Andina

Juan Diego Florez, Luis Fonsi to inaugurate Lima 2019 Pan Am Games

09:08 | Lima, Jul. 26.

Peru's Juan Diego Florez and Puerto Rico's Luis Fonsi began warming up for their participation in the inauguration of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games along with an orchestra of children and young people sponsored by the Symphony for Peru educational and social project.

The two artists held a warm meeting on Tuesday, in which the Puerto Rican performer was welcomed by the Peruvian tenor with "En mi viejo San Juan" (In My Old San Juan) in the presence of Lima Mayor Jorge Muñoz and Lima 2019 Organizing Committee President Carlos Neuhaus.

The encounter constituted a taste of their show at Lima's National Stadium, along with other outstanding national artists such as Eva Ayllon, Lucho Quequezana, Pauchi Sasaki, and Pelo D'Ambrosio.

The meeting took place at the Hall of Mirrors in the Municipal Palace, where dozens of child and teen musicians and chorus members also arrived, accompanied by orchestra director Hugo Carrio, in order to play and perform assorted classical compositions.

The event was kicked off by the famed Peruvian tenor with his interpretation of the classic Puerto Rican song by Noel Estrada, and Fonsi publicly praised the performance.

The youth orchestra, founded by Florez, then took the stage with a mix of mambos, which they played with enthusiasm and a festive air and which were hailed by all who were present.

Fonsi arrived in Lima on Monday to prepare for his participation in the inaugural ceremony, at which he will sing —according to what he said at a press conference— a medley of his numbers, including a "surprise," about which he provided no further details.

"What I like is to be able to do both things: to make people dance and to sing a song with an acoustic guitar. That's me," the Puerto Rican artist said.

The Pan American Games will bring 6,680 athletes from 41 countries around the Americas to Lima and Callao to participate in 39 different sports, 22 of which will be featured at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Between Aug. 23 and Sept. 1, the Parapan American Games will bring 1,890 athletes from 33 nations to Peru to participate in 17 sports, 13 of which will be included in the 2020 Paralympic Games, also to be held in Tokyo.

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Published: 7/26/2019