Cultural institution unveils bust of Tchaikovsky at Havana Theater

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec. 22 (ACN) The Marti Theater in Old Havana hosted the unveiling ceremony of a bust of Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, commemorating the 185th anniversary of his birth. Representatives from Cuban and Russian cultural institutions were present, according to the Facebook profiles of the Russian Embassy to Cuba and the Russian House in Havana.

The Russian House in the capital organized the event, which was attended by Sergei Parkhomenko, Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy, ​​and Inna Chetiy, representative of Rossotrudnichestvo.

Representing Cuba were Perla Rosales, Deputy Director of the Office of the City Historian, and Geober Guibert Pardo, Director of International Relations at the Ministry of Culture.

Marcos Rodriguez, director of the Teatro Marti, headed the list of honored guests, along with pianist Frank Fernandez, prima ballerina and director of the National Ballet of Cuba, Viengsay Valdes, maestro Laura Alonso, director of the Teatro Lirico Yosvany Duarte, musician Cesar Lopez, and Orthodox priest Savva.

Parkhomenko declared that Tchaikovsky's work constitutes universal cultural heritage and emphasized that in Cuba, Russian music is maintained as an artistic expression without discrimination.

Chetiy presented the results of the cultural and humanitarian work of the Russian House on the Island and thanked the Cuban institutions for their support of this project, carried out with the collaboration of Russian traveler Yuri Volkov.

Tatiana Maximenkova, representative of the Russian community, underscored the importance of the historical cultural relations between Russia and Cuba as a bridge of friendship between the two people.

The Fuente Viva Youth Chamber Orchestra performed works by Tchaikovsky, and students from the Alicia Alonso National Ballet School presented choreographic pieces as part of the cultural program.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), a prominent Russian Romantic composer and influential figure in Western classical music, was born in Votkinsk, studied at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence, and later dedicated himself fully to music at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.

The bust of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky will remain in the Martí Theater as a symbol of the cultural union between Cuba and Russia.