The Havana Grand Theater: An Icon of Cuba’s Architecture

Photo Feature by Ernesto Gonzalez Diaz

HAVANA TIMES – Its construction was commissioned by Captain General Miguel Tacon y Rosique in 1834, hence it was initially known as the Tacon Theater. The Captain General’s idea was to build a theater with greater capacity than the Principal Theater, which existed near La Alameda de Paula. To achieve this, he commissioned its construction to the Catalan businessman Francisco Martí.

Located on the block formed by the streets San Rafael, San Jose, Consulado, and Paseo del Prado, today known as Paseo Marti, it was inaugurated on February 28, 1838. At the time, the theater was the largest and most luxurious in the Americas and the third most advanced globally in technical qualities, following La Scala in Milan and the Vienna Opera. Many renowned Cuban and international artists performed there, including singers Jenny Lind, Maria Barrientos, Adelina Patti, Luisa Tetrazzini, actresses Sarah Bernhardt and Eleanora Duse, and musicians Teresa Carreño, Ignacio Cervantes, and Jose White, among other greats.

The poet and intellectual from Camagüey, Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, was crowned with laurels in 1860 in the theater’s main hall by the also poet from Santiago de Cuba, Luisa Perez de Zambrana. Another significant event hosted by the theater was in March 2016, when Barack Obama, President of the United States, gave a speech to the Cuban people in the presence of then Cuban President Raul Castro.

In 1906, the Sociedad de Beneficencia de Naturales de Galicia acquired the theater, which would be demolished, and the entire block area, at a cost of 525,000 pesos. The current building was constructed between 1907 and 1915 at a cost of 1.8 million pesos, to house the Galician Center of Havana, including not only the theater but also two ballrooms, a casino, gaming rooms, restaurants, cafés, and even a savings bank.

The project was commissioned to Belgian architect Paul Belau and executed by the construction company Purdy & Henderson. Belau took as reference the main works of European Baroque. Its main façade features four sculptural groups in white marble representing allegories of Charity, Education, Music, and Theater, sculpted by Italian Giuseppe Moretti, in the purest Baroque style. Another important element of the external architecture is the winged angels that crown three of its corners.

In 2013, it was renamed the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater, in honor of the prima ballerina assoluta who contributed so much to the art of classical ballet in Cuba and internationally. It is currently the headquarters of the National Ballet of Cuba, but due to problems with its interior ceiling, it is not open to the public nor offering performances.

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