The Tribute to "The Golden Voice of Danzón" Continues in Manatí

December 4, 2019

With the inauguration of the Crearte event in Las Tunas, and the preparations for a gathering of danzón dancers and the traditional honor dance, the XV edition of the Barbarito Diez Popular Music Festival is taking place in the Tunero municipality of Manatí, which culminates today with celebrations for the 110th birthday of the Prince of Danzón.

The Crearte, an initiative that translates into a donation of paintings to the museum of that municipality, where Diez (1909-1995) spent part of his childhood and youth, also includes a painted mural in the José Martí park of the northern territory, in honor of the renowned singer of danzones and boleros. Manatí, which is also hosting the Culture Day these days, will now have in its art gallery about 10 works by visual artist Liusan Cabrera, as part of the exhibition titled Vértigo, in addition to the musical options that pay homage to the legacy of Barbarito Diez in Cuban songwriting.

A gathering of danzón dancers from various municipalities, the traditional honor dance and a cultural gala as closing, will be the setting for the tribute and the finale, with a grand finale, for a Festival that for 15 years has welcomed exponents of danzón, bolero and artistic research, with the development of the theoretical event Living in Memory, held over two days.

The presence of the 2007 National Television Award winner, José Ramón Artigas; maestro Miguel Patterson; Pablo Diez Córdova, son and director of the orchestra that bears the name of Barbarito Diez; Tunero researcher Carlos Tamayo and numerous professors from the University of Las Tunas and the Professional School of Art El Cucalambé, enhanced the theoretical event.

The panel addressed topics related to danzón and its role in the development of Cuban music, as well as proposals for initiatives to protect the nation's sound heritage.

The presentation of a documentary about the Prince of Danzón's time at the provincial telecentre TunasVisión, by filmmaker Dalgis Román, demonstrated the need to safeguard cultural essences as a valuable element of historical memory.

Although Barbarito Diez Junco was born in Bolondrón, Matanzas, and in his adulthood established himself in Havana, it was in Manatí, Las Tunas, where he grew up and lived his youth, hence Pablo Diez's initiative to create this Popular Music Festival in honor of his father.