The 5th International Salsa Festival ended in Havana with a concert by Puerto Rican singer Victor Manuelle. The Jose Antonio Echeverria recreational complex’s Club 500, the main venue of the festival, hosted the performance by the renowned musician, who sang for the first time in Cuba accompanied by his orchestra. Victor Manuelle, who has a vast musical career and is known in Cuba for hits such as ‘Tengo ganas’, ‘Como se lo explico al corazon’ and ‘Dile a ella’, has released more than 20 albums and has collaborated with renowned international singers. On the last day of the festival, there were parades of comparsas (dance groups) and electronic music sessions, as well as concerts by Haila Maria Mompie, Lazarito Valdes y Bamboleo, and El Niño y la Verdad orchestras. Presided by musician Maykel Blanco, the Salsa Festival brought together 19 local high-caliber orchestras for six days, including Adalberto Alvarez y su Son, Alain Perez, Los Van Van orchestra, and Alexander Abreu y Havana D’Primera. As every year, the festival featured dance workshops on different genres of Cuban music and visits to places related to musical performances such as recording studios and conservatories, among other attractions.
