Havana, February 25 (RHC) -– Cuban President Raul Castro on Monday evening attended the reopening of the Martí Theater, an icon of Cuba's cultural history that returns to life after decades of neglect.

The inaugural gala included performances of traditional Cuban music and theater pieces, such as the zarzuelas Cecilia Valdés, María la O, and Amalia Batista.

While delivering the central speech at the gala, Eusebio Leal, Historian of Havana City thanked all those involved in the restoration of this historical landmark.

Opened in 1884 and located in the heart of Old Havana, the Marti Theater closed its doors in the late 1960s, to resurface now after years of intense restoration which included the modernization of its internal structure without affecting the decoration and the original design.