With this slogan the local elite announced one of their best speculative business of the time in the city of Camagüey. To be true, for the date that the cabaret opened, the urban historical landscape of the third Cuban city seemed to get into a current of “modernity” and “development” never seen before. The unusual formal and aesthetic change of its archaic architecture was justified by the need to assume the new codes imported from the United States, Italy, France and other developed nations of Europe, while intact old buildings remained in the original structuring neighborhoods of the old colonial village, now trapped between shops, hotels, cinemas and theaters, bars, clubs and cabarets.

Perhaps pretending to break with the routine of the “old and conservative city”, the regional government leadership took steps tending to the opening of several clubs for leisure, legal games, the consumption of alcoholic beverages, ballroom dancing and a sort of initiatives aimed at making profits and gaining money. Such strength made them open, among other day and night clubs, the Tropicana Club, Happy Club, Dancing Club, Club Amigos del Billar, American Club, Club Zambrana, Club Guarina, Air Club, Conga Club, Baltimore Club, Indian Club and the Miami Club. Another attraction cabaret turned out to be the Morocco Club, although it would soon gain a bad reputation. Then came the Chalay Club, Colonial Cabaret, [1] Aerial Club, Camagüey Club [ran by Dr. Álvarez Fuentes], Club Caporal [named El Pollito afterwards], [2] the Riverside Club [current Hatibonico Pizzeria, which was run by Álvarez Fuentes and Adelberto Adán, the highest income cabaret until the CopaCabana], La Bolerita Night Club [3] and the Reina Coffee Shop. [4]

But none would attract as much celebrity as the cabaret of greater social and cultural importance than the CopaCabana Night Club, inaugurated on June 8, 1950. Building that incorporated aesthetic, structural and landscape elements to make it similar to the cabaret of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. On the other hand, “El Camagueyano” had three rooms and a reserved bar that made an area of 378.85 m². [5] This area was followed by an open track of green granite under a marquee in the shape of a half moon, a patio-garden adorned with grass and palm trees, and a parking outside, in total 1 545.73 m². [6]

In order to successfully conduct its functioning, it was chaired a board of directors by Dr. Adelberto Adán Rius, Vice President Ada Mangas de Álvarez Fuentes Jr., the vocalists Josefina Álvarez Fuentes Campos and his father Dr. Germán Álvarez Fuentes, Miguel López Enmanuelli, Dr. Alberto Santos Lima, Alfredo Garí, Melchor Loret de Mola and Dr. Manuel Sorí Marín. This core would endeavor to provide its associates with all kinds of lawful entertainment, as well as to encourage the practice of sports and contribute to the growth of culture. That’s what his regulations said.

At last, the surrounding streets and the central highway full of cars, the building surrounded of photographers and public in general, as never before on his inaugural night wore a Camagueyan cabaret. In the first few minutes, Tito Hernández, the impersonator of the television station C.M.Q made the audience laugh; then the Watercolorist of the Antillean Poetry Luis Carbonell came to the centerpiece of the track, [7] who was followed by the exclusive couple of dances of the cabaret Havana Montmartre Ana Gloria and Tony; [8] after that, the vedette Aidita Artigas and the crooner of the American Melodies Ray Carson. [9]

Among other representatives of the local bourgeoisie were Francisco Loret de Mola Benavides, Faico; the merchant Blas Cardone; Dr. José Sosa Calcines; Senator Luis Loret de Mola Bueno; General Genovevo Pérez Dámera; Mr. Francisco Herrero Morató and Mr. Secundino Robaina; the merchants Raúl and René Rovirosa; Feliciano Sabatés; Enrique TarafaGovín; [10] and Enrique and Roberto Pijuán, a powered group projected to promote speculative business, contrary to the promotion of Cuban music among the citizens, to its defense of such genuine values of musical identity and without pretending to expand those musical milestones.

Obscured the scene by which moved the scene reflector, came out to lead the masters of the animation Luis Ceballos and Elvin Barrios, especially hired by the C.M.Q, while, by Camagüey did well Juan R. Vega Ormella, who announced the address choreography by Jorge del Valle; all with the accompaniment of the Orquesta Copacabana directed by Joaquín Mendivel, sharing the stage with the América orchestra, the Sonora Matancera and the Casino de Sevilla. By the way, this last one, arriving from The habanero cabaret Sans Souci, who ran the mobster Santos Trafficante. [11]

In the future, hired by the Tennis Club Society, Camagüeyana Civic Action and the Copacabana directors, a wide and varied national and international cast was brought to its track, including the fantastic company Gran Dary and its actress Madeimoselle Sonnia; the Caballero del tango Manolo Fernández; the Mulatas of fire; the Cuban pianists Felo Bergaza and Jorge González Allue; the singer Tony Lamar; the tenor Ramón Calzadilla; Benny Moré and his Band (which would act on February 14, 1952); the pianist and composer Bobby Collazo; the Mambo dance cast; the set Cuba Follies Girls 1951 and Mambo Girls; the vedette and stellar figure of Radio and TV. Aidita Artigas; the Child of Madrid; and Darka, the famous conjuror of Vienna. [12]

