This extraordinary tribute to the iconic singer Celia Cruz will be performed for the first time in Canada by El Ingenio Teatro, a non-profit theatre organization dedicated to the support of Latin artistic expression and to bridging cultures. That is why it is so fitting to have this organization pay tribute to Celia Cruz (1925-2003), the iconic Cuban singer known as The Queen of Salsa.
Celia Cruz illuminated multiple Latin music styles including merengue, mambo, reggaeton, and the Yoruba influences of Afro-Cuban music. She was a Black woman that became the face of Cuban popular music, crossing multiple cultures and eras. The schoolteacher born Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso went on to record 70 albums, won three Grammys, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as an honorary degree from Yale. Aside from her musical output, her dazzling stage presence and ornamental costuming were not to be missed. After being exiled from Cuba, she found her home in New York City, helping to animate Latin culture in the boroughs and providing a beacon for others who were displaced and seeking to rebuild a community.
Celia is an original production written and directed by Lilliam Vega with original music composed by Hector Aguero Lauten with performances by Ivanesea Cabrera and Jorge Luis Gonzales. It narrates the experiences of an actress who lives in Havana and recalls evocative fragments of her life, intertwining them with memories of Celia Cruz, touching on themes of immigration and exile; community and belonging; culture and discovery; and nostalgia and joy.
¡Azúcar! As she would sing in her stage performances –meaning sugar! This is a tribute to the sweetness of life, despite its inevitable travails. Celia’s perseverance in the face of challenges, the richness of her voice, and her enduring legacy are all captured in this clever tribute to her life, her work, and its enduring effect on the lives of others.
Listen: The World of Celia Cruz: A Turning the Tables Playlist from NPR.
Learn: Celia Cruz in Cuba: A Distinguished Lecture. Presented in Spanish (English CC available).
