Classical Minnesota Public Radio will broadcast two live performances by the Minnesota Orchestra from the Teatro Nacional in Havana, Cuba, May 15 and 16.
MPR calls the broadcasts “historic” because the Minnesota Orchestra will become the first U.S. orchestra to perform in Cuba since President Obama took steps to normalize relations between the countries in December.
The Minnesota Orchestra will play as part of the opening weekend of the 19th annual International Cubadisco Festival. The broadcast is possible through a technical collaboration with partners both in Cuba and in Minnesota.
Audiences can tune in to Classical MPR statewide or stream via Classical MPR at 7 p.m. Central time on May 15 and May 16 to hear the live broadcasts. Each broadcast will open with 30 minutes of preconcert interviews, music, and stories, followed by the concerts at 7:30 p.m. Classical MPR can be heard in the Twin Cities on KSJN(FM) on 99.5 MHz.
Listeners can also follow along at a dedicated Cuba page for updates and behind-the-scenes coverage. In addition to the concert broadcasts, MPR News arts reporter Euan Kerr will send reports and multimedia producer Nate Ryan will post photos to Classical MPR’s website, along with blog posts by freelance musician Rena Kraut, who will be traveling and performing with the orchestra.
The live broadcasts also will be distributed nationwide via MPR’s national distribution arm American Public Media. Listeners should check their local public radio station listings for those outlets.
In Cuba, listeners can hear the broadcasts on Radio Taino, an FM station based in Havana that broadcasts across the island nation.
