Gabriela Ortiz’s ‘Yanga’ Makes Its Debut With The LA Philharmonic

Gabriela Ortiz’s Yanga had its world premiere late last month at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Ortiz is one of Mexico’s most sought-after classical composers and her work has been performed by musicians all over the world, from soprano Dawn Upshaw to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic to Kronos Quartet.

Yanga, her most recent commission, came from the LA Philharomic’s music and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel, who asked Gabriela Ortiz earlier this year to write a piece for orchestra and choir, with the choral parts sung in Spanish.

“Gabriela is one of the most talented composers in the world,” Dudamel says. “Not only in Mexico, not only in our continent — in the world. She has an ability to bring colors, to bring rhythm [and] harmonies that connect with you. That is something beautiful, something unique.”

Ortiz’ work, Yanga, is named for a 16th century liberator of slaves in Veracruz. As the story goes, Yanga was a prince from what is now the country of Gabon, in western Africa.