La Lira Matancera Celebrates the Declaration of Son as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
«I feel that the Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood has been essential to the rise of this genre, with the Matanzas touch that characterizes us»
The Sonora Lira Matancera joined the national celebration of the declaration of Son, a danceable musical genre, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
At the start of the concert in Parque de la Libertad, Olga Blanco, director of the Rafael Somavilla Music Company, highlighted the significance of this event in a region like Matanzas, so rich in the creation and promotion of diverse rhythms within the world’s musical universe.
In an interview with Radio 26, Carmelo Marrero, director of the century-old Sonora Lira Matancera, answered our question about the importance of this event.
“Son traveled from East to West and took root in every region, as Naborí would say; thus we have the Sancti Spíritus style, the Isle of Youth style, and our significance lies in its development into an orchestral format.
“I feel that the Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood has been essential to the rise of this genre, with the distinctive Matanzas touch that characterizes us.”
During the concert, the popular orchestra offered a selection of its repertoire, illustrating this style.
The Sonora Lira Matancera celebrates the inscription of the Practice of Cuban Son, effective December 10th, 2025, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Written by María Elena Bayón.
