Havana, Cuba: Cubans today commemorate the 153rd anniversary of the first public performance of the music of La Bayamesa, which became the National Anthem.
On June 11, 1868, the Parish Church of the then town of San Salvador de Bayamo (in the east of the island), was the scene of the premiere of the score written by the patriot Pedro ‘Perucho’ Figueredo, also author of the lyrics. .
According to historical sources, the music with a marked air of military march was performed as part of a religious ceremony attended by the main colonial authorities.
The interpretation of the piece was in charge of the musician Manuel Muñoz Cedeño, who also instructed it at the request of Figueredo.
The military governor of Bayamo, Colonel Julián Udaeta, noticed the air of a warrior march in the music, but could not do something about it.
Four months later, on October 20, days after the beginning of the first of the wars for Cuba’s independence, the people of Bahia sang the lyrics of what would ultimately be the National Anthem.
