The Grand Theater of Havana Alicia Alonso or Gran Teatro de La Habana is a cultural complex consisting of several theaters. It is home to the National Ballet of Cuba, the National Lyric Theater and the Spanish Ballet of Cuba.
The current building opened in 1915, is the work of Belgian architect Paul Beleu. Here he was housed the old theater Tacon, one of the most luxurious of America. The theater, constructed in the beautiful building, was for many years
the largest and most luxurious in the country and its stage paraded
great figures of opera, ballet, operetta and musical revue.
The current building was opened in 1914 and is the work of Belgian architect Paul Beleu.
The site was acquired, along with the surrounding land, by the
Galician Center for Social build his palace in 1906. Built in
neo-Baroque style, modeled after the European Baroque buildings, so
abundant carvings and stone sculptures.
In
its main facade it has four white marble sculptures representing
allegories of Charity, Education, Music and Theatre, works of Giuseppe
Moretti. The items were placed in a balanced way, and balconies, windows,
cornices, the proportion of its towers and trim unit achieve an elegant
rhythm.
The theater was rebuilt in the beautiful building.
Since 1965 he is the permanent headquarters of the National Ballet of Cuba.
Since
1985, on the initiative of Alicia Alonso, the entire building was
renamed the Gran Teatro de La Habana, reserving the name "García Lorca"
for its main hall. Since 1960, the Gran Teatro de La Habana has been the main stage of
the International Ballet Festival of Havana, prestigious gathering of
dance in which dancers have participated from all continents.
Currently,
the Gran Teatro de La Habana welcomes the famous functions of the
National Ballet of Cuba, directed by prima ballerina assoluta Alicia
Alonso. In
addition, it hosts the International Ballet Festival of Havana, which
is an event in the world of dance, where dancers of the Royal Ballet of
London, La Scala in Milan, the New York City Ballet and Ballet presented
Colon Theatre, Argentina, among other major companies genre.
In
its rooms the public can enjoy the seasons of Centro Pro-Arte Lírico
with their programs of operas, zarzuelas, operettas and concerts; as well as interpretations of Spanish Ballet of Cuba and Promotion Center of Dance (PRODANZA).
In
September 2015, the State Council of the Republic of Cuba agreed,
exceptionally and in recognition of the contributions of Alicia Alonso
Cuban and universal culture, love of country and loyalty to the Cuban
Revolution, called the current Gran Teatro de La Habana as Gran Teatro de La Habana "Alicia Alonso".
He underwent major repairs between 2013 and 2015 and reopened on January 1, 2016.
The reconstructive work covered the entire property. Dueron they restored facades, lobbies, boxes, cover and tabloncillo. It
was also equipped the theater with new furniture, curtains, air
conditioning system, acoustics, stage mechanics, rehearsal rooms for
dancers and orchestra, a recording studio and more than 20 dressing
rooms and bathrooms, many places that previously existed in the building
and that they should not do with the culture system were removed.
The rescue was complete but respecting the original idea, and
technological resources employed have combined with criteria that
identifies heritage
The
most important of its spaces is the living now called Garcia Lorca
whose stage paraded companies and most significant figures of world art,
as the dancers Anna Pavlova and Alicia Alonso, actresses Sarah
Bernhardt and Eleonora Dusse, sopranos Adelina Patti and Victoria
de los Angeles, tenor Enrico Caruso, the "dancers" Carmen Amaya and
Antonio Gades, musicians Arthur Rubinstein and Sergei Rachmaninoff and
many other personalities of high international standing of the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
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