City of Matanzas 2024 International Poetry Festival opens with gala event.
The inaugural gala of Puentes Poéticos, International Poetry Festival City of Matanzas 2024, foreshadowed what this event will be for Cuba’s Athens.
The inaugural gala of Puentes Poéticos, International Poetry Festival City of Matanzas 2024, foreshadowed what this event will be for the Athens of Cuba, by offering an exquisite program, conceived from the show Concilio de las Aguas, in which, on this singular occasion, poetry, music and dance exalted their lordship in the José White Concert Hall.
The evening, with script and direction by Alfredo Zaldívar Muñoa, began with the performance of the group Nuestra América, directed by maestro Luis Llaguno and received a standing ovation for their interpretation of the popular piece Cantata, which gave way to the opening words, entitled Un nuevo puente para la ciudad in the voices of poets Maylan Álvarez and Israel Domínguez.
As a gift to the participants, the performance continued, as the poem La ciudad en los ojos, by Zaldívar, was heard, which prompted the legendary singer Anneris Cánovas to enter the stage with the melody Luna sobre Matanzas, by Frank Domínguez, accompanied on guitar by Vicente Hernández.
The emotion was heightened at the beginning of the round of poetry readings by Yumurinos Maylan Álvarez, Náthaly Hernández, Leymen Pérez, Daniel Cruz and Derbys Domínguez.
It was with the works of the National Literature Prizes, Nancy Morejón and her poem Mother next to the one entitled Yo te espero, by Miguel Barnet, to continue with the texts: Fobia, by the Palestinian Najwan Darwish; Prodigio, by the Argentinean Daniel Calabrese, as well as the verses Ante el menor descuido de la nieve…, by the Cuban Víctor Rodríguez Núñez, settled in the United States; the translation of the American Katherine M. Hedeen, of the text Rojo profundo and as a surprise a poetic message of the eternal friend of Matanzas, the American writer and photographer Margaret Randall.
The compositions of the Casa de las Americas Award winners Luis Lorente, Reinaldo García Blanco and Luis Manuel Pérez Boitel and of Roberto Méndez, Charo Guerra and Yunier Riquenes were also recited.
A special performance was given by Liliam Padrón and her choreography of the piece A una heroína de la Patria, with music by Sara González and verses by Fina García Marruz, dedicated to the extraordinary Haydée Santamaría.
Warm and melodious songs from various Latin American nations in the voice of Olga Margarita Muñoz, accompanied by Mario Guerrero, added luster to the show, which was once again joined by Nuestra América with its acclaimed pieces Cantares, Claustros de mármol and Let it be.
The José White Camerata, conducted by maestro Bienvenido Quintana, stood out for its excellence with a repertoire of scores from this region of the hemisphere, including Adiós, Nonino, Orange Blossom Special and Sambason.
Israel Domínguez offered a singular tribute to the poets who are no longer with an invocation to their unforgettable presence in the history of Matanzas.
The event was attended by Osbel Marrero, provincial director of Culture, Efrahím Pérez Izquierdo, director of the Provincial Center of Books and Literature, members of the presidency of UNEAC, the AHS and other personalities.
The inaugural gala of Puentes Poéticos, International Poetry Festival City of Matanzas 2024, concluded with the emotional declamation of Alfredo Zaldívar of the poem La tierra, emblematic work of our Carilda Oliver Labra.
She is a poet, writer, photographer, feminist activist and social activist. She is the author of more than 150 books of poetry, essays and oral history.
Written by María Elena Bayón.
