Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra perform 1st concert in Peru

LIMA, Peru — For 82-year-old Elena Utrilla of Peru, the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square’s first concert in her native country is a time for their far-flung family to gather.

Several of her eight children and their spouses were back in Lima for the performance Wednesday, Feb. 19, in the Westin Lima Hotel and all were planning to be back for the choir and orchestra’s “Songs of Hope” (“Canciones de Esperanza”) performance in the National Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22.

“It was time to bring the family together,” Utrilla said in Spanish of her children who are spread across the Americas and Europe.

The concert Wednesday featured singers Adassa, whose parents are from Colombia and who was the voice of Dolores Madrigal in Disney’s “Encanto,” and Alex Melecio, who is from Mexico. His wife, Melodi, also attended, as did her mother, who is Peruvian.

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in an interview on Thursday, Feb. 20, that “it was a beautiful experience.”

He saw how much the choir connected with the local culture with music and performers. The concert was also uplifting and inspirational, he said.

“The sacred hymns are are always inspirational and help us to draw ourselves closer to Jesus Christ,” Elder Soares said.

In a reception prior to the concert, he invited those attending to feel not only the spirit of the music but God’s love through the music.

“The music that we present to each of you tonight can draw us closer to God and Jesus Christ,” Elder Soares said in Spanish to the group before they entered the ballroom for the concert.

Former U.S. Senator Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann Romney, also attended.

Earlier Wednesday, Elder Soares, the Romneys and the choir presidency — President Michael O. Leavitt and counselors President L. Whitney Clayton and President Gary B. Porter — participated in an event at the Congress of Peru and at an interfaith discussion with the Interfaith Council of Peru.

The audience of about 400 people Wednesday evening included government and business leaders and also those from arts, education, religious and charitable organizations.

‘Canciones de Esperanza’ concert

The concert featured hymns of praise, songs from around the world, traditional songs from the United States and hymns of hope.

Before performing “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto,” Adassa said, “As the child of Colombian parents, the love of my parents gave me hope.”

While Adassa may be known for her part in “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” she said in Spanish there is another song that “captured the hearts of people all over the world.

“It describes what happens when two little caterpillars love each other and find hope together.”

Prior to singing “Color Esperanza,” Alex Melecio said, “This is a special time of hope for our family — hope that our children will experience and embrace their heritage from the Andes.”

He also said that one of the songs from the world tour “reminds us that hope is a choice we make. For us, when we choose hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, everything is better.”

The choir sang more than a dozen songs, under the direction of director Mack Wilberg and associate director Ryan Murphy, filling the room with music. It started with hymns of praise “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” in English and Spanish, and “Hijos del Senor, Venid” in Spanish.

A trio of alleluias followed with the peaceful “Alleluia.” Then the soaring “Alleluia,” from “Psalm 150,” by Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera that has seemingly disjointed individual parts building before coming together to fill the space with music. The audience stood as the choir and orchestra performed “Hallelujah” from “Messiah” by George Frideric Handel.

The choir performed two international songs, including “¡Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero!” a Sepharic wedding song. After Adassa and Melecio’s performances, the choir and orchestra performed three songs from the American songbook, “Music Everywhere,” “What a Wonderful World” and “Cindy” and three hymns — “Let Us All Press On,” “The Spirit of God” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

As an encore, the choir and orchestra performed songs with ties to the four northwest countries — “Colombia Tierra Querida” with Adassa, “A Mi Lindo Ecuador,” “Viva Mi Patria Bolivia” and “Contigo Peru” with Melicio. As the guitarist strummed the first few notes of “Contigo Peru,” the audience quickly stood. The choir and orchestra ended with the traditional “God Be With You Till We Meet Again.”

The women of the choir wore multicolored necklaces and earrings made in Peru, as were the men’s colorful ties and pocket squares.

Elder Jorge T. Becerra, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s South America Northwest Area — which includes Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador — welcomed the audience and the choir’s gift of music.

“May the songs of hope we share tonight lift you and your family members for years to come,” he said.

Elder Rafael E. Pino and Elder Juan Pablo Villar, both General Authority Seventies and counselors in the South America Northwest Area presidency, also attended the concert.

