Raul Attends Reopening of Havana's Grand Theater

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 2 (acn) Army General Raul Castro Ruz, President of the councils of State and Ministers, attended on Friday the gala dedicated to the triumph of the Cuban Revolution at the Alicia Alonso Gran Teatro de La Habana, which also marked the reopening of the emblematic center after three years of intense restoration works.

The gala included the staging of the so-called Classic Triptych, at the Federico Garcia Lorca Hall, under the general direction of prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso and the accompaniment of the Orchestra of the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater, conducted by Giovanny Duarte.
The show was composed of the pieces Giselle (Act I ) -choreographed by Alicia Alonso over the original by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot-, Swan Lake (Act II) -choreographed by Alicia Alonso over the original by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov-, and Coppelia (Act III) -choreographed by Alicia Alonso over the original by Arthur Saint-Leon and the version by Marius Petipa.
The gala of January 1st at the Grand Theater was also dedicated to all those who contributed to its restoration. Culture Minister Julian Gonzalez and Communications Minister Mainir Mesa were also present at the gala, among other personalities.
Since September, 2015, the center bears the new name of Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso, as agreed by the Cuban Council of State as an acknowledgement to the contribution made by the prima ballerina assoluta to Cuban and universal culture, for her love for her country and her loyalty to the Cuban Revolution.
Also, a sculpture of Alicia, who turned 95 on December 21, will be placed in the lobby of this cultural institution.
The Grand Theater is one of the oldest centers of its kind in Latin America. It was inaugurated on April 15, 1838 as Gran Teatro Tacon. It was initially built to host the Galician Center of Havana.