Institute of Arts in Oaxaca, where she first started performing. Her vibrant and varied musical contributions are supplemented by her advocacy, which focuses on protecting indigenous languages and tackling the problems faced by indigenous populations in Latin America. She has been recognized for this work with several Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards.

Día de los Muertos is not only a celebration of death, but also the celebration of living. This historic cultural event is brought back to life on The Soraya stage, bringing together friends and family alike to celebrate our ancestors and those who have passed away. The event is not only to celebrate those that have passed, but also to keep them alive through memories.