Also the Spanish dancer and star of the Tropicana, Delia Ruiz; the best pair of Spanish dancers Rocío and Antonio; the eccentric Los Casanovas; the Venus of Mambo Raquel Mata; The Cuban Mambo Star; the North American dancers of Montmartre TheTalbots; the acrobatic set of skaters Rice Sisters and The Rollins Eagles; the Spanish dancers Sarita and Caro; and the Mexican musical painter Pepe Guizar. [13]

Nothing repeated the cabaret because it had to achieve quality shows, such as the night of June 17, when the American dancer, hired by Montmartre, Vera Love won applause, [14] whose performance at midnight would make her look like God brought her to the world. Before, The Asia Boys were also covered with closed applause with “the best number of acrobatics in the world”.

The performance of the American acrobatic dancers VanderbiltBoys was added to the extensive list of artists and ensembles in the country that showed off the best of their art. the jugglers of Vienna Rudenko Brothers; the American singer Gloria Helm; the Brazilian singer Stela Gil; the acrobatic of North America Spaulding Trio; The kids of Spain; the former singer of the Seville Casino Orchestra Raúl Roquet …, who shared the stage with Cuban singers, such as the star Celia Cruz; the Queen of the guaguancó Celeste Mendoza; the King of Mambo Dámaso Pérez Prado; the best lyric soprano Iris Burguet; the singer of the C.M.Q and of the Blue and Oriental Chain of Radio, Rosita Correa; the Cuban pianist and composer Bobby Collazo and the dancer of the ballet Chela Castro, Thamara Chen … [15]

Undoubtedly, despite its selective environment favoring the frivolities and exclusivist preferences of the show business, which maintained close collaboration with the Havana elite, the Copacabana cabaret became the most important cultural venue in Camagüey, which gave the opportunity to show off and to the most splendid of musical art

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Translated by: Dayana Torralba Lora

Bibliography

[1] Cabaré located at the corner of Maximiliano Ramos (Horca) and Enrique José V. (San Ramón) streets.

[2] Interestingly the name of the club was associated with the voice capo, mafia boss.

[3] The Bolerita Night Club was managed by Juan González, cabaret located on the Doble Vía or Avenida Finlay and should not be confused with the Bolerita or MoroccoNight Club. He was frequented by orchestras and artists from the Cuban capital, among others, by the Casino Orchestra of C.M.Q. like Rene Crucet (the Orchestra Man); and Carlos Paulín or Alfredo Martínez (father of the popular actor Alberto Limonta).

[4] On the street Republic no. 476

[5] AHPC: Association Registration Fund. File relating to the registration of the regulation of the association of recreational-cultural and sports character called Copa Cabana Club. June 8, 1950. File 23, No. 6.

[6] AHPC: City Council Fund: File relating to the Project for the construction of a building for the Copa Cabana Club. Date: April 14 to December 4, 1950. File 176 A, File 19. The project was carried out by the architect Francisco Herrero Morató.

[7] The actor Tito Hernández and Luis Carbonell were introduced by Ron Bacardí’s signature, which was assured by his manager José Bosch Lamarque, Pepín.

[8] The sculptural Ana Gloria acted in the sinful zone of the Chinatown of Havana.

[9] According to the Diario de la Marina, eight hundred people had enjoyed the show that was broadcast on the Havana radio station Radio Progreso.

[10] Brother of José Miguel Tarafa, owner of the Cuba, Santo Domingo and Spain power stations, with a capacity of 1,205,000, and 8,000 caballerias of land. One of the shareholders of The Trust Company of Cuba, of the Compañía Cubana de Aviación SA and of the Consolidated Railways of Cuba.

[11] In this and other cabarets ran the “powder” or Colombian cocaine. The Havana owner was Norman Rothman, closely linked to Lansky and Trafficante.

[12] In: The Camagüeyano. Friday July 7, 1950. Year L. No. 160. p. 8. Before arriving in Camagüey, he had acted for General Pershing, Prince Humberto of Italy and the Duke of Windsor.

[13] Artists whose albums could be purchased at the Dr Álvarez Fuentes Pharmacy, like those of the Casino de Sevilla orchestra, two of whose melodies reached notoriety: Gondolier of Love and Claro de Luna.

[14] With that name it was announced although it was actually SusanLove.

[15] BPJAM: El Camagüeyano Newspaper. Friday, June 9, 1950. Year L. No. 136. p.1. (Special edition, Sunday, June 11, 1950). The cabaret traded toothpaste Gravi; offered raffles for trips to the spa of Santa Lucia, to Havana, to Miami City and to Miami Beach.