Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Karla Martinez, one of the most outstanding young concert pianists in Cuba today. “Cuba has a great piano-playing tradition. Being an heir of that tradition implies a commitment to doing a good job, always,” she told me during our conversation.
Read MoreAnolan Gonzalez is a Cuban concert performer who has had the kind of rewarding experiences outside of Cuba that are a privilege for most instrumentalists on the island. “Cuban artists lead an endless battle against noise,” Gonzalez said during her interview for Havana Times.
Read MoreYoung violinist, Camila Martel, can already look back on an impressive career as a devoted concert music performer. “The important thing is learning to appreciate different kinds of beauty,” the artist said during her interview for Havana Times.
Read MoreCuban economist Juan Valdes Paz concludes part two of our interview with another powerful statement: “Economically speaking, Cuba is a ruined enterprise. However, for the vast majority of the population, the revolutionary project – independence, justice and development – is the country’s only means of salvation in today’s hostile world.”
Read MoreMy interview with Emma Christopher, director of the documentary “They Are We”, and the film’s still photographer, Sergio Leyva, not only satisfied my curiosity regarding their personal experiences during the filmmaking process, it also awoke an interest in those four Cubans involved in the project. (10 photos)
Read MoreJenny Peña is a young soloist and concert musician on the island who manages to coax an almost magical sonorous quality from her instrument, infusing deep emotion into each musical note. “It’s difficult being a woman, but we live through our music just like men do.”
Read MoreProfessor Juan Valdes Paz’ opening remarks for his interview with HT were a bombshell: “Cuba’s current leadership will have walked away from the historical stage with a minimum sense of achievement if it manages to encourage the creation of a viable and sustainable economic system for the country.”
Read MoreA few weeks ago I met Dr. Emma Christopher, director of the in progress documentary “They are We” and author of the article “Cubans visit their ancestral home in Africa” published in HT. I asked her how an academic ended up directing a documentary. My students belong to a generation that has grown up with the Internet and with multiple audio-visual resources and they respond very differently to images than to written materials.
Read MoreYanier Gómez is one of the young prodigies trained by the Cuban Ballet School, who was invited to the Stars of American Ballet Gala, presented on the island during Havana’s last International Ballet Festival. “We live with the social challenges that stem from my country’s economic problems,” said Gomez in his interview with HT.
Read More“The stage must be occupied by actors who are alive, who are able to convey a message to the audience, who are full of vitality, this is what I believe. Without tasting this passion for theatre, without feeling the actor’s passion, no one can walk away satisfied from a performance,” says Jose Antonio Alonso in his interview with HT.
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