Guillermo Estrugo and Alicia Perez, a married couple with a background in broadcasting, were the masters of ceremonies for the evening. Estrugo is the area’s director of communications for the Church and is also serving as the vice president of the Interfaith Council of Peru. Perez, his wife, has a background as a television host and presented in Bolivia.

Wilberg said the audience was warm and receptive.

“The people are so warm, and they love music, all of that combined makes for a great experience we’re having here,” he said.

José Quezada, who is a composer and conductor for an interreligious choir in Peru, said he has listened to the choir many times. “The choir was amazing,” he said in Spanish. “It’s one of the best choirs I have seen in my life.”

Karyn Tripp, a Tabernacle Choir member who sings second alto, said after the concert as it’s the first time the choir has sung in Peru, “it was a powerful moment to recognize. That makes it extra special.”

After the concert, Utrilla, who has since moved to Utah, recalled how when she was baptized more than 60 years ago, there were two little branches in the country, she would walk 7 kilometers with four young children, ages 5 years to 2 months old, to attend Church meetings as she couldn’t afford a taxi.

“I read the Book of Mormon. I felt the Spirit of the Lord,” Utrilla said in Spanish about reading about Alma’s experiences.

Utrilla’s husband was baptized 28 years later, and they were later sealed in the Lima Peru Temple. One of Utrilla’s daughters-in-law plays in the orchestra.

There are 320 members of the 360-voice volunteer choir on tour and 68 members of the orchestra, along with choir leaders and staff. These “musical missionaries” are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days and choir members have a monthslong audition process. The choir’s origins date back to 1847 when pioneer members of the Church formed a choir to sing at a conference of the Church weeks after arriving in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley.

The Tabernacle Choir first went to South America in 1981, when they performed in Brazil.

‘Songs of Hope’ tour

The choir and orchestra will also perform on Saturday, Feb. 22, in the National Stadium — home of the Peru national soccer team — and include an audience of 30,000 people, which is larger than the 21,000-seat Conference Center in Salt Lake City.

The concert will feature musical artists representing Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia: Colombian artist Juan Fernando Fonseca, known as Fonseca; Adassa, who has Colombian roots; Mauricio Mesones of Peru and a former member of the band Bareto; the Fabre Family from Ecuador; and Melecio.

Los Kjarkas, Bolivian group known for their Andean music, will present a preshow performance.

It will be streamed on the choir’s YouTube channel.

The choir and orchestra multicity, multiyear “Songs of Hope” tour began in 2023 with a stop in Mexico City, Mexico. In 2024, the choir and orchestra performed in Manila, Philippines, and in southeastern United States in Florida and Georgia. The concerts have been free and at least one in each location has been livestreamed and available on-demand.

In August, the choir and orchestra are scheduled to go to Argentina in August 2025 and in Brazil in February 2026.

Interfaith discussion: Call for peace

Prior to the concert, Elder Soares, the Romneys and the choir presidency were part of an interfaith discussion with about 40 people through the Interfaith Council of Peru.

Elder Soares, who spoke in Spanish, said that peace isn’t merely the absence of conflict. The United Nations definition includes being able to communicate and to have dialogue.

Solving conflicts and promoting rights includes dialogue and communication.

“It is our responsibility to support respect of human rights,” Elder Soares said. He later added, “Protecting religious freedom is key for peace and world stability.”

He reiterated Church President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to be a peacemaker and avoid contention.

Mitt and Ann Romney spoke on strengthening families — also invited their youngest son, Craig, up to speak, which he did in Spanish.

Mitt Romney said: “I’m convinced that the only way to re-establish marriages and families and children and population stability is if religions — all of us — are more successful in bringing people to God."

Congress of the Republic of Peru award

Eduardo Salhuana, the Congress of the Republic of Peru president, recognized the choir and orchestra Wednesday and presented a medal of honor to choir President Leavitt in the Hall of Democracy.

“It’s a symbol for appreciation and their admiration for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Tabernacle Choir,” President Leavitt said, adding it’s an “important moment of the Church’s development in South America.”

A quartet from the orchestra played during the ceremony.