Page 282 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

280  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

ENTERTAINMENT

The possibilities for lively enter tainment hosting perfor mances of traditional music.
are diverse in a country where there is Visitors opting for a vacation at Cuba’s
tremendous love of music, dance and many all-inclusive beach resorts will find
theatrical display. Ballet, theatre, concerts, canned entertainment mostly per formed
festivals and sporting activities are in full by hotel staff. Beyond the resorts, any
swing all year round. In most major cities, street corner may easily be turned into
there are theatres and concert spaces, and an improvised dance floor with just
even in the smallest towns you will find a the help of a CD player, and discos
Casa de la Cultura or Casa de la Trova, abound everywhere.

Travelling symphonies can
be heard at Santiago’s Teatro
Heredia; the more intimate
Sala de Conciertos Dolores
is the seat of the Orquesta
Sinfónica de Oriente, as well as
a venue for smaller ensembles.

Folk and Traditional
Music
Traditional Afro-based music
and dance thrives in the
provinces and is particularly
strong in Oriente and Trinidad,
Restored façade of Teatro La Caridad in Santa Clara where visitors should look for
splendid African-derived per-
Information and Tickets
theatre is particularly active formances by the Conjunto
Major tourist hotels distribute during the Fiesta del Fuego in Folklórico de Trinidad, which also
brochures free of charge, but July (see p39). The Teatro performs Bantu and Yoruba
usually these refer only to the Papalote company, in Matanzas, dances outside Cuba, as does
costliest tourist venues, and performs in its own theatre and Trinidad’s Cocoró y su Aché,
general information on cultural is acclaimed nation wide. The which performs at the Palenque
happenings and locales is scant. world-famous Grupo Teatro de los Congos Reales. Trinidad
A good online resource is Escambray performs in rural holds a Semana de la Cultura
Cubarte: The Portal of Cuban communities. Other major (Culture Week) each January,
Culture at www.cubarte- venues include the Teatro when madrugadas, songs sung
english.cult.cu; try also www. Tomás Terry, in Cienfuegos; in the streets, are performed.
cubaabsolutely.com. Tickets the restored Teatro La Caridad, Holguín’s Semana de la Cultura is
for major cabarets and inter- in Santa Clara; and the Teatro perhaps Cuba’s most vibrant.
national events can be bought Principal, in Camagüey. Santiago is the home of the
at hotel tour desks. Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente.
In the courtyard of the Museo
Ballet and Classical
Theatre Music del Carnaval, rehearsals of
Regional theatre is more Founded in 1967, the
restrained than in Havana. acclaimed Ballet de Camagüey
An exception is Santiago – presents world-class classical
its more than a dozen theatre dance productions in the
companies include several Teatro Principal (see Theatre).
experimental ones that, for Camagüey is also home to
years, have boldly sought new the Ballet Folklórico de
forms of expression. These Camagüey, one of Cuba’s
can be seen at the Van Troi/ foremost troupes. In the
Cabildo Teatral Santiago hall. Oriente, Ballet Folklórico
The José Martí theatre is more Babul is based at the Teatro
traditional, while the El Mambí Guaso in Guantánamo.
presents some shows aimed Most provincial capitals have
at children. The modern and theatres where classical music Performance by the acclaimed Ballet
prestigious José María Heredia performances are hosted. Folklórico de Camagüey

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