Mano a Mano
Between 2014 and 2016, Fermin Rojas, along with his husband Jay Kubesch, produced Cuba’s first and only gay men’s singing ensemble, Mano a Mano, and brought them on a seven-city U.S. tour with the help of a grant from the Gill Foundation.
Having been a member of the Miami Gay Men’s Chorus for twelve years, Fermin strongly believes in the power of LGBTQ+ choruses to bring about social change. This belief inspired him to create the group in 2014, at a time when LGBTQ+ rights were making significant strides in Cuba. Operating as an independent NGO, the group of five singers performed at numerous events and venues across Havana. In 2015, they held a historic joint concert with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C.—an event the Washington Bladedubbed “pink diplomacy” for its role in promoting equality and people-to-people interaction. The group was also invited as a special guest to the renowned Leo Brouwer Festival in Havana in 2015. That same year marked the beginning of a year-and-a-half collaboration with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA), culminating in a joint concert titled Oye Mi Canto at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California.
“Oye Mi Canto, which took place at the Alex Theatre Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, featured the small Gay Men's Chorus of Cuba, Mano a Mano, whose singing skill and artistry blew the roof off the Alex. Combined with GMCLA, the Latin sounds were rhythmic to the point of heart-pounding and oh-so-moving in every way.”
— Don Grigware, BroadwayWorld
Mano a Mano subsequently performed at GALA Choruses Festival 2016, marking the first time a group from Cuba had ever participated in the renowned international LGBTQ+ choral festival. They went on to perform at Vassar College, the Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C., Provincetown Town Hall, and MCC Fort Lauderdale alongside the South Florida Gay Men’s Chorus. The group also recorded a four-song EP with Grammy Award-winning producer Andrés Levin, which included a Spanish rendition of "Karma Chameleon." Additionally, they recorded a Spanish-language version of "You Have More Friends Than You Know" in collaboration with Tony Award-winning composer Jeff Marx.
Official Song Translations (Spanish)
"Our Time" by Stephen Sondheim – Translated by Fermin Rojas and Ricardo Lorenz
"Karma Chameleon" by George O’Dowd – Translated by Fermin Rojas
"You Have More Friends Than You Know" by Jeff Marx – Translated by Miguel Angelo and Fermin Rojas
"Make Them Hear You" by Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens – Translated by Fermin Rojas and Anthony Cabrera
Official Song Translations (English)
"Unicornio Azul" by Silvio Rodríguez – Translated by Fermin Rojas
"No Soy Perfecto" by Chris Hierro – Translated by Fermin Rojas
"Mira" by Chris Hierro – Translated by Fermin Rojas