With a grand concert at the Salón Rosado Benny Moré in the La Tropical, Havana, on Thursday, September 19, the legendary Orquesta Aragón will kick off its celebrations for 85 years since its founding.

Invited by the sociocultural project «Hoy como ayer,» the Charanga Eterna, along with the Conjunto de Arsenio Rodríguez, will present a special performance starting at 6:00 p.m. to an audience primarily composed of senior citizens who frequent this ARTex venue.

During a press conference at the Cuban Institute of Music, details of their upcoming performances were shared as part of the 85th birthday celebrations, which will take place on September 30.

Colombia will again welcome the Aragón, with seven concerts planned, including one with the Medellín Symphony Orchestra, featuring arrangements by Cuban maestros Joaquín Betancourt and Roberto Valera.

In November, as part of the extensive programming for the 505^th anniversary of San Cristóbal de La Habana, the Aragón will return to the famous corner of Prado and Neptuno for a highly anticipated concert for dance enthusiasts.

From December 1 to 6, the group led by maestro Rafael Lay Bravo for over 40 years will return to Cienfuegos, where it was originally founded by Oreste Aragón and later directed by maestro Rafael Lay Apesteguía.

During these performances, the orchestra will promote its latest album «85 años de la Orquesta Aragón,» recorded in Colombia this year, featuring nine renewed pieces selected from its extensive catalog. These include «Mi bajo con tumbao,» «Pregúntame cómo estoy,» «Rendez Vous Chez Fatimata,» a bolero mix including the classic «Canta corazón» immortalized by Pepe Olmo, and a piece by the late maestro Adalberto Álvarez titled «Con un besito mi amor.»

The Charanga Eterna maintains its characteristic style and presence of multiple generations. Maestro Rafael Lay Bravo highlighted three young instrumentalists—a flutist, a singer, and a tumbador—working in harmony with more experienced members.

Other cultural institutions will pay tribute to Orquesta Aragón; the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba will dedicate events during the Danzón Habana Festival, and the National Concert Music Center, along with concert bands across the country, will perform pieces from the group’s repertoire during the last weekend of September in honor of its 85th anniversary.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez