Mexican music legend Aida Cuevas and New York’s groundbreaking all-women ensemble Flor de Toloache will share the stage at Lehman Center on October 18, celebrating tradition, reinvention and the power of women in mariachi.
BRONX, NEW YORK — Mariachi has long been one of Mexico’s most recognizable musical traditions. Its trumpets, violins, guitars and unmistakable voices have carried stories of love, heartbreak, pride and belonging across generations.
But on Sunday, October 18, two extraordinary acts will bring something more to the stage at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts: a celebration of the women who have helped preserve mariachi’s legacy while pushing its boundaries.
Mexican music icon Aida Cuevas and New York City’s own Flor de Toloache will perform at 4 p.m., bringing together two distinct musical journeys connected by a shared commitment to the genre.
One represents decades of ranchera excellence. The other has helped introduce mariachi to new audiences through fearless experimentation.
Together, they offer a reminder that tradition is not something frozen in time.
It’s something artists continue to shape.
Aida Cuevas: A voice that became part of Mexico’s musical identity
Known as La Reina de la Música Ranchera, Aida Cuevas has spent more than five decades building a career rooted in the emotional power of Mexican music.
Since beginning her career in 1975, Cuevas has performed internationally, becoming one of the genre’s most recognizable voices.
Her commanding vocals and expressive interpretations have made her a defining figure in ranchera music, a tradition closely associated with some of Mexico’s most enduring cultural icons.
Cuevas has also achieved a distinction few women in mariachi can claim: she has won both a GRAMMY and a Latin GRAMMY.
Her appearance in the Bronx offers audiences an opportunity to experience an artist whose career spans generations and whose music continues to connect listeners with Mexican cultural heritage.
Flor de Toloache: Born in New York, rooted in Mexico
If Cuevas represents mariachi’s enduring legacy, Flor de Toloache represents its expanding possibilities.
Founded in New York City in 2008 by Mireya Ramos and Shae Fiol, the all-women ensemble emerged in a city where musical traditions from around the world constantly intersect.
Their early performances took place in subway stations, bars and intimate music venues.
Over time, their distinctive sound carried them to major stages, including NPR’s Tiny Desk, Coachella and international festivals.
The group has built its identity around a combination of traditional mariachi instrumentation, powerful vocal harmonies and influences extending beyond the genre’s conventional boundaries.
Their collaborations have included artists such as Alicia Keys, John Legend, Natalia Lafourcade and Mon Laferte.
In 2017, Flor de Toloache earned a Latin GRAMMY for Las Caras Lindas, establishing the group as a significant force in contemporary Mexican music.
Their journey also reflects something deeply New York: the ability to honor cultural roots while creating something new.
For Flor de Toloache, mariachi is not limited by geography, gender or expectations.
It is a living musical language.
Why this performance matters in the Bronx
The Bronx has long been a center of Latino cultural expression, where music connects neighborhoods, generations and immigrant communities.
From salsa and Latin jazz to hip-hop and contemporary Latin sounds, the borough has helped shape musical movements with influence far beyond New York.
Bringing Aida Cuevas and Flor de Toloache together at Lehman Center adds another chapter to that cultural story.
It also places women at the center of a musical tradition historically associated with male performers.
Cuevas has spent decades demonstrating the power of a woman’s voice in ranchera music.
Flor de Toloache has challenged assumptions about who can perform mariachi and what the genre can sound like.
Their approaches may differ, but their impact shares a common thread: expanding the space available to women within Mexican music.
And for audiences in New York, the concert offers an opportunity to experience those contributions on the same stage.
A night of tradition and transformation
Founded in 1980, Lehman Center for the Performing Arts has spent decades presenting performances that reflect the Bronx’s multicultural communities.
Its upcoming concert with Cuevas and Flor de Toloache continues that mission, bringing internationally recognized Mexican music to a borough shaped by generations of Latino families.
For longtime mariachi fans, the performance promises the emotional intensity and musical craftsmanship that have defined the genre.
For newer listeners, it offers an introduction to artists who are helping shape its future.
And for anyone interested in the relationship between music, identity and cultural heritage, the evening represents something larger than a concert.
It’s a meeting of generations, traditions and artistic visions.
Because mariachi’s future isn’t only about preserving the voices of the past. It’s also about making room for the women defining what comes next.
Event details
Aida Cuevas & Flor de Toloache
Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026
Time: 4 p.m.
Venue: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
Address: 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468
Tickets: Starting at $35, plus fees. Tickets for children ages 10 and under are $5 through the box office.
Box office: 718-960-8833
For tickets and additional information, visit Lehman Center for the Performing Arts.
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