1971 » Cuba » Stage design and costumes

KUBA

Cuban stage design found its way — the same as other fields of creative art — after the culmination of the Revolution. There exists a firmly knit and organized movement directed by the National Council of Culture which established in 1963 the Centre of stage designers and attached it to the General Department for Theatre and Dance. Cuban professional theatres have, since 1959, produced about 150 plays a year, in Havana 60 productions of the /whole number only. The small number of stage designers was unable to meet the demands of such a large number of productions and many young people, gradautes from the National school of arts and from many specialized courses, have thus been given an opportunity to work, within a short time (1959—1971), ion a number of important works. This is the history of intense development. We may therefore state that Cuban stage design is still very young. Only two or three of the elder stage designers (Luis Márquez, Maria Elena Molinet, Rubén Vigón) devote their entire time to the theatre. The rest have taken up work in film or television where designing has developed a great deal during the revolutionary period. The Cuban exhibition at the Prague Quadrennial 1971 expresses the pioneer spirit of Cuban creators. In an atmosphere liberated from all inhibitions, it strives to find new forms of technical and artistic expression and so wishes to make up for the time lost during the capitalist period. This is its first encounter with the Prague Quadrennial, as Cuba was unable to participate in the Prague Quadrennial 1967. This is also the reason why we exhibit certain works created during the whole socialist period. We were very liberal in our choice. We have only endeavoured to show the variety of repertoire and at the same time the development of the young Cuban stage design.

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• Eduardo Arrocha

Additional information: Born 1934 in Havana. Studied painting at the Academy of Arts in Florence and with the painter René Portocarrera in Cuba, and stage design with Prof. Ruben Vigón. Graduated in painting from the National School of Fine Arts „San Alejandro" in Havana. Since 1959 he designed over 40 outstanding productions, among them: Carmen (Bizet) and Médea and the Slave Traders (Chavez). Noteworthy are his costume designs for the Threepenny Opera (Brecht), Gisele (Adam), King Christopher (Aimé Césaire) and Auntie Mame (Lawrence and Lee). At present he is permanent designer with the National Ensemble of Modern Dance. He also lectures on costume design at the National School of Arts. He participated in several exhibitions of paintings and stage design in Cuba, Mexico, Chile and USA.

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Exhibiting works

• R. Guerra: (Apocalypse Decalogue), Partafazola Mella 1966
  

  

  
  
  
• R. Guerra - P. Henry: (Antillian Orpheus), Ciudad Deportiva 1967
  

  

  
  
  
• A. Césarie: (King Christopher), Mella 1966
  

  

  
  
  
• Bertolt Brecht: (Threepenny Opera), Musical Habana 1967
  
  
  
• H. Quintero: (The Thin Prize), Marti 1966
  
  
  
• M. Hiram - C. Malcom: (Marionnetttes), Mella 1965
  
  
  
• Manuel Barreiro

Additional information: Born in 1943 in Santa Clara. Stage designer. He works mainly for the Musical Theatre.

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Exhibiting works

• E. Hernández: (Maria Antonia), Mella 1967
  
  
  
• Williame Shakespeare: (Comedy of Errors), Terry, Cinfuegos Las Villas 1966
  
  
  
• Jean-Baptiste Molière: (The Doctor In Spite of Himself), Terry, Cienfuegos Las Villas 1964
  
  
  
• anonym: (Clowns of Cuba), Terry, Cienfuegos Las Villas 1965
  
  
  
• Arthur Miller: (The Crucible), Mella 1968
  
  
  
• Julio Castaño

Additional information: Born 1935 in Guanabacoa in Havana. Studied and graduated in paintlng from the National School of Fine Arts San Alejandro in Havana and the Reál Academia de Bellas Artes in Madrid. Since 1959 he has been designing for all theatres and dance groups in Havana. Among his best works are stage designs for Verdi's La Traviata, Folk Songs of the 18th Century by an unknown Spanish author, The Assassination of Malcolm X by H. Conteris, the White and Black Concert by José Parés-Haydn and El Circo by Alicio Alonso (the sets for both these works were designed for the Cuban National Ballet). He also designed costumes for Verdi´s Troubador. At present he holds the post of permanent stage designer with the Cuban National Opera. He is member of the Centre of Stage Designers of the Cuban National Council of Culture. He exhibited his paintings in Madrid and participated in a number of exhibitions of paitings and stage design in Havana, Paris and Madrid.

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Exhibiting works

• Haydn-Parés: (White and Black Concert), (Amadee Roldan), 1966
  
  
  
• : (18th Century Folk Songs), Hubert de Blanck 1969
  

  

  
  
  
• A. Alonso: (The Circus), Garcia Lorca 1967
  
  
  
• Giuseppe Verdi: (Traviata), Garcia Lorca 1970
  

  
  
  
• Giuseppe Verdi: (Trouvere), Garcia Lorca 1971
  

  

  
  
  
• Salvador Fernandez

Additional information: Born 1937 in Havana. Studied architecture at the university in Havana. Graduated from a course of stage design organized by L. Vychodil and L. Purkyňová in Havana, followíng which he was granted a six months scholarship for specialization in Prague and Bratislava. During his stay in Czechoslovakia he designed the sets for Blues for Godot (1965) which was produced by J. Novák for the Slovak TV. His first design for the stage was Brechťs The Good Woman of Setzuan in 1959. Since 1966 Ihe has been stage designer of the Cuban National Ballet, but he collaborates also with the National Drama Ensemble, with the Teatro Estudio and the National Folklore Ensemble. Among his best stage designs are the Caucasian Chalk Circle (Brecht), The House of Bernarda Alba (Federico Garcia Lorca) and ballets El Guije and Carmen in the choreography of Alberto Alonso. He is member of the Centre of Stage Designers of the Cuban National Council of Culture. He participated in exhibitions in Cuba, Chile and Mexico (1964—68).

