María de Buenos Aires
Piazzolla’s iconic tango opera Maria de Buenos Aires finally returns to the Netherlands after years — and immediately in a brand-new guise. The Netherlands Saxophone Octet was the first Dutch ensemble commissioned by Piazzolla’s heirs to arrange the work for eight saxophones, voice, bandoneon, piano, and percussion. Also appearing are mezzo-soprano Karin Strobos, baritone Berend Eijkhout, Argentine tango masters, and the renowned tango duo Ezequiel Paludi & Geraldine Rojas.
Maria de Buenos Aires tells the story of Maria, the queen of the tango, whose singing voice and dancing gift captivate everything and everyone. When the city’s wealthy seek to exploit her talent purely commercially, the idealistic Duende intervenes—with all the consequences that entails. Piazzolla and librettist Horacio Ferrer have written a work full of emotion and melancholy, but also of courage, hope, and inspiration—as a passionate plea for living from the soul, not from the wallet.
The tension between artistic inspiration and commercialization affects every art form, and the question posed by the Duende—is living from inspiration not the essence of our existence?—resonates undiminished. The arrangement for eight saxophones gives Piazzolla’s characteristic sounds a new, rich dimension, while the bandoneon and percussion preserve the authentic Argentinian atmosphere.
The Netherlands Saxophone Octet is a unique ensemble that combines classical and contemporary music and is internationally acclaimed for its richness of sound and joy of playing. For Maria de Buenos Aires, the octet assembled an exceptional cast: mezzo-soprano Karin Strobos is one of the most beloved voices in the Dutch opera world, baritone Berend Eijkhout is regarded as one of our leading opera heroes, and actor Freek den Hartogh gives voice and form to the fiery Duende. The Argentine musicians Santiago Cimadevilla (bandoneon), Juan Pablo Dobal (piano), and Marcos Baggiani (percussion) guard the authentic tango soul of the work. Tango duo Ezequiel Paludi & Geraldine Rojas are already known in the Netherlands for their passionate and graceful dance style.
