Rolando Borrero Oviedo, a cellist who held the position of principal cellist for 15 years in the Gran Teatro de La Habana «Alicia Alonso» Orchestra, is now seen performing on the streets of the Cuban capital in exchange for tips, in a video published on Instagram by content creator Jankiel Yera.
Borrero graduated from the Guillermo Tomás Conservatory of Music in Guanabacoa, being part of the first class to complete both the elementary and intermediate levels, and completed his social service for four years with the National Symphony of Cuba. From 2010 until November 2025, he was a member of the orchestra of the Gran Teatro, where he served for seven consecutive years as the principal cellist, then moved to the general section of cellos, and returned once again to the position of principal cellist.
When asked why a musician of his caliber plays on the street instead of being in an orchestra, Borrero explained the paradox that defines the Cuban cultural sector: "In Cuba, everything is backward; here, classical music is paid much less than popular music, unlike in Europe."
The musician described the magnitude of his former position with a comparison that illustrates the gap between prestige and remuneration: "My role as principal cellist is akin to being the first cellist of both the New York Ballet and the Paris Opera combined, because I play for both opera and ballet."
The break with the institution came after a conflict with the orchestra's director. Borrero requested that, after 15 years of service, he be promoted to the rank of soloist to improve his income, but the response was that he would need to undergo new tests and auditions. "It's very illogical after 15 years of playing ballet solos," he pointed out. "Literally, if I don’t play the solo, the dancers can’t dance. If I stop playing, the dancers can't dance. I mean, I am just as important as the dancers."
That frustration was compounded by another: while the ballet toured the world and the director traveled, the orchestra remained stagnant in Cuba. "It was the ballet traveling all over the world, the director traveling, and the orchestra stuck in Cuba, doing nothing. At some point, that just wears you down," he stated.
Official salaries partly explain this exhaustion. According to Resolution 4/2026 from the Ministry of Labor, the soloists of that orchestra earned between 5,060 and 5,310 Cuban pesos per month. Although the , raised that figure to 8,500 pesos for the soloists, in informal exchange, that amounts to barely between 11 and 12 dollars a month.
The video generated immediate reactions from prominent figures in Cuban culture. Randy Malcom from Gente de Zona wrote: "Incredible, what a shame, how sad to see these things." The percussionist Rodney Barreto, who trained in the same school as Borrero, commented: "What a shame to see him like this. I've known him since he was young, and he was always very talented."
The comedian El Habanero suggested organizing a fundraising campaign so that the musician could travel to Europe, while the dancer Fredy Clan expressed his dismay and wished that "the world enjoys and pays for his talent."
The case of Borrero is part of a broader crisis in the Cuban arts sector. The International Ballet Festival of Havana was canceled this month due to the situation facing the institution, and the company has shrunk from over 100 dancers to about 55 between 2022 and 2025, according to data collected in reports on the exodus of Cuban artists.
Jankiel Yera closed the video with a reflection that points to the causes of the systemic crisis in Cuba: "This is how musicians of that caliber have to end up. The same happens in sports and in film, in everything that has to do with having believed in it."
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