Saltillo hosts Ánimas del Desierto 2026 Festival

The Ánimas del Desierto 2026 Festival featured the presentation of ‘Torno y retorno ocre quemado,’ a scenic production by Alberto Villarreal at the Teatro de la Ciudad Fernando Soler. The work explores Oaxacan identity and mestizaje, integrating traditional artisanal knowledge with contemporary expressions. The performance follows the life of the anti-hero Grana Cochinilla, tracing a journey from an artisan childhood in Oaxaca to migration in Los Angeles, a return to Mexico as a granadero, and involvement in the 2016 Nochixtlán conflicts.

The event included participation from the Escenaguetza project, which aims to connect Oaxacan contemporary performing arts with national and international festivals. Other festival activities include Gabriel Neaves’ ‘El tranvía de las leyendas… historias que cuenta Saltillo,’ scheduled for late October, and a performance of Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater by the Saltillo Metropolitan Orchestra and the Saltillo Opera Company.