CubaPLUS Magazine

Cuban Son Day is being celebrated today across the island with grand festivities, featuring initiatives that honor a musical genre officially recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In Havana, the Teatro de Variedades América will host a gala titled “Mi son entero,” a performance where music, dance, and poetry converge. The evening will pay tribute to the tradition-bearers, performers, and communities that have kept the son alive throughout the years. The lineup includes performances by the Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro, Vania Borges, María Victoria, and Geydi Chapman, among other guest artists and companies.

A highlight of the event will be the official presentation of the certificate confirming the Cuban Son’s inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Indira Fajardo, president of the Cuban Institute of Music, will accept the diploma on behalf of the tradition-bearing communities.

Celebrations will extend to several provinces. In Matanzas, for instance, the Libertad Park will host the orchestras D’ Nuevo Son and Sonora Lira Matancera, accompanied by ruedas de casino and various cultural activities. 

Meanwhile, in Cienfuegos, the city’s boulevard and the portals of the Dionisio San Román Bookstore will feature a performance by the Conjunto de Sones Los Naranjos as part of their centennial celebrations, alongside musical jam sessions with the duo Así Son. The tribute to the Cuban Son in Cienfuegos will culminate this Saturday at the Prado, in front of the Benny Moré monument, with a performance by the group Son del Sur and a simultaneous nationwide rueda de casino display.

Villa Clara will also join the festivities with concerts and events across its municipalities. Friday’s program includes specialized talks at the Latin American Cultural Promotion Center and an evening screening of the film El Benny at Leoncio Vidal Park. Simultaneously, the Orquesta Guzmán y su Poder Latino will perform along the Santa Clara Malecón.

The festivities will continue into Saturday with a nationwide simultaneous performance of ruedas de casino in the main squares of every municipality across the country.

(Taken from Prensa Latina)