The Teatro Nacional de Cuba is a cultural institution that promotes authentic values ​​of national and international culture in all artistic manifestations.

HISTORY

In the past, the plot on that the building of the Teatro Nacional de Cuba stands today, was the property of more than one people. About 2/3 of the area belonged to the Company Investor Conill SA, whereas Mrs. Cecilia Sarrá was the owner of one third of it. When the construction of the José Martí Memorial began to go well, it was decided to position some important administrative and cultural buildings around the square called the Plaza Cívica (current Plaza de la Revolución), like the National Library and the National Theatre of Cuba. In 1951, on the initiative of the engineer Manuel Febles Valdés, the Minister of Public conceived to carry out the construction project of the National Theatre of Cuba, and the President Carlos Prío Socarrás entrusted the Junta Directiva (Board of Trustees) to run a contest to select the preliminary design of the building that would serve as the National Theatre of Cuba.

The first prize was awarded by the Cuban architect Julio Conesa, although there is no document that confirms that the project executed has been truly the one that was awarded. The acquisition of the land took time due to bureaucratic procedures. It was 1952, when the first stone was laid with a ceremony in that the President Fulgencio Batista took part and made a speech; however, nothing changed from the aspect of the construction due to political atmosphere and the unwieldiness of the new government. At the end of 1952, a contract was signed with the renowned North American company Purdy and Henderson that built also some important buildings in Havana like Lonja del Comercio. The company undertook the project to complete it in 18 months at a cost of 2.275.000 USD. The architect Nicolás Arroyo Márquez that would build the Barlovento (current Marina Hemingway) in the incoming years, was entrusted as technical and facultative director of the work. Finally, the construction process of the National Theatre of Cuba started. The concern of the press was great, as the construction work proceeded very slowly.  

Three months before the anticipated opening date, the name that would be given to the theatre became a matter of debate. The name of Teatro de la Avellanada, in homage to the prestigious Cuban literary writer Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, was supported by the majority. However, when the budget was exhausted, the planned opening date was postponed.

After the Revolution, the construction process accelerated, but the opening date and the final budget was still unknown, as the plans were in the hands of the previous team and the new appointed architects and personnel could not proceed due to lack of data. In 1959, the Teatro Nacional Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda was approved by the law and Isabel Monal, considered one of the great intellectuals of the revolutionary period, was appointed the first director. Five departments were created in the theatre: folklore, music, dramatic arts, dance and cultural exchange. It was concluded to name the small hall Sala Covarrubias and the big hall Sala Avellaneda. Even though, the building was not completed yet, and its halls didn’t meet the minimum requirements, the Sala Covarrubias was used for a concert given by the Russian violinist Leonid Kogan and the composer and the conductor Aram Jachaturian in 1960. This led to the pre-opening of the Sala Covarrubias with modern dance shows, directed by Ramiro Guerra and Argeliers León, and the concerts and recitals of the Symphony Orchestra. The same year, for the first time a drama, The Respectful Harlot by Jean-Paul Sartre, adapted by Francisco Martin, was staged in Sala Covarrubias, gaining great success by about 16.000 spectators in 15 settings. It was a great surprise for Jean-Paul Sartre that also attended one of the performances during his visit to Cuba. From then on, the premieres of several dramas followed one another in Sala Covarrubias. The children were also not forgotten: El lindo Ruiseñor, José Martí’s version of a story by Hans Christian Andersen was premiered by Herberto Dumé in 1960.

Beginning with 1961, dramas, dance shows (modern dance and folklore) and children’s theater were discontinued due to precarious conditions of the Sala Covarrubias, so that this hall started to serve as a rehearsal room for some works and later, as storage room of furniture and decorative material. On the other hand, in the period of 1959 and 1964 the construction works of the theater continued slowly, as the restoration of the great provincial theaters in the country were limiting the budget that was mainly reserved for the construction of the National Theatre. On the other hand, the installation of the technical equipment, acquired from the German Democratic Republic, raised some difficulties. In 1964, all the constructive activity in the building was stopped and the theatre was left semi-built until the second half of the 1970s, when the construction process resumed. Finally, in 1979, 20 years after the Revolution, the National Theatre of Cuba opened its doors with a gala to the delegates, attending the 6th Summit Conference of Non-aligned Countries that was held in Havana.