What’s On Havana, listings and reviews of cultural events in Havana, updated monthly, Havana events and schedules and timetables for nightlife and cultural events

Music

	Peña de la Trova El Hombre del Río Anfiteatro del parque Almendares Avenida 47 y 24, Playa Tel. +(53) 7 205 1237	Thu 6 Sep, 8:30 pm
	Performances by trovador Frank Delgado and guests, including the popular actor Osvaldo Doimeadiós; composer, singer and guitar player, Yusa, one of the most interesting musical figures in Cuba today who plays trova, jazz and son and has toured extensively internationally; George, Willy and Waldo, members of Los Kents, a band founded late in the 1960s which made a comeback in 2000 with their own versions of American and British rock classics.

	Concert by guitarist Luis Manuel Molina Sala Caturla of the Amadeo Roldán Theatre Calzada y D, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 4521/22	Sat 8 Sep, 6:00 pm
	Concert by the versatile Cuban guitarist Luis Manuel Molina whose repertory goes from the baroque to the best contemporary rock.

	Concert by Santiago Feliú Sala Covarrubias del Teatro Nacional Paseo y 39, El Vedado Tel.+(53) 7 870 4655 / 879 6011	Sat 8 and Sun 9 Sep, 8:30 pm .
	Concert by trovador Santiago Feliú, one of the best liked figures of contemporary Cuban song, thanks to a combination of lyricism and intensity, of continuity with a centenary trova tradition, and fidelity to the ethical and emotional concerns of the world today.

	Concert by Gerardo Alfonso and his band Anfiteatro de La Habana Vieja Avenida del Puerto entre Cuba y Peña Pobre Tel. +(53) 7 860 6282	Sat 8 Sep, 9:00 pm
	Concert by popular trovador Gerardo Alfonso and his band, whose songs, nonconformist and demystifying, whether dedicated to Ernesto Che Guevara or to Havana, have become true hymns for Cuban youth.

	Concert by singer Anabel López Edificio de Arte Cubano, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Trocadero entre Zulueta y Monserrate, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 3858 / 862 0140 / 863 9484.	Thu 13 Sep, 7:00 pm .
	Concert by singer Anabel lópez, who with her beautiful timbre and perfect tuning, centres her repertory in the Cuban trova, from classical traditional pieces to songs by her bother, singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez, to the most recent production of Cuban composers.

	Concert with works by composer Leo brouwer Basílica Menor del Convento de San Francisco de Asís Oficios y Churruca, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 9683	Sat 15 Sep, 6:00 pm .
	Concert with works by composer Leo Brouwer, one of the greatest Cuban musicians of all time, with the performance of Solistas de La Habana and flutist Niurka González, who was awarded first prize at the Paris Conservatory, conducted by maestro Iván Valiente and Leo Brouwer himself, an excellent opportunity to see him conducting his own works.

Baroque September
(Organized by Conjunto de Música Antigua Ars Longa)
Iglesia de San Francisco de Paula Alameda de Paula, La Habana Vieja

Tel. +(53) 7 860 42 10

Fri 14, 21,28, Sat 15, 29 Sep, 7:00 pm .

	Friday 14 Sep	Europa 1700, a concert with works by Corelli, Vivaldi and Händel, among other composers by the early music ensemble El Gremio, directed by Alain Alfonso, and guest performers, soprano Milagro de los Ángeles and violinists Desirée Bustos and Frank Berenguer.
	Saturday 15 Sep	In Una mirada perdida al Barroco, the early music ensemble Cantiga Armónica, directed by Natasha Prado, will perform an unsuaul repertory for Cuba with works by Giovanni Paolo Cima, Jean Baptiste Loeillet de Gant, Benedetto Marcelo, Friedrich Gottlieb Klingenberg and Fortunato Chelleri.
	Friday 21 Sep	Abraham Castillo, a member of Ars Longa, together with the Camerata Concierto Barroco, will perform pieces by Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello, Johann Dismas Zelenka, Händel and Vivaldi.
	Friday 28 Sep	Ars Longa, conducted by its director, Teresita Paz, will perform 17th and 18th-century European concerts and cantatas.
	Saturday 29 Sep	Performance by Solistas de La Habana and flutist Niurka González, conducted by Iván Valiente, with a repertory based on pieces by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Telemann and Vivaldi.

Concerts by the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional
Sala Roldán del teatro Amadeo Roldán Calzada y D, El Vedado

Tel. +(53) 7 832 4521 al 22

Fri 14, 21,28, Sat 15, 29 Sep, 7:00 pm .

