Mario Díaz transferred to his Hotel Buen Retiro the 130-year-old tree evicted after its collapse at the nearby Nazareth school. Its 10 meters high and 15 tons in weight enjoy a second chance one year and four months later next to a 19th century building in which music is the protagonist and ‘leitmotif’ of this hotelier and violinist.
Mario Diaz, hotelier and violinist from Güímar that in the summer of 2021 moved a 130-year-old dragon tree to its Hotel Buen Retiro, Casa de la Música y el Sonidoevicted after collapsing in the nearby Nazaret school, organizes the First Christmas Festival to celebrate these holidays and the survival of the “portentous tree”, which is still alive 16 months later in its new and historic home in Güimare.
Next to the Casa de la Marquesa, a 19th century building restored with his own hands by Mario Díaz, this specimen of 10 meters in height and 15 tons in weight was saved from being chopped up – it still has the yellow marks on its branches and trunk, where the sierra was going to pass– and taken to a landfill, after the Cabildo considered, after consulting experts, that it had no salvation. Today he enjoys a second chance for the care he receives.
At 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, Mario Díaz and his family will open the doors of their hotel to the public who wants to follow this concert, sponsored by the Department of Culture of the Güímar City Council. The soprano Beatriz Siverio, the singer Pilar Cano and the Orchestra of the 12 Columns will perform in a neoclassical style pavilion located next to the dragon tree.
the repertoire
The repertoire of the concert includes the interpretation, by the Orchestra of the Twelve Columns, of the Overture of El Mesías, by Händel; Hallelujah Exultate Jilate, by Mozart; a medley of traditional Christmas carols and classic works such as Joy to the world, Good Rest You Merry Gentlemen, The first Nowell, Adeste Fideles, El Largo del Invierno (Vivaldi), Minueto Chelo y Piano (Mozart), Lo Divino (José Ángel Jiménez) , Hymn to the Dragon Tree (Vicente Pérez), Villancico del Drago (Vicente Pérez) and the Radetzky March (Johan Straus).
One of the characteristics of the meeting is that the public who wishes can attend period dress (19th century), although it is not a requirement to access the venue. At the end of the concert, the best outfit will receive a night at the hotel for two people, with breakfast accompanied by violin. The hotel (https://hotelbuenretiro.com/) is located in the upper area of the urban area of Güímar, at number 9 Chacaica street, in San Pedro de Arriba. The establishment has another dragon tree, of the same age and in very good health.
“A year and almost four months have passed and not only does it retain green branches, but some have sprouted, for which several botanists assure me that the dragon tree has been saved,” says Mario Díaz, who has devoted almost three decades to recovering the Casa de la Marquesa, where he has an authentic treasure trove of pianos from all periods, as well as other instruments and old radios. That is why it is called Casa de la Música y el Sonido, a place where period musical shows are held with the interpretation of classical music.
The future
«I invite everyone who wishes to visit this dragon tree on Sunday and join us in this concert, which is generously sponsored by the City Council of my town, a gesture for which I thank the Councilor for Culture, María Luisa Campos, because she has understood that my cultural project is beneficial to Güímar. I hope that this dragon tree will serve, in turn, to achieve my dream of making this house the home of all musicians and music lovers, because what is important is the love of this art and of life”, says this violinist and hotelier. Tenerife
Mario Díaz plans to consolidate and make the Christmas concert in honor of the dragon tree annual as part of his project to turn the hotel into a cultural focus not only for the Güímar Valley, but also for the island. So much so that he plans to build the Hall of the Twelve Columns, of which he created a model. It is an initiative that would house a musical academy to teach music theory for free, in exchange for whoever learns it teaching new students.
