Each November, Havana transforms into a living concert hall for the Habana Clasica International Music Festival, an event that bridges centuries of music with the vibrancy of Cuba today. What began in 2003 as a tribute to Esteban Salas, the 18th-century Cuban composer who worked in Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical styles, has grown into one of the city’s most distinguished cultural gatherings.
Re-founded in 2017 by pianist Marcos Madrigal, Habana Clásica was conceived as more than a festival. It is a space for dialogue between past and present, for encounters between legendary performers and emerging talent, and for the blending of classical repertoire with contemporary works. Its concerts unfold in Havana’s most evocative settings: historic churches, chapels, theatres, museums, and open-air plazas of the city’s UNESCO-protected historic center.
Music That Bridges Worlds
The festival’s programming is eclectic yet purposeful. Audiences hear masterpieces from Bach and Mozart alongside premieres from Cuban and international composers. Each edition highlights new themes and homages — from the legacy of Cuban flautist Roberto Ondina to works by female composers like Fanny Mendelssohn and Mel Bonis. Recent editions have included over a hundred artists and ensembles from Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, turning Havana into a crossroads of cultures where East and West, old and new, meet in harmony.
Beyond concerts, the festival nurtures education and community outreach. Masterclasses, lectures, and workshops allow students and young musicians to learn directly from world-renowned artists. Social programs bring music into schools, hospitals, and neighborhoods, affirming that classical music in Cuba is not an elite pursuit but part of everyday cultural life.
The Traveler’s Havana
For visitors, Habana Clásica is an invitation to experience Havana at its most intimate and inspiring. Days can begin with a stroll through the cobbled streets of Old Havana, admiring baroque façades and colonial plazas, and end with an evening of chamber music in a candlelit church. Between concerts, the city offers its rich rhythm — galleries, vibrant cafés, and the easy warmth of habaneros welcoming you into their world.
And then there are the cigars. After a night of music, stepping into a quiet patio with a Cohiba Siglo VI or a Trinidad Fundadores can feel like a continuation of the performance — a coda in smoke and time. Just as Madrigal’s curation blends tradition and innovation, these cigars embody balance: strength with elegance, depth with subtlety. Paired with a glass of aged Cuban rum, they turn reflection into ritual, echoing the harmony of the festival.
Why Habana Clasica Music Festival Matters
Habana Clásica is more than a series of concerts. It is a reminder that music, like Havana itself, is resilient. It thrives despite challenges, nourished by collaboration and the belief that beauty is an essential human need. For Cubans, it is a reaffirmation of identity through culture; for visitors, it is a chance to experience Havana not just as a destination, but as a living stage where history, art, and community converge.
If you are in Havana in November, let yourself be drawn into Habana Clásica. Attend a concert, wander the plazas, meet the artists. Then light a cigar, sip your rum, and let the notes linger — because in Cuba, music is never just heard, it is lived.