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Exhibiting works

• G. Mantici: (Mestiza ), Garcia Lorca 1966
  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• G. Bizet - R. K. Ščedrin: (Carmen), Garcia Lorca 1970
  
  
  
• A. Alonso - J. Blanco: (El Guije), Garcia Lorca 1967
  
  
  
• Modesto Florez

Additional information: Born 1945 in Havana. Studied painting and sculpture at the National School of Fine Arts San Alejandro in Havana. Graduated as stage designer from tlhe National School of Dramatic Art in Cubanacán in 1967. Designed sets and costumes for numerous theatre groups and the TV. As graphic artist he collaborated with Revista Cuba and participated in a number of publications. At present he is house designer with the theatre group Tercer Mundo. He is member of the Centre of State Designers of the Cuban National Council of Culture. He exhibited his paintings in 1968 and since has participated in several group exhíbitions.

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Exhibiting works

• Fernando Arrabal: (The Automobile Graveyard), Van Troi-Oriente 1968
  

  

  

  

  
  
  
• Hector Lechuga

Additional information: Born 1935 in Havana. Studied painting and sculpture at the National School of Fine Arts San Alejandro in Havana. As stage designer he is a self-taught. He began his career as TV technical assistant in 1953, and from 1962 worked as lighting technical in several Cuban theatres. He designed the décor for over twenty outstanding productions. At present he works both as stage designer and lighting and costume designer with the Rita Montaner Group at the El Sótano Theatre in Havana. Noteworthy among his works are sets for René de Obaldia's Wind in the Branches of Sassafras, Cat on the Rails (J. Topol), Tales from Decameron (Boccacio adapted by Héctor Quintero). He is member of the Centre of Stage Designers of the Cuban National Council of Culture.

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Exhibiting works

• Josef Topol: (Cat on the Rails), El Sóntano 1968
  
  
  
• R. de Obaldia: (The Wind in the Branches of Sassafras), El Sótano 1968
  
  
  
• Rubén Vigón

Additional information: Born in 1917 in Cienfuegos, Las Villas. He studied stage design at the Yale School of Drama in the USA. At present he is a technical and drama advisor at the National Council of Culture /CNC/.

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Exhibiting works

• R. Rodriguez: (Pulperia), Amadeo Roldan 1964
  
  
  
• Feydeau-Desvallieres: (L´Hotel du libre-echange), Mella 1967
  

  
  
  
• G. Roig: (Cecilia Valdés), Musical Habana 1969
  
  
  
• R. Marquez: (Když je i není karneval), Hubert de Blanc 1964
  
  
  
• María Elena Molinet

Additional information: Born in 1919 in the province of Oriente. She studied art in Cuba as well as abroad. At present she is a technical advisor, an advisor in the fieid of stage design and a professor at the School of Industrial Design.

Exhibiting works

• E. Hernández: (Maria Antonia), Mella 1968
  

  

  
  
  
• Ben Johnson: (Volpone, or the Fox), Mella 1965
  
  
  
• C. Felipe: (Requiem for Yarini), Las Mascaras 1965
  
  
  
• A. Wesker: (Four Seasons), Hubert de Blanck 1968
  

  
  
  
• Yukio Mishima : (The Beauty and the Poet), Las Mascaras 1965
  
  
  
• A. Estorino: (Fat Cows), Garcia Lorca 1962
  

  
  
  
• R. Reyes: (Folk Dance Cuba), Mella 1964
  

  
  
  
• Jesús Ruiz Rodríguez

Specialization: teacher, set designer, costume designer, lighting designer, puppet designer
Education: Course of Stage Design, professor Pavel M. Gabor from Czech Republic (1971). Course of Scenic Arts Researching Methodology, National Center of Scenics Arts Research (2002)
Teaching activities: Professor of Stage Design at the Superior Institute of Art (2006-2011); practical course in stage design practical Rubén Vigón, sponsored by Cuba's Ludwig Fund, Cuban National Theatre & Cuban Artist Fund of New York (2001); Lectures in Stage Design in Massachusetts University, USA and in the Department of Theater Arts, Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USA (2000)
Participation in other important exhibitions: 1989, 1990 FIART, Pabexpo, La Habana, Cuba
Awards: HOLA Award For Excellence in Spanish Language Theatre: Special Recognition for Design, New York (2001)
Additional information: Born in 1943 in Cárdenas. Stage and costume designer. He works for various theatre groups. He participated in the PQ in 1971, 1975 and in 1983.

Exhibiting works

• J. Cabral de Melo Neto: (Life and Death of Severina), Musical Habana 1969
  
  
  
• A. M. Salas: (Little Red Riding Hood), Infantil Sta. Clara 1968
  

  
  
  
• J. A . Santos: (Holy Games), Joven Teatro 1970