Happiness = Reality - Expectations

What a treat! I still cannot get over the fact that I got to see and listen to the two artists (from two very distinct genres) that I admire so dearly in one concert at the Bowl. 

I got the tickets months ago, thought that it would be nice to take the kids to the Bowl to have the “immersive” Encanto experience with live orchestra and singing from the original casts (they loved the movie and had watched it gazillion times during the pandemic). Little did I know that it would be such a “full” experience with one surprise after another.

“My name is Lin-Manuel Miranda…” I screamed, couldn’t believe that I was seeing THE composer “live” opening Encanto. Such a refreshing and poignant introduction to the show...

Together with Oscar-nominated composer Germaine Franco, we are responsible for the music Encanto. I wanted to be part of the Disney’s animation ever since I was nine-years-old, and Sebastian the Crab started singing Under the Sea. To this day, Sebastian is still my favorite Disney’s composer. So I am incredible proud to be a part of the Walt Disney animation 60th feature film and thrilled to help celebrate Walt Disney Company’s 100 year anniversary.

…see your own family in the Madrigal family and little bit of our own stories in these songs…I don’t think any of us anticipated a global phenomenon and a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Now, tonight, we have the evening of the firsts. We made this film during the pandemic, so this is the first time the original casts have sung these songs together at the same stage at the same time live. Tonight we are for the first time, we are joining by amazing Colombian artist Andres Cepeda and the immortal Carlos Vives. And selfishly, I’ve of Hollywood Bowl and concerts my whole life but I am from Washington so I wanted to tell you, this is my first time ever at the Hollywood Bowl. Thank you for being here. So are you guys ready? I want the show to be very special tonight, so we built a Casita! (then the Casita emerged from the background) 

Enjoy Encanto!

Along with all the popular songs from Encanto, it came another surprise with Carlos Vives showed up in a head-to-toe purple suit performing Columbia, Mi Encanto. What a coincidence! I just remembered that Ninja asked me in the car an hour before the show, “Mom, do you think Carlos Vives is going to be there?” “I don’t think so because he wouldn’t fly all the way just for a song,” I said. But he did. He came all the way to perform one song. A true Colombian compatriot, he must have been so proud and touched by how Encanto has been successfully represented his country and culture to the rest of the world that he agreed to be part of the celebration. 

The magic realism experience ended with a full-length firework, the typical kind of pageantry of Disney, a total cherry on top for all of us. And did I mention that the concert will be on Disney+ for the holiday season? It means that we were on “Live TV”! 

What a magical night! It was much more magical and special also because we didn’t expect all these perks. As they say, happiness equals reality minus expectations. Life is good.