The vegetation engulfs the Amadeo Roldán Auditorium in Havana, formerly the headquarters of the Pro-Arte Musical society, while the majestic structure withers before the nostalgic gaze of lovers of Havana's heritage.
Pedro Luis García, one of those admirers of ancient beauties, sadly admitted last April that the architectural gem "has turned into a forest where trash grows and elements hide within its ruins."
This person said on Facebook that "you left, Mozart; the classical has disappeared, and in the distance, a conga can be heard. The flip-flop has arrived," indicating that time is taking its toll on this magnificent property, which has not been restored despite the regime's promises to do so.
García pointed out that he “feels sad to see its neglect and surroundings” whenever he passes by the building, which first opened its doors in 1929.
According to this man, who is passionate about the architecture of the Cuban capital, this place was "one of the most popular spots in the past decades on Calzada street in the El Vedado neighborhood."
He recalled that during the 1990s, on Sundays at six in the evening, he would "visit the theater to listen to the National Symphony Orchestra," highlighting an example of the venue's significance to Havana's culture in years gone by.
"The theater was restored at one point in a significant way, but now it is once again deteriorating with a ruinous appearance," he said, while recalling that the building first closed in 1977 due to a fire, and after reopening, had to be closed again because the reconstruction that was done was poorly executed, to the extent that it was only open for about a decade.
In the comments on the post, many expressed their sorrow for the current state of a theater that was significant and one of the most beautiful in the city, also renowned for its excellent acoustics.
However, Sandra Contreras Tablada stated that in the last repair, "part of its acoustics was lost, and problems began to arise again in a short time, eventually returning to this state."
Cesario Navas noted that the issue is that the regime prioritized other projects, such as the repair of the Antimperialist Tribune, "and did not allocate resources to save this emblematic and historic cultural center."
Ivette Castro Delgado, a copyist with the Symphony Orchestra, emphasized that the building reopened on April 10, 1999, after being closed for nearly 25 years, but "it stopped hosting performances again in 2010. It's nostalgic and sad to see that theater deteriorate further every day, which is the home of the National Symphony Orchestra, with no indication of when it will reopen," she stated.
In March 2023, musician Osmany Hernández reported leaks at the National Theater during a rainstorm—artists, instruments, and sheet music got soaked in the middle of a performance. He also recalled that the Amadeo closed years ago "due to construction issues following a poor repair."
In February 2020, the Minister of Culture, Alpidio Alonso, acknowledged that the previous investment made in the Amadeo was inadequate, and at that time he announced its reopening for the first quarter of 2022, considering it a "priority" for the country.
At that moment, Alonso pointed out that the building was no longer in danger, following the replacement and restoration of tiles, walls, stairs, and other elements of internal infrastructure. However, he also mentioned that there was still much work to be done to restore the facade and to update the technology and furnishings. This statement has been contradicted year after year as passersby observe daily that the condition of the structure continues to deteriorate.
This site joins the long list of iconic places in Cuba that are being driven to extinction due to a regime that is unable to keep them standing amidst the current economic crisis.
In the municipality of Playa, you can find the popular pizzeria Lisboa, better known as La Copa Pizzeria, another place that is gradually fading away.
The old nightclub of the Comodoro hotel shares a similar fate, currently serving as a dumping ground for debris and the people who leave their trash there.
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