Articles of Interest in the Esteban Salas Cabinet Newsletter

The January–June 2025 issue of Sincopado Habanero features cover artwork by Maydelina Pérez Lezcano titled La hora salvífica, created with acrylics on canvas. The Camagüey-born artist reflects on this piece, noting that «through subtle sensitivity, this spiritually and mystically themed painting boldly presents biblical events—fundamental to human faith and historically essential—allowing viewers to grasp humanity’s quest for truth and the essence of the world.»

Inside the publication, there is a spotlight on the premiere of Hubert de Blanck’s opera Actea (1905), which finally took place last May, 120 years after it was composed. The premiere took place at the Oratorio San Felipe Neri and featured a libretto adapted by Bárbara Llanes and Norge Espinosa. The production was staged by Llanes and Lliliam Padrón, with musical direction by maestro José Antonio Méndez Padrón.

The four performances coincided with Mes de Europa and marked the conclusion of a project aimed at reviving and promoting the works of the Dutch composer. The Lyceum Mozartiano de La Habana led this initiative in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cuba.

In keeping with the finest traditions of nineteenth-century journalism, the section Pentagramas del pasado provides exclusive coverage with photographs and critical reflections documenting the event. Gabriela Rojas details the production process and the key figures involved, and she also offers readers a free download of one of the opera’s scene scores. Dr. Miriam Escudero, director of the Esteban Salas Musical Heritage Cabinet, which publishes this newsletter, notes this.

The opening pages highlight three life stories that exemplify efforts to preserve musical heritage. Adaivis Marrón Pérez and Reinaldo Ponce Álvarez examine the work of Chilean music advocate Raúl Gutiérrez Villanueva and percussion pedagogue Roberto Concepción, respectively. They establish performing guidelines regarding the subjects’ vocations and legacies.

The study of Gutiérrez Villanueva emphasizes his close ties to the Cuban music scene. Throughout his career, Gutiérrez Villanueva dedicated himself to performing music throughout the Antillean archipelago, educating new generations, transmitting knowledge, and producing music. This is evident in his extensive discography.

The article on Concepción highlights his contributions to the professionalization of percussion instruction in Cuba since 1962. After receiving his initial training in Artemisa, Concepción joined Havana’s national arts education system and became one of the first graduates of the formal percussion program.

A documentary by UC Davis Professor Pierpaolo Polzonetti honors Adel Núñez Castillo, a tres player and guitarist known as “El Sabroso.” The film showcases his passion and commitment to preserving tres and Cuban son traditions. Dr. Miriam Escudero notes that these traditions, like son itself, have the ability to endure over time. Tragically, Adel passed away during filming, so the documentary serves as a tribute, bringing his essence to the stage in the hope of inspiring future generations.

The publication provides insights into the documentary’s production, discussing its methodology and aesthetic foundations. It also reflects on the significance of documentary cinema as a means of preserving musical traditions.

In A Contratiempo, the newsletter presents findings from the Havana Orchestral Academy, a San Gerónimo University College extension project hosted at the Cabinet. Evelyn García, one of the project coordinators, reports on the training of young musicians and the outcomes of this experience.

Other articles cover academic exchanges between Cuban faculty and Harvard University, recognize award recipients honored by the Cuban Academy of Sciences, and detail research presentations on musical heritage given at the University of Havana, the University of the Arts of Cuba (ISA), the University of Oriente, and international institutions such as the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

The issue concludes with an image from the Actea production that serves as a visual metaphor for the collective effort of numerous artists. The image serves as tangible evidence that managing musical heritage requires both the premiering of new works and the preservation of past traditions.