(Prensa Latina - Cumbancha) Matanzas.- One of Cuba´s oldest orchestras, La Lira Matancera, will be paid tribute for its 80th anniversary on May 12, at the Sauto Theater, in the western Cuban city of Matanzas. Los Muñequitos de Matanzas and the Fantasia String Quintet, directed by maestro Alberto Garcia, will share the stage with the group and play old and contemporary classics of its repertoire. Other invited celebrities include, Eduardo Rosillo, professor of Cuban radio announcers, linked to the work of the orchestra for years.

 The Lira Matancera orchestra has retained during its 80 years the hallmark that makes it a genuine expression of Cuban culture and its members keep their predecessors' spirit of creativity, improvisation and enthusiasm alive. The orchestra is currently directed by Carmelo Marrero Alpizar and performs for tourists at the Varadero beach resort and at concerts and balls in theaters and institutions throughout Cuba.