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The Ballet Nacional de Cuba canceled its two performances of Giselle scheduled for June 27 and 28 at the Avellaneda Hall of the National Theater, as reported by the official media Cubadebate. The reason: the failure of the venue's air conditioning system and the inability to complete the repairs in time.
The company's Press Department announced the decision on June 19 with a brief statement: "We regret to inform you that the two performances of Giselle by the National Ballet of Cuba, scheduled for Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, June 28, have been canceled due to a breakdown of the air conditioning system at the National Theater. Despite the efforts made, the necessary repair work to ensure the smooth running of the show could not be carried out."
The canceled performances carried considerable symbolic weight. The one on Saturday, June 27 was dedicated to the Cuban Academy of the Language in honor of its centenary, while the one on Sunday, June 28 commemorated the 185th anniversary of the world premiere of Giselle in Paris, which took place on June 28, 1841. Both were scheduled for 5:00 p.m., with ticket sales starting at the box office on Tuesday, June 23.
The announced cast brought together prominent figures from the company: Alianed Moreno and Ányelo Montero for the Saturday performance, and Anette Delgado along with Montero for the Sunday show, all under the general direction of Viengsay Valdés, who has led the Cuban National Ballet since January 2020.
The cancellation is not an isolated event within the Cuban cultural landscape. In May 2026, the Grand Prix of Ballet in Havana was suspended due to power outages and pending repairs at its venue, with a new date set for the third week of July 2027. The pattern repeats itself: the cultural infrastructure of the country collapses under an unprecedented energy crisis.
The Nacional Theater of Cuba, located in the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana and inaugurated on September 3, 1979, was already showing signs of deterioration before this breakdown. In March 2023, leaks were recorded during a performance, with artists and instruments exposed to rain inside the venue itself. The Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso, another iconic space, closed in February 2023 due to termite damage and resumed renovations in October 2025 due to new structural issues.
The energy context surrounding this suspension is devastating. The Electric Union reported a deficit exceeding 2,000 MW in the week of June 19, against a demand of 3,050 MW, with blackouts affecting 65% of the country. Between 10 and 11 thermal power units remained out of service, nearly 60% of the national generating capacity. The Antonio Guiteras thermal power plant, the largest in Cuba, has recorded 11 disconnections so far in 2026.
Cubans on the ground bear the brunt of the brutal consequences of this crisis. A Cuban content creator reported 42 consecutive hours without electricity and without water, summarizing the situation with a straightforward phrase: "They are stealing our lives from us all." In Matanzas, residents reported outages lasting up to 85 hours without service; in Havana, blackouts reached 22 hours daily, with extreme cases of barely 20 minutes of electricity in an entire day.
The lack of electricity brings with it a shortage of water: 87% of Cuban aqueducts rely on the electrical system to pump, leaving nearly 2.7 million people without regular access to supply. Residents of Granma even addressed their Communist Party leader with a request that reflects the extent of their resignation: "We want at least three hours of electricity."
On social media, Cubans expressed their outrage at the suspension of Giselle's performances, pointing out that the malfunction of the air conditioning system at the National Theater is merely a symptom of the widespread collapse. Some commented that it is impossible to ensure minimal conditions in any public space when. Living on the Island has become about counting "the minutes of respite provided by a fan", summarized recently on Facebook a Cuban woman who, in a twist of irony, identifies herself as Giselle Rodríguez.
The National Ballet of Cuba did not announce a new date for the canceled performances.
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