Varadero World Music Festival: One Day before Its Opening.

Havana, June 1o, - More than 130 musical groups and soloists will take part in the World Music Festival Varadero 2008, to be held at the world famous Cuban beach resort from June 11th through the 15th. As it have been said, the event will be presided by composer and orchestra conductor Juan Formell, and it returns after 20 years of absence to become a "permanent descarga," according to the prestigious Cuban musician. During a press conference, Formell explained that the idea is to have a musical festival that combines artists from different generations and styles. "What we intend," he said, "is for artists to share on stage, playing together in 'descargas' that last until the following morning, as we did at previous festivals." "For instance, " he said, "in the old landing strip of the Varadero airport, with a capacity for 30,000 people, there will be three concerts every day, totally free of charge." Cuban Deputy Culture Minister Alexis Vasquez confirmed that the invited world personalities include, among others, Spaniard Dyango, Portuguese Luis Represas, Danish pop group Sweetheart and Puerto Rican Andy Montanez. Also invited are Venezuelans Lester Paredes and Lex Estet, Argentinean quartet Pablo Basez, Ecuador "s Rarefaccion, Senegalese singer Afia Mala and 11 African musical groups, including Pigmeos from the Congo and Sandang All Star. Cuban music will be represented by some of its best exponents, among them the group Sintesis, singer X Alfonso, the orchestras La Original de Manzanillo, Aragon and Van Van, singer Omara Portuondo, Compay Segundo"s group and the Munequitos de Matanzas, Carlos Varela, Buena Fe, Adalberto alvarez y su Son, Anacaona, Kelvis Ochoa, Charanga Habanera and many others. Septets, orchestras that play traditional music, pop and jazz bands, singers of son music, timba and dance music will perform every day in 13 different spots, since the afternoon until the early hours of the following morning. Parallel to the live performances, there will be a workshop on the role of percussion instruments in Cuban popular music, with practical lessons. The workshop La percusion en la musica popular cubana (The percussion at the Cuban popular music) will be held during the Festival at the Mediterraneo club, with conferences and dance classes, rumba sounds and its different versions performed by different groups such as Los Munequitos de Matanzas, Afrocuba and Clave y Guaguanco. On redacting this note, it has been informed that Spanish singer Dyango, and Cubans Pablo Milanes and Beatriz Marquez will open the Varadero Festival. The Portuguese Luis Represas will be also present that first day to share the stage at the Festival Plaza, located in the former Varadero airport, about 130 kilometers east from Havana, main venue of the event that will be held until the 15 of June. Reynaldo Dominguez, director the Cuban Music Institute in Matanzas, reaffirm that this cultural event gathers together about 130 groups and soloists from about ten different countries and offers the exchange possibility between Cuban and foreign musicians. Dominguez also informed that at La Comparsita of ARTEX will be held the theoretical event Sencillamente Charangueando, whose main exponent will be the Aragon orchestra, founded over 60 years. It is an orchestra that keeps alive the Cuban music in the world stages. The World Music Festival was first held in 1967 and later, two more times, featuring renowned world figures like French Michel Legrand, Brazilian Chico Buarque and Spaniard Massiel among many others. The Varadero festival is returning after over 20 years in absence with new proposals and great expectations.

Cubarte News News posted on 6/12/2008 1:05:23 PM

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