	Sunday 9 Sep	Concerto for three trumpets and orchestra by G. F. Telemann; Concerto for trumpet and orchestra by H. Genzmer, and Symphony No. 2, by J. Sibelius, with soloists Emilio Heredia, Jorge Rubio (Cuba) and Mathias Kampf (Germany), conducted by maestro Enrique Pérez Mesa (Cuba).
	Sunday 16 Sep	Piano Concerto No. 1 by P. I. Tchaikovsky with pianist Willanny Darias Martínez (Cuba), and the Fifth Symphony by D. Shostakovich, both conducted by guest conductor Eduardo Sánchez Zuberg (Mexico).
	Sunday 23 Sep	Overture by Teresa Núñez; Tres chalupas para orquesta by Víctor Agudelo; Concerto No. 1 for piano and orchestra by A. Ginastera, and Symphony No. 1 by J. Sibelius, performed by pianist Blanca Uribe and conducted by Cecilia Espinosa, both from Colombia.

	Batalla de los Gallos. Salon Rosado de La Tropical Benny More	7 September 6, 2007, Starts at 8 PM Entrance cost 10 Pesos Cubanos. .
	Best Cuban Rapper - Finals This is the 4th year of this event at which some Cuba 's best hip hop / dj's are expected to be present at and an impressive jury including top DJ Raciel and animation of Edgaro from Doble Filo.The prize for the winner is a trip to Caracas ( this year city chosen , last year was Bogotá) where will be held the Final event, in which each country that is participating, goes with it best MC (rapper) to meet the Challenge. This is called Batalla de los Gallos.

Dance

Season of Danza Contemporánea de Cuba
Sala García Lorca, Gran Teatro de La Habana Prado entre San José y San Rafael, Centro Habana

Tel. +(53) 7 861 3077-79

Friday and Saturday, 8:30 pm
Sunday, 5:00 pm

	Saturday 1st Sunday 2	Folía, choreographed by Jan Linkens, a recreation of the extravagant behaviour of the dancers, which owes its name to an old popular dance of Portuguese origin; and the world premiere of Demo-/ Crazy by Catalan choreographer Rafael Bonachela, a tribute to composer and guitarist Sergio Vitier, former director of the company during the 1980s; to composer José María Vitier who has written several pieces especially for the company; and to the siblings' parents, poets and essayists Fina García Marruz and Cintio Vitier.
	Friday 7, Saturday 8 Sunday 9	La lluvia cae con el viento, choreographed by Julio César Iglesias in collaboration with the dancers, and Demo-/ Crazy.
	Friday 14, Saturday 15 Sunday 16	El rapto de las mulatas, a tribute to the Cuban painters of the first avant garde of the 20th century, choreographed by Isidro Rolando; La ecuación, by George Céspedes; and Restaurante El Paso, by Julio César Iglesias, an appropriation of the dance-theatre codes.

	Season of Conjunto Folclórico Nacional (on the occasion of the company's 45th anniversary and the reopening of the Mella Theatre) Teatro Mella Calle Línea entre A y B, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 830 4987	From the 1st of September, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 pm; Sundays, 5 pm for three weeks.
	The program, with pieces by members of the Conjunto Folclórico Nacional and works by choreographers of other dance ensembles as a tribute to the company, includes: Dahomeñó-dances and songs from the ancient region of Dahomey which have been preserved in Cuba for centuries-choreographed by Manolo Micler, current director of the Conjunto Folclórico Nacional; El río y el monte, which recreates myths from the yoruba religion, by Alberto Méndez, one of the most important choreographers of Cuban classical ballet; Raíces, by Danny Villalonga, in which he reveals unimagined ties between flamenco and Cuban folklore; Ayaba, by Manolo Micler, dedicated to Oyá, one of the deities of the yoruba pantheon; Cocon-congueando, a tribute by Lizt Alfonso, choreographer and dancer of Spanish folk dances, to the company; Dichosos los que bailan, by Isidro Rolando; Ave María la rumba, by Pancho González; and Homenaje by Santiago Alfonso.

	Memory Wax Theatre Company Sala Las Carolinas, home of Danza-Teatro Retazos Amargura 61 entre San Ignacio y Mercaderes, La Habana Vieja	Fri 7, Sat 8 and Sun 9, 7:30 pm
	Performances by Memory Wax-a dance and theatre company founded by Swedish Johanna Jonasson and Cuban Miguel Azcue in the city of Malmö, Sweden in 2004-of Desert and Fingerprint, two works which are representative of the company's aesthetics based on the "simplicity.of movement.and the uniqueness of the individuals and the need for contact and love."

Theatre

	Blood Wedding by Federico García Lorca Noveno piso del Teatro Nacional Paseo y 39, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 870 4655 / 879 6011	Sat 1, 8, 15; Fri 7, 14; Sun 2, 9, 16 Sep, 8:30 pm
	The Máscara Laroye and Carreta de Tespis theatre companies rerun the successful version of Federico García Lorca's tragedy Bodas de sangre [Blood Wedding], a story of jealousy and death whose characters are torn between love, hate and vengeance.

