Dedicated to the bicentenary of the poet, novelist and playwright Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, the fifteenth National Theatre Festival of Camagüey will be held on October 4 through the 11, according to information provided to Oncuba by Freddys Estenoz Núñez, president of the event.
Twenty-nine plays, grouped into three thematic areas, will run on the theaters of the city, showing the public and the critics the most important plays of the Cuban scene in the last two years.
Thus, and Reality and Pálpito will gather contemporary productions, while Good Memory will recall performances featured in previous editions (including “Delirio Habanero” by Teatro de la Luna). Also, Nuevas Escrituras will include those made by and for young people.
The program includes paintings and photographic exhibitions, book presentations and meetings with critics. Stands out the first meeting of directors of festivals in Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to exchange ideas and schedule meetings between Cuban and foreign companies this year.
Nuñez explained that to achieve greater organization all functions are performed in the afternoons and evenings. In the morning in the Fénix hall of the reopened Casa Blanca movie the forums will take place, the premier of documentaries and other theoretical events. He also said that several groups will visit the towns of Minas, Sibanicú, Jimaguayú and Florida, as part of a tour designed to take the Festival to people away from the provincial capital.
The opening is scheduled for the evening of October 3 in the José Luis Tassende room and will be borne by the local Teatro del Viento, who will be presenting “The millionaire and the Suitcase”, a classic of Cuban literature, written by La Avellaneda in the nineteenth century.
Adapted for the occasion by the playwright Norge Espinosa, the work is not far from of our all-time daily and talks about certain human indignities, never banished by the Cubans. It’s a simple plot unleashed by the ambitions of a mother interested in getting a juicy marriage to one of her three daughters. The staging, by the Freddys, also has the master of costume design Laferté Nieves and luxury scenery by the accuracy of teachers Jesus Ruiz and Gabriel Hierrezuelo.
Collateral to the event and as part of the celebration of the bicentenary of the writer, researchers Luis Alvarez and Olga García Yero will give a lecture on the life of who is considered one of the foremost exponents of Hispanic literature.
The Ballet Folklorico of the province will present Sab, choreography inspired by the novel of the poet. The performance will be the 6th at nine pm in the Principal Theater. In the same place and time but on the 7th singer Luna Manzanares will perform. One night later attendees can laugh with intelligent humor by Kike Quiñones.
In addition to conventional sites, organizers have scheduled performances in squares and streets of the old town of Puerto Principe, today a World Heritage Site. This is the case of D´Morón Teatro, Andante (Bayamo) y Tecma (Pinar del Río) groups.
As it is ta radition, a Cafe Theatre will perform in the evenings and early mornings during the week of the Festival. Led by Cuban actor René de la Cruz (son), that activity will take place in the El Potro dining facility, located in Republic Street, near the Colon Hotel. There Kafé Verde and Teatro de la Luna groups will play as well, after 11 at night.
In interviews with several people in the city, Oncuba found the joy of the people of the nearby National Theatre Festival. Georgina Cabrera Reyes, a resident of the Historic Center, said she had participated in all the previous years, since its foundation. “After the Special Period many thought it would die, but fortunately it survived. And everyone will look eager for it, because this is a theater lover city, “she said.
In June 1983, through the efforts of the writer Rómulo Loredo, the city emerged as a platform to showcase the best theater productions of Cuba. By that date in session and the Festival of Havana, with international character, but the Camagüey proposal became ideal, because there was no scope for Cuban groups to play their creations.
According to Nuñez Estenoz, the 15th edition will be one of the largest in recent times. Since the plurality of art forms, the event bets on achieving greater integration between theatrical movements across the country. Exclusive to Oncuba the playwright recommended “Fíchenla si pueden” by Argos Teatro , ““Mundo de muertos” by Estudio Teatral Macubá and “Delirio Habanero”.
The performing arts come out of Havana again and reach the soft region of shepherds and hats, which impresses with its maze of streets, colonial buildings and the pride and culture of its people: everything is ready for the National Festival Theatre.
