Paradise in Cuba Will Cost 50 Pesos Instead of 10

Facade of the Gran Teatro de La Habana. (14ymedio)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 16 December 2020 — The Alicia Alonso Gran Teatro de La Habana will increase the cost of tickets as of January 1 as part of the process of “economic reordering” and the country’s new salaries*. The institution announced that the first and second balcony will cost 125 pesos for Cubans.

The locations within the hall with the lowest rate will be the ’social gathering’ and ’paradise’ sections, with a price of 50 pesos. Foreigners will be charged a one-time fee of 750 pesos.

In 2016, the cultural complex increased the cost of its tickets and charged 30 pesos for the stalls, 25 for the balconies and 10 for the ’social gathering’ and ’paradise’ sections.

The theater is the headquarters of the National Ballet of Cuba, a company that with the new salary scale will be one of the dance groups that will receive the highest remuneration among nationals. The director will receive a salary of 6,960 pesos a month ($290 US), the first dancers will receive 5,810 and the choreographers, between 5,560 and 5,060.

The website of the Ministry of Culture reported that the prices of cultural services will be restructured to establish a “rate treatment” in a single currency as established by Resolution 328 of the Ministry of Finance and Prices.

The official provision indicates that “the heads of the agencies, superior business management organizations and other authorized entities, as well as the provincial councils” will increase “current rates in a similar proportion to the average growth of expenses for the provision of services, according their characteristics and classification.”

In this sense, museums, historical sites, local cinemas and theaters, local cultural and sporting shows will increase their current rates up to three times and national theaters up to five, that is, they will increase by 500%.

The resolution maintains the schedule of different prices for some “segments of the population, sectors and institutions, through the application of discounts to children, students, pensioners, activities related to their state function.”

*Translator’s note: As of January 1st, the Cuban Convertible peso will be retired, and the Cuban peso will be valued at 24 to 1 US dollar. Wages will be increased from the current average of the equivalent of $30-$40 US a month, to a minimum wage of 2,100 Cuban pesos ($87.50 US) but prices are expected to triple, across the board.

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