April 22, 2005
Az'ucar!... en el Smithsonian!
By Julio C. Zangroniz
The exhibit at the Smithsonian facility will showcase Celia's career, which spanned six decades, though her powerful voice and larger-than-life personality, according to a news release issued this week by the museum. It will include photographs, personal documents, costumes, rare footage, music videos and music beginning with her childhood and earliest appearances with La Sonora Matancera in Cuba until the end of her career at her death in the United States 2003, including the very dress she wore at her last public appearance.
Celia's husband, Pedro Knight, is expected to attend a special press preview in Washington scheduled for May 17 --and Babalú will be there!
Watch for exclusive photos of that press preview and the exhibit in Babalublog.com during the three days of CubaNostalgia from Miami, Florida (May 20-22).
The Smithsonian is also developing a traveling exhibition of the Celia Cruz exhibit that will begin a national tour in 2007. At this point, the museum has not revealed what cities the traveling exhibit will visit or the exact schedule.
Next week, Babalú readers will have the opportunity to read exclusive details of an interview at the Smithsonian with Maurette Perez, the curator of the Celia Cruz exhibit.
If you could pose a question to the exhibit's curator about Celia or the Smithsonian exhibit, what would it be? Send it in! All questions we receive at Babalú by the end of Sunday, April 24 will be considered for possible inclusion during the interview with Ms. Perez.
Here's YOUR chance to ask what the mainstream media won't dare ask!
Posted by Val Prieto at April 22, 2005 12:46 PM
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Comments
OMG, that's amazing!
La Reina siempre estará con nosotros!
Posted by: Amanda at April 22, 2005 12:59 PM
I would like to know if there will be any mention of Celia's political ideology - and not the standard smear job thing that they ran after her death - but her real feelings about Cuba before and after castro and her feelings of the United States.
Also, will the museum make note of the fact that despite being La Reina de la Salsa, and despite being world reknown, that her music, to this day, is illegal to play in her native country.
Posted by: Val Prieto at April 22, 2005 01:07 PM
Excellent!
Excellent questions, Val!
Posted by: Fausta at April 22, 2005 02:05 PM
My ten questions:
1.- Is there a Celia Cruz Foundation to benefit or help Cuban musicians or performing artists?
2.- If yes, are those the artists that already came to the US? Or artists who are opposed to castro and remain in Cuba?
3.- Are there any plan to set up scholarships for performing artists, musicians, and music theroticians under the name of Celia Cruz?
4.- Was Celia aware of her status in Cuba, where people cheris her old vynil records with La Sonora Matancera and Pedro Knight? Was she aware that she had a following among the people who oppose the tyranny and that she had their utmost respect? This can sound like a gratuitiuos question, but given that the liberal media has staged a smear campaing against her memory it is very important to leave a solid mark of what her feelings were for the record. (My note to the liberal press: A dead black Cuban woman CAN defend herself!)
5.- Is there a plan to publish a compilation of Celia musical history both in recording and in musical script?
6.- Is there an official website devoted to Celia Cruz and her legacy, both in ideological and artistic terms?
7.- Are there any plans to have this exhibition tour other countries where Celia had a following and where there is a need to expose the Cuban reality? For example, Europe and Latin America.
8.- Are there any plans to help emergent Cuban recording artists in a post-castro Cuba? A label that would help them be present in the international arena?
9.- Are there any "Celia Cruz Collections" in any university library or major cultural institution?
10.- And in a total sentimental way, is there any version of the Cuban National Anthem interpreted by Celia that could be officially played the day Cuba is finally free?
Thanks for this opportunity to ask these questions.
Posted by: CB at April 22, 2005 03:14 PM
Lo que mas duele es que Celia Cruz no pudo ver su CUBA LIBRE pero siempre estara en el corazon de todos. AZUCAR!! CELIA VIVE!!!!
Posted by: yamy at April 22, 2005 03:25 PM
Is there going to be a Celia Cruz's Life movie, like I heard? If so, please reconsider the poor casting of Whoopi Goldberg Who will screw it all up. The Actress needs to be Cuban. And if there are any Cuban roles in the movie, please for the love of God make them actual CUBANS. Because we're poorly represented by mexicans, or Spaniards whenever hollywood movies have a cuban role in them. That is all,
Posted by: Felix Ricardo at April 22, 2005 07:26 PM
Val, are you saying you're going to be in DC on and around May 18th? I'm probably going to be traveling down there from Boston at least once over the next few weeks, so I maybe we can grab some REAL beers with which to wean you from that Budweiser swill. ;-)
Posted by: Dave J at April 24, 2005 01:50 AM
