Book about Alicia Alonso to celebrate the National Ballet of Cuba
The celebration of the 75th anniversary of the National Ballet of Cuba includes the book Alicia y las Maravillas del Ballet, Revisitaciones desde la artisticidad, by photographer Jorge Valiente and journalist Sahily Tabares.
The book was presented the day before at the Fayad Jamís bookstore in Havana’s historic center. It offers a large collection of photographs accompanied by evaluations of the art of the former prima ballerina assoluta, choreographer, teacher and founder of the prestigious Cuban company.
According to curator and art critic Dr. Rafael Acosta de Arriba, the book, published by ArteCubano Ediciones, an imprint of the National Council of Fine Arts, «is really a text written with four hands, or rather, with one hand and one eye, a book with two wills and only one protagonist, Alicia.
The book seeks to preserve the cultural photographic memory of the Cuban nation by taking as a reference the artistic work of Alicia Alonso from the stage, according to the co-author of the work, who is also a professor of cultural criticism at the Communication Faculty of the University of Havana.
He pointed out: «The literary work was born with the motivation of creating a copy of photographs about the Prima Ballerina Assoluta, which did not exist until now.
The pages are a fervent testimony of the roots of ballet. They are a legacy for the younger generations.
She also thanked the Cuban Minister of Culture, Alpidio Alonso. He has promoted the development of this work and appreciates the existence of photo books.
Its 124 pages are a true reflection of the ballerina’s artistry and offer the opportunity to observe Alicia’s ballets over many years, with highlights in emblematic roles in classics such as Carmen, Giselle and Don Quixote, among others, said the editor, Alain Cabrera.
Humberto Mayol, vice-president of the Photography Section of the Plastic Arts Association of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (Uneac), recalled Valiente Lopez’s skill with the camera and appreciated his legacy for the new generations that are venturing into this art.
Jorge Valiente López (1936-2019) is considered one of the most renowned contemporary Cuban photographers, with a body of work that spans more than half a century and bears witness to the political, social, artistic and cultural history of the Caribbean nation.
He has had more than 20 exhibitions in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, France, Spain and Cuba. He has taught at universities in this country and the Dominican Republic.
Sahily Tabares Hernández, Doctor of Arts, is a journalist specializing in cultural issues. She has published several books, some of which she co-authored with Valiente, her partner until his death.
Sources: Prensa Latina and Agencia Cubana de Noticias.
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
