On Thursday evening May 21, beneath a crescent moon, Cubanacan opened its three-night run in Havana with great success.

An audience of over 400 — a mix of Cubans and Havana Bienal visitors from abroad — gave a standing ovation to the first new Cuban opera performed in Cuba in fifty years.

That same day this feature story by Michael Cooper appeared in the New York Times.

Eleggua (Marcos Lima) the Santeria deity of fate, opens the opera.

L-R: Che Guevara (Jose Verdera), Selma Diaz (Laura Ulloa), and Fidel Castro (Roger Quintana). With chorus.

Ricardo Porro (Bryan Lopez), the architect.

Oshun (Yilam Sartorio), the Santeria deity of love, art and water.

Upcoming posts will provide further details, and more photos.