The Sauto Theater’s Return to Cultural Life in Matanzas (I).
After eight months of internal studies on the building’s structures, relative humidity levels, temperatures, and internal and external conditions, summer arrived in Matanzas with good news.
After eight months of internal studies on the building’s structures, relative humidity levels, temperatures, and internal and external conditions, summer arrived in Matanzas with good news.
After the initial disappointment and legitimate questions given the mere six years since its reopening, following a restoration that spanned just over a decade; after the difficulties in locating essential materials and the necessary common sense regarding the distribution of scarce budgets and resources, a symbol of Matanzas is reborn.
After the exquisite work of two young people in restoring the emblematic Mural of the Muses, what some believed to be implausible is now a reality. The Sauto Theater has returned to Matanzas’ cultural life with a program that appeals to all audiences. Last Saturday’s performance by Jotabarrioz, an artist distinguished by popular taste, opened the doors of the largest cultural institution, with a large audience.
The main hall will remain open in the coming weeks with other offerings, including the premiere of Olimpo, by the young dancer and choreographer Daniel Alejandro Román Barrios of Danza Espiral.
“Olimpo stems from my desire since I was young, when I was studying, to create, to express my art to others, for them to get to know me. It’s based on the spirituality of our roots, the feeling of every human being. For me, Olimpo has become a family.
“It’s a nucleus that forms people, groups, taking it to the expression of our roots, without losing the essence of those Greek cultures, the images of the Greek gods, in complete harmony with Cuban culture. It’s a syncretism with the gods of our Yoruba religion, and that’s what I want to convey to the public.”
The work, which features Lilian Padrón in the lead role alongside seven dancers and original music by Lázaro Praga Roque, a student at the Professional Art School, will premiere today at 3:00 p.m.
The event will serve as a venue for the revival of works such as Los amantes and A las en punto, according to the Danza Espiral company’s communicator.
From the 17th to the 19th, the 13th Duendecillo de los Puentes Children’s Vocal Performance Competition will take place at the Matanzas Coliseum, according to Vladimir Pérez Padrón, director, producer, and manager of this initiative at the Bonifacio Byrne Municipal Cultural Center.
“The Festival is dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the birth of singer-songwriter Teresita Fernández, the 40th anniversary of Ediciones Vigía, because Ediciones Vigía has produced many books for children, and to Children’s Day.
“This year, 21 contestants arrived. It’s the year with the highest number of children participating. There are three categories: the preschool to third grade category, with four children; the fourth to sixth grade category, with eight children; and the seventh to ninth grade category, with nine children.”
«A grand prize will be awarded, along with prizes in each category, and the popularity award, presented by the public. Invited participants are sociocultural projects from our city, such as Maravillas de la Infancia (Childhood Wonders), Tocororo, the Donaire Spanish Ballet Academy, last year’s winning soloists, and the Gaby & Sofi company.»
Likewise, the children’s musical theater company La Colmenita, Arroyo Naranjo honeycomb, which will be presented in various municipalities of the province from the 16th, will close its tour during the closing ceremony of the Festival «and we will continue on Sunday the 20th celebrating Children’s Day, at 4 in the afternoon with the Abracadabra company, from Cienfuegos, which will be presented here for the second time, this time with the show Vidas, which has a design by the National Theater Award winner Zenén Calero Medina», added Kalec Acosta Hurtado, director of the Sauto theater.
Another event taking place at the Sauto Center will be the Rumba King Festival, which will open on July 24th at 5 p.m. «The first edition was held last year; this is the second.
«The program includes two master classes, on the 25th and 26th, at 10 a.m., in the Hall of Mirrors, led by national specialists. Then, on the 26th and 27th, the Cuban National Circus continues with the show «Magical Journeys.»
The organizers plan to offer a double performance, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., depending on the availability of electricity.
August will open with the presentation of another young artist, this time from Matanzas, who has had a great impact on the contemporary Cuban music scene. Bryan Sánchez will arrive at Sauto on August 2nd, at 5 p.m., to perform for the first time in Matanzas.
«I’m very eager to perform at Sauto. He has performed almost everywhere in the country, but he hadn’t performed in the city of Matanzas before. Then comes Circo La Rueda, our Matanzas circus, directed by Yoilén Sánchez, with his regular show, which tours all the city’s neighborhoods.»
“The Sauto Theater has always been known for its peñas, and we’re going to open one for Payaso Tareko, on the 7th and 21st, at three in the afternoon.”
Among the surprises for the eighth month of the year at the Matanzas coliseum, also supported by a significant number of requests from the public, is the double concert, on the 8th and 9th, by Ivette Cepeda, Acosta Hurtado adds. “The concert is already confirmed; it will be filmed and will be released on DVD and in a documentary that she will make from the Sauto Theater.
“It will have a huge audience, with new things and things that she’s been doing from the beginning.” One of the first places Ivette performed as a child, at thirteen years old, was at the Sauto Theater. The children’s sociocultural project Maravillas de la infancia, cultivador de sueños (Wonders of Childhood, Cultivator of Dreams), led by María Eugenia Romero, will celebrate its 24th anniversary on August 13th, also at the theater.
On the 16th at five in the afternoon, it will host the Failde Orchestra, Mariachi Los Coyotes, and Hilos mágicos (Magical Threads), «an emblematic children’s theater company that has been performing at our theater almost every two months.»
Other surprises featuring nationally renowned groups are also announced for late summer, as a prelude to the Varadero Josone Festival: Rumba, Jazz, and Son, which will be held from August 25th to 31st.
However, programming and other projects are already being worked on for the coming months. «We are going to dedicate the month of October to theater, both for children and adults.
«We will also collaborate with the filming of a movie. We are organizing all the remaining programming for September, October, November, and December.»
The executive also pointed out that the performance times were focused on the mornings and afternoons and detailed the reasons behind this decision.
«We have concentrated all the programming in the morning and afternoon slots, never in the evenings, due to energy issues and the transportation needs of the public and workers.
«We centralize the presentations between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. We are working on the programming directly with the recreation committee and are discussing it with the Matanzas Electric Company.
«The schedules may change depending on the country’s weekly energy situation, but we will always be in communication with the audience, to whom we are committed.»
Regarding pricing, Kalec specified that amateur shows will remain priced at 70 pesos in local currency, while professional shows will cost 100 pesos. Ticket offices will remain open for all performances, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. If tickets remain available, the public will be able to purchase them one hour before each performance.
Photos: Félix González
Written by Jessica Mesa.
