Arts & Events

--Martha Toledo, singer from Juchitan on Mexico's Tehauantepec Peninsula, will return to La Pena Sunday at 7:30--after a free in-store appearance at Down Home Music in El Cerrito at 2--with guitarist Jose Roberto. Toledo, who is working on her third CD, is "a luminous presence," performing popular and original songs in Juchitan regalia (popularized by Frida Kahlo--Toledo performed at SF MoMA's Kahlo retrospective several years back). Berkeley filmmaker Maureen Gosling, who first met Toledo while working on her award-winning documentaries on Juchitan and its unusual women's culture, has brought Toledo, now resident of Oaxaca, to Berkeley twice before. 

The Planet published an article about Toledo, in 2008. There's a music video on YouTube. Gosling's Juchitan films--A Skirt Full of Butterflies; Sketches of Juchitan and Blossoms of Fire--are available through Intrepidas productions at: maureengosling.com Down Home Music, 10341 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito (525-2129).; La Pena Cultural Center, 3105 Shatuuck Ave. Berkeley (849-2568) lapena.org $16-$18. 

--Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Philharmonia Chorale (led by Bruce Lamott) and Mark Morris Dance Company perform Purcell's Dido & Aeneas (circa 1688)--conducted and with choreography by Mark Morris (Bay Area conducting debut), with mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and baritone Philip Cutlip, September 16-17 (8 p. m.) and 18 (3 p. m.), Zellerbach Auditorium, UC campus, presented by Cal Performances. $30-$110. 642-9988, calperformances.org