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Pinecrest Gardens exhibition celebrates music legend Celia Cruz.
Celia Cruz Centennial Celebration 1925-2025
Exhibition on view December 8 through February 2
Preview Opening: December 7
The Celia Cruz Estate and Pinecrest Gardens proudly present the Celia Cruz Centennial Celebration exhibition, the first event marking the 100th anniversary of Cruz’s birth. This tribute will culminate in a two-night concert at Pinecrest Gardens, featuring Lucrecia (as Celia) with the Celia Cruz All Stars performing live in the historic Banyan Bowl.
The exhibition spotlights Celia Cruz’s golden era, 1950-1965, showcasing her remarkable career through photographs, personal documents, iconic dresses and, above all, her unforgettable music.
Special thanks to our collaborators and partners: Celia Cruz Estate, Omer Pardillo-Cid, Nestor Rodriguez, Celia Cruz Foundation, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Gustavo Blanco, Eloy Cepero, Artful Printers, Basilio Alvarez and HistoryMiami Museum.
This exhibition complements the two-night Tropical Nights concert, celebrating the legendary, award-winning Celia Cruz and immersing guests in her vibrant world from 1950-1965. On display are two of her iconic dresses, a signature wig, music charts, records, awards, and a rich collection of memorabilia.
Celia in the 1950s: Her Collaborations and Recordings (La Sonora Matancera)
In the 1950s, Celia Cruz marked a turning point in her career, especially through her collaboration with the popular Cuban ensemble La Sonora Matancera. After emerging in Cuba’s music scene through radio and musical theater in the 1940s, Celia Cruz debuted on Radio Progreso with La Sonora Matancera on August 2, 1950. This collaboration quickly solidified her status as a major artist, producing hits like “Cao Cao Maní Picao,” “Burundanga,” and “Me Voy a Pinar del Río,” earning her first Gold Records. Her partnership with La Sonora Matancera continued into the early 1960s, yielding nearly 200 recordings and establishing her reputation internationally.
Celia at Sans Souci and Tropicana
In the glamorous settings of Havana’s iconic nightclubs, Sans Souci and Tropicana, Celia’s star power continued to rise. She was the central figure in “Sun Sun Babaé” at Sans Souci in 1952, a show that transformed Cuban nightclub entertainment. At Tropicana, the famed “Paradise under the Stars,” Celia became a celebrated diva, headlining shows like “Mayombe” in 1953, “Cuban Night” in 1956, and “Bongó Congo” in 1959. Her presence at Tropicana was legendary, blending Afro-Cuban music with a vibrant visual spectacle that captivated audiences. By 1958, she even reached American audiences, appearing on The Tonight Show from Havana, solidifying her international appeal.
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