The Festival “Artes de Cuba: From the Island to the World” opened its doors on May 8 at the Eisenhower Theater of the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with an opening gala that evidenced the richness, diversity and artistic talent that identifies Cuba as a nation.
The opening event included performances by the renowned artist Omara Portuondo, the orchestra of Lyceum Mozartiano of Havana, the pianists Aldo López Gavilán and Jorge Luis Pacheco, the orchestra Miguel Faílde, the saxophonist Yosvany Terry and the Afrocubano Sextet, the guitar player Alí Arango and singer Aymée Nuviola.
At this opening night, Deborah Rutter, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts welcomed the 400 artists that will participate in the Festival and described the event as unprecedented. She also underscored that it took years of preparation to finally bring to Washington D.C. a showcase of the best of the arts from the Island, which includes music, dance, theater, film, visual arts and cuisine, among other artistic manifestations.
The Cuban Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas, while addressing the audience, thanked the Kennedy Center and in particular, the team of said institution that organized the event. He also highlighted culture as one of the greatest strengths of the Cuban nation and the secret of how a small country has been able to overcome so many challenges posed by nature and history.
The Cuban diplomat underscored this event as the most important Festival of the Cuban Arts that has been organized in the United States in recent history and expressed how culture has traditionally been a bridge to bring the United States and Cuba closer together. “Today, our people are watching from the Island the presentations of this Festival and hope that this gesture of good will is kindly welcomed by the people of the United States,” he stated.
“Artes de Cuba: From the Island to the World” will feature presentations until the forthcoming June 3, and is already a unique opportunity to know the best of the arts from the largest island of the Antilles.