	Comedy show Aquicualquier@ Sala Adolfo Llauradó Calle 11 entre D y E, El Vedado Tel.: +(53) 7 832-5373	Tue 11, 18; Wed 12, 19; Thu 13, 20 Sep, 6:00 pm
	Osvaldo Doimeadiós, an excellent actor of wide range, will be performing in ,Aquicualquier@, a one-man comedy show in which he plays several characters that he has made popular on TV with funny yet thought-provoking monologues, songs and jokes.

	Si vas a comer, espera por Virgilio Sala Adolfo Llauradó Calle 11 entre D y E, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 832-5373	From 7 Sep, Fri and Sat, 8:30 pm Sun 5:00 pm
	Rerun of the prizewinning play Si vas a comer, espera por Virgilio by José Milián, one of the most important contemporary Cuban playwrights. The play delves into the personality of also playwright Virgilio Piñera, a controversial figure of Cuban culture during the second half of the 20th century and cult writer for many young Cuban intellectuals.

	Retratos Sala Covarrubias del Teatro Nacional Paseo y 39, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 870 4655 / 879 6011	Fri 14, Sat 15, 8:30 pm; Sun 16 Sep 5 pm
	The Rita Montaner theatre company presents Retratos, a play directed Fernando Quiñones, and written by young Cuban playwright Lilian Susel Zaldívar de los Reyes. The play, which received the 2006 Drama Award from the Royal Court of London, reflects on such concepts as 'homeland' and 'family' drawing on the character of a young woman who has been living abroad and on a visit to her country, decides to stay.

	Rico, a monologue Sala Argos Teatro Ayestarán y 20 de Mayo, El Cerro	7-16 Sep, Fri and Sat, 8:30 pm; Sun, 5:00 pm
	Teatro del Caballero reruns the monologue Rico, a version of Bruno Storni's El gran cuento, where the character-superbly played by José Antonio Alonso, who is also responsible for the play's production-tells episodes of Homer's immortal Odyssey at a train station.

	Teatro Nacional de Guiñol Calle M entre 19 y 21, El Vedado +(53) 7 832 6267 ⁄ 8292 Every Friday and Sunday of the month	Productionn of Animales extraordinarios by the Naku company from Venezuela, directed by Sonia González.

	Sala Hubert de Blanck Calzada 65, entre A y B, El Vedado +(53) 7 830 1011 4, 5, 6 Sep, 6:00 pm	The Caucasian Chalk Circle by German playwright Bertolt Brecht, performed by the Latao theatre company of Brazil.
	Sala Avellaneda del Teatro Nacional Paseo y 39, El Vedado +(53) 7 870 4655 / 879 6011 21, 22, 23 Sep, 6:00 pm	Teatrela from Venezuela will be presenting the play Jardín de pulpos, directed by Costa Palmires.
	Sala Avellaneda del Teatro Nacional Paseo y 39, El Vedado +(53) 7 870 4655 / 879 6011 28, 29, 30 Sep, 6:00 pm	Performances by Río Teatro dircted by Francisco Denys.
	Casa de la Obrapía Calle Obrapía entre Mercaderes y San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja +(53) 7 861 3097 28, 29, 30 Sep, 8:00 pm	The Compañía Nacional de Teatro from Venezuela will be presenting Aquel Faustino Parra, a play directed by Guillermo Díaz Llama.
	Sala Adolfo Llauradó Calle 11 entre D y E, El Vedado +(53) 7 861 3097 28, 29, 8:30 pm; 30, 5:00 pm	The Taller Experimental de Teatro de Venezuela presents La noche de Moonblue.
	Sala El Sótano Calle K, entre 25 y 27, El Vedado +(53) 7 832 0630 28, 29, 8:30 pm; 30, 5:00 pm	Mujer on the border, a one-woman show by Mexican actress Marta Aura.

Visual Arts

	Galería Galiano Calle Galiano esquina a Neptuno, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 862 5365
	Exhibition Falsotecho, sculptures and oil paintings by artist Tomás Núñez, which express the need of all human beings of having a roof over their heads and the anguish that arises when looking for one or losing one.

	Villa Manuela Calle H entre 15 y 17, El Vedado Tel. +(53) 7 832 2391
	Collective exhibition with works by important Cuban sculptors, including Tomás Lara, Consuegra, Quintanilla, Eliseo Valdés, and José Villa Soberón, author of emblematic pieces in Havana, such as the Caballero de París and John Lennon.

	Edificio de Arte Cubano, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Trocadero entre Zulueta y Monserrate, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 861 3858 / 862 0140 / 863 9484	Desde el lunes 18 de junio.
	Exhibit by painter and ceramist Pedro Pablo Oliva, one of the most important contemporary Cuban artists, whose artistic world is a mixture of reality, dreams and fantasies displayed in technically skilled and delicate suggestive works.

