Cine Teatro in Corozal Renovated and Named in Honor of Master Cuatrista Nieves Quintero

By Edgar Torres
For National Foundation for Popular Culture

The renovated Cine Teatro is located in the San Rafael building, San Manuel street in Corozal, which now bears the name of Manuel Nieves Quintero, in honor of the distinguished cuatrista who has brought so much glory to Puerto Rico.

Nieves Quintero is recognized as an innovator in the Puerto Rican cuatro. He has recorded on a thousand tracks and is still active today serving as an example and guide for the new generation. Self-taught in music, the master of the cuatro also dominates other string instruments such as the guitar, the mandolin, the requinto, the bass, the electric guitar and the Puerto Rican tiple. He has brought the musicianship of the cuatro to prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Kennedy Center.

Corozaleño Mayor Luis A. García Rolón highlighted the figure of Nieves Quintero as “a virtuous musician born in the Cibuco neighborhood, who has dedicated his life to music, always extolling the culture and traditions of his native Corozal.”

In the same way, the naranjiteño cuatrista Modesto Nieves, who participated in the artistic event in the middle of the tribute, highlighted the figure of maestro Nieves Quintero. “He is a school for us. When I lived in New Jersey I began to take my first steps with the cuatro with my uncle. When I started playing my first songs, de la Isla sent me a cuatro and a long-playing record by Maso Rivera and another by Nieves Quintero… I learned a lot listening to his music. Later in 1970, when I was 18 years old, we returned to live in Puerto Rico again. I first met Maso Rivera and then Nieves Quintero. With Nieves’ music I learned new things, because he was a modern musician for that time, with advanced songs. I have a strong appreciation for him and I was present at the tribute. I loved being invited! I was able to learn a lot with Nieves and he is a tremendous human being.”

Modesto Nieves was impressed by witnessing cuatrista children with their teacher play in honor of Nieves Quintero, while he watched them accompanied by his wife. He also highlighted that young cuatristas emotionally congratulated Nieves Quintero, 82 years old.

The cultural manager, musician and conductor Paquito Marrero also witnessed all the honors given to Nieves Quintero for being “one of the figures of the Puerto Rican cuatro who contributed greatly to what is the style of playing (the instrument) today day. The phrase is hackneyed, but he greatly influenced his style of playing, how the instrument is played today by the most contemporary generations of cuatristas”.

Marrero shared that Nieves Quintero looked very “flattered and grateful” at the time of recognition.

The musician from San Juan, who is part of the radio program “El Cuatro Sin Fronteras” broadcast by Oro 92.5 fm, was struck by the large number of cuatristas and exponents of the art in general who “gathered to honor one of the great masters of the cuatro Puerto Rican”. In this way, the respect felt by the exponents of our national instrument for the maestro Nieves Quintero was reaffirmed.

Historic structure renovated

The transformation of the Cine Teatro totaled $250,000 from funds approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and others. The municipal executive Luis A. García Rolón also indicated that “Cine Theater is a stronghold of Corozal… It enriches us with its 102-year history, when it was inaugurated as the Aurora Theater. We are pleased to have complied with all the FEMA and insurance requirements, in order to be able to leave a renovated and functional structure as a legacy, ”he added about the building whose reopening was on March 22.

The structure – dating from 1921 – is the culmination of one of the many projects carried out as part of the reconstruction of Corozal, after the onslaught of hurricanes Irma and María that occurred in 2017, the municipal executive pointed out. Among the changes in the facilities, improvements in its slabs, roof sealing, walls, new signage, preparation of a mural and equipment that allow it to be fully operational again stand out.

For more information about the renewed structure, contact the phone (787) 859-3037 or Facebook Cine Teatro Manuel Nieves Quintero for the schedule of batches for the public.