Belcon and Antonetti portray Omara Portuondo on Broadway

Natalie Venetia Belcon and Isa Antonetti are the lead actors in the new Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club. They portray the famous Cuban singer Omara Portuondo at different ages. Belcon is an experienced Broadway performer, while Antonetti is making her Broadway debut. Belcon has previously starred in productions like Matilda and Rent. She received awards for her role as Portuondo in an earlier off-Broadway version of the musical. Antonetti is a student at Carnegie Mellon University and comes from a musical background, having performed with her father's Latin band. Buena Vista Social Club started in Cuba in 1996 and became famous for its Grammy-winning album released in 1997. The album features traditional Cuban music and has been celebrated worldwide. The new show tells the story of the musicians involved, shifting between the 1950s and 1990s. The musical includes performers portraying other key figures from the original group, such as Compay Segundo and Ibrahim Ferrer. The pair recently spoke to Billboard Español about their experiences in the show during its premiere week. Belcon was introduced to the music of Buena Vista Social Club by her musician parents. Antonetti had a similar experience, discovering the music as part of her family’s background. Both actors faced challenges in portraying Portuondo accurately while bringing their own interpretations to the role. The emotional connections between the characters are important to the musical. Both actresses highlighted their favorite moments from the show and what they learned from Portuondo as an artist. They emphasized her strength and resilience throughout her life and career. After months of rehearsals, the actors expressed excitement about seeing the production come together on Broadway. They acknowledged the hard work involved but felt the effort was worth it as they share the iconic story of Omara Portuondo.