Culture in Havana: Pull off the beaten track!

For: Diego Cobo (text and photos)
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I think it would be too risky to claim that Havana is the city where the culture is more available to the population. New York has its Broadway and Buenos Aires, your street Corrientes; Madrid, its booming Gran Via and, in London, Picadilly explodes in colors at sunset. And the Cuban capital? Located at various points in the city, but often concentrated in the same areas, There are several scenarios in which they develop many cultural events, from concerts to plays through ballet, painting exhibitions and movie premieres.

Travel Guides, the recommendations and, in the end, circulating information for visitors is limited mostly to many places where it is common to find many other tourists seeking such as Cuban expressions that abound, but they do not cover all the cultural. Serve as an example: if someone is given a tour of the main street Old Havana end humming that of "going for Alto Cedro Marcané, I get to Cueto and I'll Mayari "undoubtedly. If you extend the walk, sneaks into a bus and go through Centro Habana, it is more likely to change the tune and note himself infected by one of the ubiquitous ballads-or-reggaeton songs flooding the spirit of youth. Y if attached to a Cuban friend, will end up in a great concert or fusion rap music. True, the restaurant exude melody and echoes are and bolero, with musicians playing live piezo.

Injusto would leave Cuba and asociarla, only, sus the Caribbean rhythms

But injusto would leave Cuba and asociarla, only, to these Caribbean rhythms. This large hay Young componiendo quite rap-acid, certainly, the times-; buenos troubadours who can sign it into Listen House of Music the, in summer, in Cuba Pavilion; Other styles in addition to the categorization difficult and diverse influences. As Cuba are as Compay Segundo Silvio; Raul Paz as he Group Interactive. Aunque parezca obvious, is like saying that in Spain the predominant music is flamenco.

If I learn these things is because in Havana, rather touristy city, seems that for foreign-more than in other places I know, included Spain- culinary routes, cultural and leisure are more than indicated. And all lead to the same places!

Havana routes gastronomic routes, cultural and leisure activities for tourists are more marked than in Spain

Concerts and shows in places like The Cat Eye, The Fox and the Crow or the legendary Tropicana happen to be of worship in Havana ... for foreigners. They are rather elitist sites. In exchange, cultural life for the average Cuban, or to the resident who prefer integrated, is very different: while Pablo Milanes recently acted in a luxury hotel for a select audience for European price, weeks before it did in the Karl Marx, an impressive theater 5.000 armchairs and a local price, namely, very affordable.

The Palenque, headquarters of the national folk ensemble or both Houses of Music; institutions as La Casa de las Americas or ALBA house; book fair, held in February and a singularity great ... are just some of the alternatives to the recurring tour is announced in hotels and on word of mouth of tourists on the island.

Cuba summer

In the month of July has been presented in the Trianon Theater, in Vedado, the play "The Garden of the cherry", Chekhov. The price of admission is 20 Cuban pesos, something less than a dollar. By, in Raquel Revuelta, interpreted "Story of a Caba-yo", at the same price. In front of the theater is the Mella, in which children exhibit small works, As in other Calzada street theater, parallel.

At the National Theatre in the García Lorca, abroad will input taxed with a higher price

Although in certain presentations, as in the National Theatre or García Lorca, abroad (not the resident, like me) input taxed him with a higher price, contemplate works of art in these conditions is truly enviable. Works in Madrid would cost me 50 the 60 euros and here I can enjoy for two euros! To this is added a more palatable, without the manners and social connotations ("To see and be seen", by Larra) of these events in Spain.

Nothing we have said of the movie premieres in theaters that occur on the street 23, the avenue in which stands the Habana Libre hotel (the month of April was the French Film Festival with considerable success) and a small price; National Ballet of Cuba and other great companies, frequently, tour in Spain and around the world; painting exhibitions, Outdoor concerts, the local music circuit and the multitude of activities that is easy to find on the walk around the city. The tourist season does not stretch much more than the Easter and resumes back in December, with the soft and warm breath of the sea. In exchange, there are fewer foreigners, prices fall and the beaches are filled with Cubans, except in those places "reserved" for tourists sleeping in great hotels.

The Chaplin film or Yara are fascinating places to see the last film of the Coen or the first film he has directed Jorge Perugorría

Despite the heat and the occasional threat of thunderstorms, I think it may be a good time to address the show centered perspective. And not just for shelter from the steaming summer reality: spend the morning in the Museum of Fine Arts or the Revolution. Somehow, many of the scenarios where all this activity takes place are exciting architectural gems that stand the test of time sometimes with dignity, other wistfully and always with a beautiful shine decadent but impossible to observe because in other countries, absorbed by commercial cinemas. The film Chaplin or the Yara are fascinating places to see the last film of the Coens and the first film he has directed Jorge Perugorría, the universal actor Cuba.

Havana is a cultural universe that is often unknown, although there may be a small obstacle: meet the vast programming activities. Nothing that is not exceeded with interest in learning and listening to the radio, see some newspapers and watch news. And, especially, asking.

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Comments (1)

  • AGUSTIN CHALER

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    CULTURALLY MAYBE YOU LACK THE CENTRAL CEMETERY, PORQUE ARTISTICAMENTE ES UNA PASADA, NADA QUE ENVIDIAR A OTROS MUNDIALMENTE FAMOSOS…A HUG!!

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