If you’re visiting Havana, Cuba, one of the must-see attractions is the Tropicana Nightclub. VC Tours offers exclusive access to this iconic destination, giving visitors a chance to experience a paradise under the stars.
Don’t miss the amazing and unique experience Tropicana Night Club has to offer! Are you looking for an evening of entertainment like no other? Look no further than this unforgettable nightlife destination, where music beats and dancing is rampant. We are going to provide a detailed explanation of this magical place in this post!
A Magic Place
This nightclub is an extravagant art experience, with music and Cuban folklore that bring happiness to all who visit. It’s a place you have to see to believe! It is the most spectacular cabaret to open under the stars.
The Son, the chachachá, the bolero, and the Conga are some of the varied rhythms that accompany the show. Three hundred artists make up the cast of dancers, singers, and musicians in a natural environment with palm trees, lights, and colors.
The dancers wear see-through stockings and light clothing while displaying feathered and sequined outfits enhancing color and brilliance in a nighttime, outdoor setting, a show repeated and renewed at the same time since its opening.
Of its History
It was the French Regino Du Rapaire Truffin who owned the Villa Mina, a suburban property during the emergence of the Marianao Municipality. Towards the end of the thirties, Mina Perez Chaumont, Truffin’s widow, decided to rent her property to a group of entrepreneurs headed by Victor de Correa, who wanted to set up a nightclub.
Víctor de Correa hired one of the best choreographers and show directors at the time in Cuba: Sergio Orta. He was the creator of the show that opened on December 30, 1940.
Correa, who was not new to that type of business activity, achieved a very successful opening. His wife, singer Teresita de España, was one of the main attractions in its early shows.
Very soon Tropicana became a favorite spot for the most select and affluent in society. The spell of Cuban nights, with starry skies, warm tropical moon, hot and languid music, dazzling women – reputedly the most beautiful of Cuban dark-skinned girls – and its exuberant gardens created in the visitors the feeling of being in an unreal world of exotic splendor.
However, it was another person, Martin Fox, the man who immortalized Tropicana as one of the emblematic sites of the country and the region.
The impressive project of the Tropicana Nightclub
Martin Fox was a man who dedicated himself to gambling and put his heart into the project. By 1950 he was the sole owner of all the land and the Cabaret Tropicana, so he hired the architect Max Borges for a renovation.
Max Borges, the architect hired by Martin Fox with a modernist vision, devised the harmonious integration of nature and space that would become Tropicana Nightclub. For Villa Mina to become an idyllic paradise after dark, it was essential to harmoniously incorporate the verdant tropical forest that surrounded it. Thus, with this idea, he won the Gold Medal of the National Association of Architects.
In 1955, the Museum of Modern Art in New York held a Latin American Architecture exhibition that included Tropicana–a Cuban work.
What inspired the name of this fantastic place?
When it came time to name the local, Sergio Orta had a brilliant idea: “Tropicana,” after Alfredo Brito’s song which was first played at that very spot.
The night of Monday, December 30, 1940, marked a monumental occasion for those who attended the grand opening of the Cabaret Tropicana. The show went on until daybreak Tuesday and featured some renowned artists including Nat King Cole and Carmen Miranda. It is truly an evening to remember!
Rise to fame
The Cabaret Tropicana owes its celebrity not only to the site, its offerings, or the renowned shows that are presented there.
Partly it is because it was first a luxury attraction that caught the attention of celebrities such as Marlon Brando or Maurice Chevalier, or others who performed there or shared with customers.
Thus, advertising allowed Tropicana to become one of the best-known nightclubs in the world.
The Royal Albert Hall in London, Sporting Club de Montecarlo Monaco, Friedrichstadt Palace Berlin, and Beacon Theater Broadway, New York have hosted Tropicana performances.
Cuban and international stars have performed at the Tropicana. Joséphine Baker, Bola de Nieve, Rita Montaner, Elena Burke, Libertad Lamarque, Cheo Feliciano, and Nat King Cole have attended and performed there.
Others who have done so include Frank Sinatra, Marylin Monroe, Tongolele, Xavier Cugat, Los Chavales de España, Carmen Miranda, Pedro Vargas, Norma Duval, Alejandra Guzmán, Rosita Fornés , Chano Pozo, Celia Cruz, Olga Guillot, Elena Burque, Omara Portuondo, and Los Papines.
In 1954, the French designer Pierre Balmain presented his summer collection, and later in 1996, the Japanese fashion designer Junko Koshino presented her fashion show at the Salón Bajo las Estrellas, with choreography by maestro Santiago Alfonso – a moment that challenged the professionalism of the cabaret cast.
But there was more.
Cabaret Tropicana has witnessed many important events. Another example is the evening that the Cuban house Habana S.A. offered thirty years after the creation of its renowned Cohíba cigars.
Tropicana Nightclub was chosen among the twenty locations from which ABC and CNN, the American TV consortiums, directly transmitted to the entire world farewell to the 20th century.
The presence of these famous people, added to the quality of attention and the beauty of the shows, makes it one of the most important options in the city and one that you should not miss if you visit Havana.
The art of Rita Longa at Tropicana Nightclub
One of the symbols of the Tropicana is its Dancer, a sculptural work by the Cuban artist Rita Longa. This figure represents a dancer who seems to turn with her everything around her. Over time it has become a symbol of Cuban dance.
It was in 1994 when the eponymous trophy was awarded for the first time, consisting of a smaller-sized replica of the Ballerina, sculpted by Rita Longa and awarded to artistic personalities associated with cabaret.
The Tropicana Nightclub show
During the nightlife of the cabaret, one of its emblematic reasons is the shows. Among the most famous are Congo Pantera, La Vida Alegre, Seis Lindas Cubanas, Almanac, Lecuona Carnaval, Tropicana sings and dances for you; toast to Tropicana, and Tropicana: glory is yours. There is also the show “Drums in Concert,” conceived by the experienced maestro Tomás Morales. With the show, it is proposed to visit the most recognized and genuine Cuban rhythms.
Of course, we cannot forget our Hispanic and African heritage. Thus, it incorporates the rumba, the danzonete, and the mambo, as well as Latin jazz. Costumes and scenery, accompanied by choreography, accompany a staging full of imagination and realism that is worthy of applause and ovation.
In this show, the character “echo of the drum” stands out, a mythical character with a face covered by a mask, with his strong movements full of masculinity, represents manhood and supports a song and tribute to the drum, an obligatory element of Cuban culture.
Not only a show
The Tropicana Night Club is much more than just a show – it’s a complete experience that engulfs all the senses. Not only can one enjoy the incredible performances, but one can also indulge in the delicious cuisine offered at both Los Jardines and Rodney Café. Located within the same grounds as the nightclub, these restaurants are ideal for a pre-or post-show dinner.
The gourmet restaurant Los Jardines offers vegans and vegetarians, fresh vegetables and fruits and flambéed in the service and completion of the dishes in front of customers.
In addition to the restaurant, it has the Arcos de Cristal Lounge, a space for rainy days. The Rodney Café is another much more modern space with an atmosphere to enjoy drinks.
Plan your next night out with VC Tours and visit Tropicana Nightclub – you won’t regret it! From the moment you enter, you’ll be immersed in a magical environment that will make this evening one of the most memorable nights of your trip.