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CULTURE AND TOURISM
From rumba to Swan Lake
BY FELIX LOPEZ
—Special for Granma International—
The
young prince Siegfried celebrates his birthday with
a party in the palace gardens. Nobility and village
people alike turn out to congratulate him¼The queen
presents her son with a beautiful bow and set of
arrows and reminds him he is now at the age to be
wed. Five beautiful princesses are to be introduced
to him during the dance, and he must choose one of
them as a wife; news that Siegfried reluctantly
accepts.
On
his mother’s departure, the jester and some of the
village folk distract the suffering prince with
joyful dancing. As night falls and the guests are
leaving, a flight of swans flies over the gardens.
Siegfried, fascinated by their appearance, picks up
his bow and, accompanied by some of the noblemen
acting as guides, heads towards the forest following
the birds’ flight¼
Thus, on stage, Swan Lake has enchanted
generations of spectators, since the day that Petipa
and Ivanov presented this memorable gift to the
world of classical ballet. But no less beautiful (or
difficult) is the version by Danza Azul, the aquatic
ballet company directed by Naivy Herrera Rivero,
that recently premiered at the swimming pool at the
Habana Libre Tryp, a member of the Sol Melía group
and the Gran Caribe chain.
There, under the moonlight and in the midst of an
almost solemn silence, visitors from diverse nations
and speaking a range of languages enjoy a
first-class show every weekend, in a hotel
environment that brings together the work of
well-known painters, sculptors and ceramists from
the island. And the music, with its unmistakable
sense of “Cuban-ness”, descends from the Salón
Turquino where, aside from live bands, the first
school of Cuban dances is about to open.
CULTURE
AS A DESTINATION
Cuba
– a peaceful, wholesome and safe tourist destination
– also boasts an invaluable cultural treasure trove
that, besides acting as an ambassador for our
identity, is increasingly becoming an essential
component of the country’s tourist options.
Cultural projects are currently underway at all
tourist facilities; an activity that started in the
capital and the resort of Varadero and originates in
the efforts of the National Union of Cuban Artists
and Writers (UNEAC), the Ministries of Culture and
Tourism and their respective national unions, so
that visitors are offered the finest and most
authentic examples of Cuban art.
Last
October, speaking before the National Assembly of
People’s Power, the Minister of Culture acknowledged
that the number of tourists arriving for festivals
and national and international cultural events had
grown; the result of greater coordination between
tourist institutions and organizations, whilst
warning that international promotion and marketing
of those events were still insufficient.
Something similar is taking place in relation to
tourist visits to museums, one of the most popular
activities in terms of international tourism. From
1999 to the first semester of 2003 alone, more than
two million foreigners have visited our museums, a
figure that is still considered low in comparison
with the number of arrivals during this time period.
More
impressive is the quality of design and atmosphere
created in hotels and other tourist facilities,
thanks to the participation of well-known artists.
Between 2002 and 2003 alone, 53 hotels and other
establishments – mainly in the capital – were
redesigned, with over 400 artists taking part.
BEHIND
THE AQUATIC SCENES
Elen
Hesse applauds loudly and tells us in her recently
learned Spanish that in Canada that tickets to see
the aquatic show of Swan Lake would have cost
her at least $50. She is impressed by the
performers’ profound understanding of the style,
their expressive gestures and the theatrical
techniques used. “Cubans are wonderful”, she
concluded.
Behind the scenes, in an improvised dressing room,
director Naivy Herrera and the 20 members of Danza
Azul are removing their costumes – designed by
Abraham – and drying themselves off. The clocks are
about to chime midnight. And Silverio Ramos, head of
the swimming pool area at the Habana Libre Tryp
Hotel tells us that each day these young artists
devote hours of their time to the choreography,
their physical preparation and finish performing
late at night.
“It
is difficult,” confesses Naivy, “but nothing beats
the applause from the audience.” There is also
impeccable scenery and choreography by Roxana de los
Rios and she tells us about the company members, how
each comes from an aquatic sports background.
And whilst the audience leaves
behind this magical world to which they have been
transported, Juan Carlos Alonso, head of activities
at the Habana Libre Tryp Hotel talks to journalists
about cultural options for the coming week, which
once again include (free of charge) the classic
story of Odette, Odile, Prince Siegfried and the
enchanter Rothbart: the leading figures in Swan
Lake.
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