Celebrate the Excitement of the Merengue with Miriam Cruz, Alex Bueno, & Bonny Cepeda at Lehman Center

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts presents Miriam Cruz, Alex Bueno, and as they come together for a night dedicated to the beauty of the Merengue musical genre on Saturday, October 9th, 2021 at 8pm.

In this celebratory concert, Miriam Cruz, "La Diva", will bring a selection of songs from her beginnings in the Las Chicas del Can Orchestra, such as "Juana La Cubana", "Ta' Pillao", "Pequeñas Cosas", "Sin El", as well as some of her greatest solo hits: "La Loba", "Es Cosa de Él", "La Carnada", and more! Alex Bueno, "El Mayimbito", one of the most well-rounded singers in the Dominican Republic, dominates the genres Bachata, Salsa, Balada, Boleros and of course Merengue!

With a wide range of successful songs, audiences will enjoy their favorite hits like; "Que vuelva", "Que Cara Mas Bonita", "Me muero por ella", "A donde vayas", "Colegiala", and "La Radio". Bobby Cepeda, the singer, pianist, composer, and arranger from the Dominican Republic, who was the first merengue artist to be nominated for a Grammy for his album Noche de Discotheque, will be joined as a special guest, by his brother, the merengue singer Richie Cepeda.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for UNA NOCHE CON EL MERENGUE on Saturday, October 9th, 2021 at 8pm ($100, $65, $50, $45 and $35) can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at 718-960-8833 (Monday through Thursday, 10am-5pm, and beginning at 4pm on the day of the concert), or through online access at www.LehmanCenter.org. Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway.

In order to keep staff, audiences, and artists safe, proof of vaccination and masks will be required to attend any performances at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in accordance with the Mayor's Office of the City of New York.

Miriam Cruz is a merengue singer and actress from the Dominican Republic who started her professional career as the lead vocalist of the successful female merengue group Las Chicas del Can, releasing many hit albums including 1985's Chicán and 1991's Nada Común. In 1993, she made her solo debut with Nueva Vida which spawned the smash hits "Tómalo Tú", "La Loba", and "Te Propongo". After focusing on her acting career for several years, she returned to her musical roots and won the 2014 Soberano Merengue of the Year Award for "Esa Loca". Her recent albums include 2016's Miriam Collection featuring the hit songs "Es Cosa de Él" and "Es Necesario", and 2017's Salí De Ti.

Alex Bueno, "the most tender voice of merengue," was born in San José de las Matas, Dominican Republic and began singing and playing guitar at a very young age. His first two songs "Quisqueya" and "Condiciones" were recorded in 1978 with the Santo Domingo All Star Band led by Gerardo Vera. Sharing vocals with Fernandito Villalona, Bueno recorded the hit "Piel Canela" in 1980. Leaving the All Star Band in 1982, he became the lead singer of the merengue band La Orquesta Liberacion and recorded the critically acclaimed album Alex & Orquesta Liberacion which contained the hits "Querida", "La Radio", "Que Cara Mas Bonita", and "Colegiada". In 1990, he released his first salsa album, the popular release Jardin Prohibido and followed up in 1992 with Ternuras, which broke sales records. After releasing three more successful salsa albums, Bueno switched to bachata, earning a Premios Lo Nuestro nomination for Corazon Duro (2001), the second of his six bachata records. In 2013, Alex moved to New York City, releasing Unique Hits (2014), Tranquilo y Tropical and 1, both in 2015, and Diferente in 2017.

is an innovative singer, pianist, composer, and arranger from the Dominican Republic. After studying piano as a child, he attended the Santo Domingo National Conservatory of Music before making his professional debut in the Los Monjes orchestra and ventured into salsa with Rey Reyes and Engenio Pérez. He formed his first merengue band, La Gran Orquestra, with Cheché Abreu, and Richie Cepeda (his brother), El Zafiro and Andy Mesa as vocalists. Cepeda became one of the original members of Wilfrido Vargas' very popular Los Hijos Del Ray orchestra, that also included Fernando Villalona, Raulin Rosendo and Tito & Luis Kenton. Among Bonny's contributions as arranger for the group include the songs "La Mulatona", "Como Va a Ser", "Charanga pa' Luis", and "Así Es La Vida". Two years later, along with the Kenton brothers, he formed the group Bonny Con Kenton, during which time he also performed with Johnny Ventura before creating y Su Orquesta, with his brother Richie on vocals. The orchestra quickly found success with hits like "Ay! Doctor", "La Fotografia", "Curato de Hotel", "Me Tiene Chivo", "La Gran Manzaza", "Asesina", "Que Caliente Estoy", and "El Hijo de Madame Inés" among others. During his career, has been given numerous awards, has recorded more than 30 albums, and has served as a major merengue producer for many other major artists.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. is supported, in part, with public funds through the SVOG Grant by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council. The 2021-2022 Season is also made possible through the sponsorships by The New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York State Legislature, Con Edison, Havana Café, and the Friends of Lehman Center.