Celebrate Celia Cruz New York Performances

At Queens Theatre, *Celebrate Celia Cruz* frames a tribute to the Cuban singer through a live program led by Xiomara Laugart with Rumbanza, drawing directly on Cruz’s songbook. Laugart’s roots in nueva trova, jazz-inflected phrasing, and free improvisation meet the architecture of son, bolero, mambo, and salsa with an emphasis on rhythm and clear storytelling. In New York City, where Latin music has long shaped neighborhood nightlife and mainstream stages, the piece reads as both remembrance and record. Its most telling choice is restraint: the repertoire carries the weight without excess ornament.