Chita Rivera, Raśl Esparza, Rita Moreno and More Set for In Performance at the Kennedy Center Event

By Michael Gioia
08 Jan 2013

Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno

In Performance at The Kennedy Center, an event honoring the presidential inauguration and Latino arts and culture, will be held Jan. 20. Tony Award winners Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera will be among the evening's performers.

Actress Eva Longoria, Henry R. Muñoz III and Andrés W. López are the executive producers of the 7 PM event, with Longoria serving as host.

Other performers slated to appear include Raúl Esparza, José Feliciano, Juan Diego Flórez, Melanie Griffith, George Lopez, Mario Lopez, Robert Rodriguez, Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, Ballet Hispanico, Coral Contigas, Coro de Niños de San Juan, the Esperanza Azteca Youth Orchestra and the Pan American Symphony Orchestra.

In Performance, according to press notes, "is part of Latino Inaugural 2013 – a three-day series of lectures, symposia and cultural gatherings that will give Latinos from all backgrounds, national origins, regions of the country and political parties the chance to reflect on the issues most important to them and determine how best to develop an agenda that betters the community and strengthens the country as a whole."

"Latinos played a critical role in this year's elections and helped tip the scales in President Obama's victory," said Longoria in a statement. "But we are not waiting another four years to make an impact on our country's future, and Latino Inaugural 2013 will set a path for Latino civic engagement in the near term. What better way to establish our presence at these inaugural celebrations than by showcasing the beauty and diversity of our culture at the nation’s premier performing arts center."

With In Performance, Latino Inaugural 2013 will highlight the contributions of Latinos to the American cultural landscape, emphasizing the importance of Latino arts to the future of the nation's most established cultural institutions, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

For more information on Latino Inaugural 2013 events, visit LatinoInaugural2013.org. For tickets, call (202) 467-4600 or visit Kennedy-Center.org.