The Cabaret du Casino de Montréal looked like an all-inclusive Cuban hotel for the show’s premiere on Thursday night Nights in Havana. The heat quickly increased many times over and the audience clearly wanted to move.
From the opening, the first bars of music rang out and within a few seconds Latin fever gripped the audience. A medley of Cuban classics such as Bailando and Guantanamera heated up the atmosphere before a tribute to the legendary Buena Vista Social Club followed with Chan Chan and Bilongo.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
The five musicians of the orchestra are exceptional and are masterfully led by Andy Rubal, a Cuban musician and singer who masters this repertoire with ease and skill. Special mention goes to trombonist Emmanuel Richard-Bordon, who makes his instrument sound masterfully and provides background vocals on several songs.
Then it moves on to the essential topics such as Oye Como Va or Murakami Mambo, which the audience takes up together.
A section dedicated to the great Celia Cruz continues in the same rhythm, perfectly mastered by singer Barbara Ruiz. It’s impressive to realize that Quebec has singers of this caliber that we don’t see often enough.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
In most musical pieces, the stage is also occupied by six dancers who not only choreograph but also usually perform real moving scenes.
Among the troupe we noticed Yelda del Carmen, who is currently taking part in the show Révolution and shines with her great talent. The development of Erismel Mejías García is also great to see.
Chopped rhythm
Because the show aims to cover all facets of Cuban music, it sometimes suffers from less playful moments. The section on the Orishas, the deities imported to the island by African slaves, has the merit of revealing a lesser-known cultural facet. But this passage makes the atmosphere completely disappear, and also lacks additional information to fully understand it.
The same applies a little later to the acoustic part, which in particular allows you to hear the magnificent Dos Gardenias by Isolina Carrillo.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
Apart from these downsides, we experience an exciting and festive evening, which is also thanks to the great professionalism of singer Frank Gomez, who knows how to make the audience stand by asking them to move their hips.
A true postcard of Cuban music, Havana Nights takes us to the sun without taking a plane. At the beginning of winter we could use it for a week!
The show Les nuits de la Havane will be at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal until December 9th. Further information can be found online.