Shortly after I arrived in Bolivia this summer, I was lucky enough to hear my sister perform at Teatro Municipal, a grand old nineteenth-century theater in La Paz. Accompanied by the young musicians of Encuentro de Jovenes Músicos Bolivianos, she and her husband played the world premiere of Jordan Grigg’s “Concerto Semplice” for Two Violins.

Take a bow, beloved soloists!

Featured at the same concert was the world premiere of “Canciones de Alfaro,” an oratorio based on poems representing the nine political districts of Bolivia, beautifully set to music by American composer Kyle Kindred.

I shared a box in the balcony with the composer and was thrilled for him when the audience demanded two encores. The orchestra and chorus happily complied, playing my two favorite movements–“Cochabamba” and “La Paz”–for a second time.

Take a bow, Dr. Kindred!

I loved being back in the Teatro Municipal. It’s such a luscious building, all red velvet draperies and gilded railings and painted ceilings and sparkly chandeliers. It turns out the balcony boxes are a great place to photobomb your friends during intermission.

In my novel Requiem in La Paz, I set a critical scene here at the Teatro Municipal–a tense encounter with the supernatural. But on this particular evening, the theater was simply filled with happiness and light.