Programmes

CR Holdings Proudly Sponsors the “Music Without Borders” Series: Roberto Fonseca—La Gran Diversión

In the 1930s the Cabane Cubaine was the most famous cabaret in Paris. Piano virtuoso Roberto Fonseca and his band will take you back to the heart of Cuba’s jazz age, drawing inspiration from artists such as the iconic pianist Lily Martinez. With the fiery rhythms of percussion and an orchestra as grand as the Cotton Club or Buena Vista, you won’t be able to resist swaying to the melodies of a man who embodies the soul of Cuban music.

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CR Holdings Proudly Sponsors the “Music Without Borders” Series: Roberto Fonseca—La Gran Diversión

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The 54th HK Arts Festival ．Feature

2025.12.24

Cuban Jazz Virtuoso: a Self-Journey in the Rhythm

Text / Adam Wright

One of the most gifted pianists of his generation, Roberto Fonseca embodies the spirit and music of his home country Cuba, and like Bernheim he was also born into a musical family. But his family situation was quite different—Fonseca's parents were influential figures in Cuban music—his mother was a singer and his father a musician—which forced him to face quite different challenges.

"My biggest challenge was finding my own space and my own voice," Fonseca tells FestMag before he brings his latest performance, La Gran Diversión, to the 2026 HKAF. "There were so many other great musicians that finding my own personal style and winning recognition on my own was the hardest part for me."

But Fonseca did eventually find a voice of his own, evolving into an artist with a deep jazz sensibility and roots in the Afro-Cuban tradition. He made his name replacing the legendary pianist Ruben González in the famed Buena Vista Social Club, and after receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album, he has taken his music to stages throughout the world, establishing himself as an innovative voice both within and beyond jazz.

But despite the accolades, he's never forgotten what's motivated him since his first appearance on stage in Havana at the age of 15. "Success is when the audience understands my music, no matter whether it's a small club, theatre or festival. Each song is like a small movie with its own story, and the show is like a journey. If the audience is able to immerse themselves in that journey, and I perform from the bottom of my heart and they feel it, that to me is what success looks like."