	Taller Experimental de la Gráfica Callejón del Chorro 6, Plaza de la Catedral, La Habana Vieja Tel. +(53) 7 862 0979	A partir del 29.
	Personal exhibition of painter, engraver and graphic designer Pedro de Oraá, whose works in the arts have gone from concretism to abstraction to an approach to figuration.

	Centro Hispano-Americano de Cultura Malecón 17, entre Prado y Genio, Centro Habana Tel. +(53) 7 860 6282
	Organized by the Letras Cubanas publishing house, Almas comunes is an exhibition of works by important Cuban artists who have contributed their drawings in many of their books, including Zayda del Río, Pedro Pablo Oliva, Arturo Montoto and José Luis Fariñas.

Events

	Varadero Jam Session Plaza América, with subvenues at Casa de la Música, Mambo Club, Club de Jazz and Hotel Internacional, all in Varadero; and the Sauto theatre in Matanzas	From 6-9 September
	Presided by Chucho Valdés, considered one of the best pianists in the world, the event will gather the most important jazz players of Cuba in a spectacular improvisation fete. According to Chucho, 'this will be a true fusion of musicians from different bands with a view to make the best music with young talents and experienced performers' in descargas-a term introduced during the 1940s as a way of 'cubanizing' the American jam session-with the performance of outstanding jazz performers as well as other genres of Cuban music, including jazz vocalist Mayra Caridad Valdés, gospel singer Lázaro Morúa, tumpet player Yasek Manzano, pianist Ernán Lopez-Nussa, flutist and band leader José Luis Cortés (El Tosco), showman Bobby y jazzman Robertico Carcassés, guitar player Elmer Ferrer, ensembles Afrocuba, Bamboleo, Havana Ensemble and the Todos Estrellas JoJazz under the direction of Roberto Martínez, and a number of international guests. In a press conference, Chucho Valdés, son of pianist and composer Bebo Valdés, announced that the International Jazz festival will be held now in the month of February as when it began in 1980 to celebrate Saint Valentine's Day. The Jam Session welcoming ceremony will be held on the 5th in Varadero with AfroCuba and Mestizaje, and will be dedicated to Ochún and Yemayá, goddesses of the yoruba pantheon

	Festival Internacional de Música Popular Benny Moré Santa Isabel de las Lajas, province of Cienfuegos, with subvenues in the cities of Cienfuegos and Havana	From 19-23 september
	Orchestras and soloists from Cuba and other countries get together for five days to sing and dance in homage to Benny Moré (1919-1963), a legend of Cuban music, admired by Cubans not only for his talent as singer, composer and bandleader, but also for his warmth, unpretentiousness and a touch of eccentricity. Founded in 1980 and now sponsored by the extraordinary Cuban flutist Orlando Valle (Maracas), the festival includes tours to Benny's hometown, Santa Isabel de las Lajas, to which he dedicated one of his most popular songs. Lectures and exhibitions also accompany the good music played by famous Cuban groups which will turn Lajas and the nearby city of Cienfuegos into gigantic dancing floors.

	Cultural Days of Mexico in Cuba From 12 September to 5 October	From 19-23 september
	From the 12th of September to the 5th of October, as has become customary, a number of cultural activities will take place commemorating the anniversary of the Grito de Dolores, date which marks the onset of the Mexican independence wars in the 18th century. This multifaceted event dedicated to Mexican culture will include a colloquium on painter Frida Kahlo (12-14 Sep) on the 2000th anniversary of her birth, and Viva la vida: Frida, an exhibition of more than fifty pieces of Mexican artists, both at the Casa de las Américas. Meanwhile, at the Sala Covarrubias of the Teatro Nacional, the Mexican actress Ofelia Medina will be performing Cada quien con su Frida, from 21-23 September. At the Arte Universal building of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the exhibition Homenaje a México with works from the museum’s own collections of the great muralists Diego Rivera, who was Frida’s partne in life; David Alfaro Sequeiros; and José Clemente Orozco will open on 12 September. Also, the spotlight will be turned on the artistic manifestations of the state of Zacatecas with musical and dance shows (13 Sep, 5pm, at the Casa-Museo Benito Juárez, and 15 Sep, 9pm, at the Anfiteatro de La Habana Vieja); a guitar concert by Kanari (12 Sep, 7pm at the Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís); and an exhibition that includes ceramics, engravings and photographs from the Mexican state (from 13th Sep, also at the Casa-Museo Benito Juárez).

Cinema

	Sala Charles Chaplin Calle 23 entre 10 y 12, El Vedado Tel.+(53) 7 831 1011
	The Cinemateca de Cuba announces for this month several series dedicated to contemporary Chilean cinema, the best European shorts and animated films of 2006, director Milos Forman, Portuguese cinema, actress Katherine Hepburn, contemporary Spanish cinema and a week of Brazilian films.