Sculpture of Rita Montaner to Be Unveiled at Cuba Wax Museum

HAVANA TIMES — A sculpture of the legendary Cuban singer and actress Rita Montaner will be unveiled on Saturday at the Wax Museum of Cuba, located in the eastern city of Bayamo, reported the Juventud Rebelde newspaper.

The piece, sculpted by Rafael Barrios, shows the artist “looking at the audience, but with her hand extended backwards as if gesturing to her piano accompanist,” the charismatic Ignacio “Bola de Nieve” Villa.

The wax sculpture will be placed in the hall that exhibits representations of other Cuban musical stars such as Benny More, Compay Segundo, Carlos Puebla, Sindo Garay and Bola de Nieve.

The exceptional vocal qualities Montaner (1900-1958), who is considered one of the most important figures of Cuban music, made the most important Cuban composers of the era (including Gonzalo Roig, Moises Simons, Eliseo Grenet and Ernesto Lecuona) write important works specifically for her.