Armando Suárez del Villar

Outstanding Professor of Performing Arts. Master of Cubanness. Legend of Cuban Theater. Suárez del Villar received the National Theater Prize in 2010 for his work in rescuing, researching, and staging Cuban classical theater, with fundamental premieres such as Baltasar, La hija de las flores, El becerro de oro and La escuela de los parientes.

From his beginnings in the Dramatic Ensemble of his hometown (1964) —for which he directed, among other titles, two bufo plays (Don Centén and Los cheverones), in 1966 and El fantasmón de Aravaca, by Luaces, in 1970—, his marked vocation for rescuing forgotten works of Cuban classics is evident. In Havana he stages for Teatro Estudio El becerro de oro (1967) and La escuela de los parientes (1985), by Luaces; La hija de las flores (1973) and Baltasar (1981), by Avellaneda; and El conde Alarcos (1974), by Milanés. He has also staged some Cuban authors of the twentieth century, such as Carlos Felipe —Requiem por Yarini (Irrumpe, 1986)— or Virgilio Piñera —Electra Garrigó (Teatro Estudio, 1986)—. He has likewise successfully ventured into lyric theater —La traviata (1980)— and musical theater —Donde crezca el amor, by A. Quintero (1984)—.

Dedicated for many years to training actors and singers, Armando transformed the classrooms of the Instituto Superior de Arte into his true home, eventually becoming Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts. His passion for Cuban dramaturgy and lyric theater kept him active in countless ways. He received the National Prize for Artistic Teaching in 2008 and the National Theater Prize in 2010.

Among his most notable productions are remembered the plays that were part of the Cuban Classical Theater Cycle that made possible the reunion with our most important authors of the nineteenth century.

We owe to him the world premiere of El becerro de oro, by Joaquín Lorenzo Luaces, which was undoubtedly his most important production.

Suárez del Villar was the second creator to receive the Maestro de Juventudes award granted by the Asociación Hermanos Saíz and among other distinctions and recognitions he held the National Theater Prize and the National Prize for Artistic Teaching. He also passionately devoted himself to staging operas at the Teatro Lírico Nacional, where he premiered La esclava, by Mauri.

A lawyer by profession, born in Cienfuegos, he was proud of his patriotic lineage. His grandparents fought for emancipation in the nineteenth century. In his family line was Federico Fernández Cavada, General Candela.

Upon discovering his passion for theater, Armando was among the founders of the Dramatic Ensemble of Las Villas in the early sixties.

Master of Cubanness. Legend of Cuban Theater. As a professor, his love for teaching led him to work with young actors.

His surname connects us to history. His grandparents are among those who fought to free us from Spain: Suárez del Villar in Cienfuegos.

Armando was a founder, like his father, of the Grupo Ateneo and later, along with Isabel and Alberto Panelo, of the Dramatic Ensemble of Cienfuegos; a founder, in a deeper sense, is one who proposes transformative ideas.
In his province he staged bufo theater works that accredited him as a passionate advocate of Cubanness.

He dedicated much time to nineteenth-century theater in his research. He had a contemporary vision, innovative for his time, in staging works by authors of that century, which other directors and critics considered as mere attempts to imitate Spanish Romantic poets. To make the authenticity of the Cuban shine in El becerro de oro. The staging of the work by Joaquín Lorenzo Luaces was very successful.

El Conde Alarcos, by José Jacinto Milanés, managed to transform it from a melodrama with medieval atmosphere into an intense tragedy. Later, he ventured into contemporary work with Carlos Felipe and Brene, and of course, Virgilio Piñera.

With the Opera Nacional de Cuba he premiered La Esclava, by Mauri. For this reason Armando is a professor of acting and theater direction at this educational center. He received the distinction of Maestro de Juventudes granted by the FEU and holds a Mention from the Brigada Hermanos Saíz for the opera Donde crezca el amor, by Ángel Quintero.

In just recognition of the brilliant theatrical work and the training of several generations of artists, the National Council of Performing Arts awarded the 2010 National Theater Prize to Armando Suárez del Villar, an indispensable figure of our stage and vital master of the scene.

Former Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts of the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), Suárez del Villar, who also holds the 2008 National Prize for Artistic Teaching, has distinguished himself in the rescue, research and staging of Cuban classical theater, as well as in the development of the musical and lyric genres.

With the direction of fundamental works such as Baltasar, La hija de las flores, Santa Camila, Los Bufos, El becerro de oro, and El Conde Alarcos, among others, his name is linked to the emblematic group Teatro Estudio, to the Grupo Ateneo and to the Dramatic Ensemble of Cienfuegos, formative institutions that set standards in the theatrical work of the Island.

The Jury of the 2010 National Prize was presided over by José Milián and valued eight other nominations, coming from 32 institutions. In addition to Milián, Alina Rodríguez, Carlos Repilado, Xiomara Palacios, Iván Camejo, Bárbara Rivero and Patricio Wood decided that Suárez del Villar was the chosen one among the brothers Nelson Dorr and Nicolás Dorr, Freddy Artíles, Adria Santana, Fátima Patterson, Ramiro Herrero Beatón, Roberto Fernández and Francisco «Pancho» García. According to the jury, the person responsible for memorable stagings such as Baltasar, La hija de las flores, Santa Camila, El becerro de oro and the opera trova Donde crezca el amor, to name only a few, is «our most aristocratic theater artist», endorsed, furthermore, by a long and brilliant career, in which his work as a researcher stands out. Also emphasized was his concern for the development of the musical genre, for the protection and support of humor and his Center for Its Promotion, as well as his work as a trainer of several generations of performing artists through his work, for years, at the Instituto Superior de Arte.