Successful closure of First Gallego Cuban Festival

With the artistic direction of Elba Torres, the Closing Ceremony of the First Festival of Cuban Gallego Cultural Integration, after his six days in Vilagarcía de Arosa, was held at its seat in the auditorium on Feb. 24, a date of historic significance for Cubans.

With a pleasant driving byElba Torres and the Vilagarcian comedian "Lorenzo", the night was a delight to present nuanced phrases and thoughts that pulled more than once very strong laughter and applause, all very typical from comic Cuban theater, those characteristic of typical characters: el negrito, la mulata y el gallego.

The poem Esta es Cuba, hermano by Anisia Miranda, with a faint background music of Bata drums and bagpipes, was responsible for the opening of the cultural gala with a voice in off, followed by the entrance of the legendary Yoruba orisha Eleggua walking and dancing between the public.

A good reception was that of the presentation of a classical Big Band, comprised of Cuban musicians and members of orchestras in Galicia, under the direction of Julio Cesar Lemus, and the participation of children and youth in Galicia belonging to the Cuban School of Dance Toma Son, who showed what they learned of the rhythm of Guaguanco dance, cha cha cha and baile de casino, displaying the tastiness of the island, as the most genuine Cuban.

Ernesto Rodríguez, a Cuban singer living in Germany, sang two of his pieces, one that will be included on his new album, along with singers Beverly Mojena and Orisbelys Laugart. And Oggun, the black god of war, metals, was the next presentation at night by entering dancing a clear demonstration of dance technique.

The group New Jazz brought its Jazz Fusion. Yuri Hernandez on trumpet and Edgar Fernando Rodriguez interpreted our world famous Guantanamera, with spectacular trumpet solos.

Some Cuban anthology songs like Lo que me queda por vivir; Ay Amor; Longina; Que te pedí; Perdóname conciencia; No me grites; La gloria eres tú; Dos Gradenias; Te quedarás y Lágrimas Negras were the delight of the night with the presence of “feeling singers”: Beverly Mojena, Manuel Collazo, Orisbely Laugart, Gretel and pianist Edgar Fernando Rodriguez, who made their performances as soloists or forming duos and trios.

Oshun, a voluptuous goddess of love and sensuality, full of her peculiar sweetness and bright gold, gave way to another part of the show with Olmert and his dance group Yo soy el Punto Cubano, the soloist Yael German, who played two regué-fusión, or the called Timba with Reggaeton.

The classical pianist, Master Alexander Vargas, played the most hard-nosed of jazz on New Orleans style, while was followed by Olmert group with Son de mi tierra and the singer Frank Velis.

To close the Gala, the Yoruba Orisha Chango came in to the saloon giving way to Alex and his group who seized the stage and the auditorium will with good Cuban music, and casino by all the dancers, who led the night musical climax, which made the audience adds to the show, not wanting to miss this special occasion.

The magnificent performance was permeated by long applause, cheers of Bravo!, and people danced and sang in the same way as people uses to do in the island. The Arousa auditorium became a real piece of Cuba in Galicia.

The organizers of the event with the direction of Leticia Pavón Oñate, thanked for having been able to count on the presence and support of the Consulate of Cuba in Santiago de Compostela in the person of Consul Dick Hernández Falcón, and other members of the diplomatic crue, as well as the unconditional cooperation of the Arousa Ministry of Culture.

The eternal brotherhood between the two peoples of Cuba and Galicia was highlighted once again, hopefully this chance will repeat many times.

(Taken from Trabajadores.cu; with thanks to Ms. Nieves Leonard Pie and Ramón Mtnez Iglesias)