El Cantoral

El Cantoral is a dramatically beautiful and new concert hall in San Sebastián Xoco. To call it a mere cultural center, it’s officially the Roberto Cantoral Centro Cultural, seems like an understatement. Opened only in 2012, today, it’s one of the City’s leading performance venues.

The venue is frequently cited as the most advanced setting for live music. The building acoustics are adjusted depending on the genre of music, and promises the best listening experience in Latin America.

The building was designed by architect Gerardo Broissin. He create five concrete slabs which harmoniously ascend and descent to provide shape, space, and light to the interior. It was built with respect for the surrounding trees, and often, inspired by the trees and their movement.

The design is said to reduce some 64.7 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. It’s also an acclaimed project for water efficiency and rainwater harvesting.  are saved annually, 90,000 kWh are saved, the consumption of 88,000 liters of water is avoided, and 1,170,000 liters of water are prevented from being polluted.

• Roberto Antonio Cantoral García (1935-2010) was a singer and composer. He became president of the Mexican Society of Authors and Composers (SACM), in 1982. Known around the world, his songs were re-recorded more than a thousand times by performers who include Plácido Domingo, José José, Luis Miguel, Joan Báez, Marc Anthony, and Linda Ronstadt among many others.

El Cantoral is a today a living space of culture and entertainment. Originally created by the Mexican Society of Authors and Composers, the center presents concerts, exhibitions, and festivals. Genres include rock, regional, ballads, bolero, pop and concert music, among many others. The center also hosts events related to literature, visual arts, dance, film and photography.