The new stage production Maestra Salsa will open at the Gran Teatro Nacional in Lima, Peru, combining live music, dance and theatre to honour salsa history.
The show will run for two performances only, taking the stage on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for both dates are available through the Teleticket platform.
Created by broadcaster Mabela Martínez as part of celebrations marking 30 years of her cultural project Sonidos del Mundo, the staging offers a journey through key eras that shaped salsa music. Martínez, who was recently recognised as a Personalidad Meritoria de la Cultura by Peru's Ministry of Culture, wrote the script and serves as general director alongside theatrical director Claudia Tangoa. Overall direction for the production is led by José de la Cruz and Felipe Pumarada.
Located in the San Borja district of Lima, the Gran Teatro Nacional is Peru's flagship national theatre, regularly hosting major classical, theatrical and popular music events. Sonidos del Mundo has spent three decades promoting world music and cultural heritage across Peruvian broadcasting.
Salsa history and musical influences
The performance transports audiences to the Latin Bronx of 1970s New York, the birthplace of the legendary Fania Records sound that popularised salsa internationally. It also recreates the atmosphere of the historic Palladium Ballroom in Manhattan to the rhythms of Tito Puente's mambos, alongside the influence of the Cuban bolero. The performance follows a non-chronological structure, recreating distinct historical stages that shaped the genre.
A central feature of the performance is a live salsa orchestra inspired by the classic band format that musician Johnny Pacheco used to push the Fania phenomenon globally. Musical director Felipe Pumarada leads the orchestra, which brings together prominent Peruvian musicians.
The repertoire features hits by legendary salsa icons including Celia Cruz, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Rubén Blades, Ismael Miranda and Cheo Feliciano. Songs will be performed by vocalists Veruska Verdú, Narda Pumarada, Aldo Rodríguez, Junior Caro and Martín Sánchez, with special guest appearances by Kike Purizaga on piano and Alonso Acosta on vibraphone.
Staging, narrative and choreography
Actor and DJ Salsandro conducts the show, guiding the audience through major episodes in salsa history. Throughout the performance, he portrays multiple characters, including a salsero chronicler, a Cuban radio presenter, and a master of ceremonies inspired by salsa promoter and designer Izzy Sanabria.
The staging aims to blend theatrical, musical and visual elements to revive the essence of the genre. Choreography alternates between spontaneous moves inspired by popular social dancing and formal routines designed specifically for each song.
Choreographic direction is led by José de la Cruz, who trained at dancer Vania Masías's D1 school, with artistic advice provided by Masías. The production team designed the performance to offer an immersive tribute to the genre's history and artists.
