13 - february 02

We resume with relief the issueing of the Newsletter after a three months break. Our up-to-date readers will probably have reported our electronic absence to the well known Argentine vicissitudes.
Not really.
We assure you that the unaesthetic presidential puppet ballet, the cacerolazo-groove, the sufferings of the peso and the weird Patacòn-bond did not affect at all the steady Tango economy which for quite some years has been sticking its primary root right inside the desolate purse of every porteño outsider.
The hard times are not neglected in bohemia. It's rather a mocking fate's hail of blows that slackens our pace. When sentiments hurl down, we can just erect – Soy un Arlequìn – a barrier of straws and confetti. The maintainance service is now at work. And so are we.
You are facing again, dear Reader, your favourite page.
May this palindromic year bring comfort and happiness to you.

A letter in a bottle

From some of the most valuable Tango professionals and linked activities in Buenos Aires, we are in receipt and willingly spread abroad the unabridged version of the following plea:

Dear Tango Friends of the World:
We, Argentineans and visitors, lovers of Tango and Buenos Aires, felt the need to get in contact with you to give you a local overview about the critical situation this country is undergoing. We received a myriad of emails expressing anxiety and fear. This concerns us. As a response, we would like to clarify the misrepresentation of the international media and the reality of our daily lives.
First of all, we would like to explain that the economic and the political crisis affects Argentineans and residents, but it does not affect tourists, unless they were intentionally at the scene of the riots. The social outbursts resulted in the fall of an unsuccessful government and a faulty economic model. This is a monumental period for many of us as it could signify the creation of a new Argentina. We are very proud and optimistic about the recreation of a country more economically and politically independent and stable.
This in turn provides for a safer country for visiting tourists.
This is a grand hope of our generation and as any country undergoing a process of change and this will need TIME. The ‘cacerolazo’ was the instrument chosen, and it involves passive marches of people hitting pans at strategic locations in the city. We maintained the interest of the general population, including tourists, by holding passive protests at only selected political locations. In case the situation changes, it is in our interest to protect you and therefore be the first to inform you.
Use this information as an INVITATION to visit Buenos Aires. As Porteños and Tango dancers we resolve any crisis via dancing and creation. Milongas are still active and still offer the best orchestras and performances for less USDolars 3.-. Moreover, Tango guesthouses improved their services by providing additional free cultural activities including parties and Tango dinners. In addition, theatres offer more Tango shows than they ever have in the past. In summary, cultural, artistic and Tango events are blossoming more than ever and at low prices.
What else do you need to visit?
LET’S DANCE ANOTHER TANGO IN BUENOS AIRES!

Julio Balmaceda y Corina de la Rosa, Omar Viola – Parakultural, Pablo Banchero-La Nacional, Fernando Galera y Vilma Vega - El Sótano, Mariel Arandia - defensa once once, Ana y Osvaldo - La casita de San Telmo, Natalia Games y Gabriel Angió, Eduardo Capussi - El Sótano, Mariana Flores, Elina Roldán, Julio Mendez - La Calesita, Chris Krüger – Sanssouci/Turismo, Gabi Shäfer - Milonga de las Morochas, Horacio Pilacanavo - El Beso, La Escuela del Tango - Claudia Bozzo, Fabrizio Forti - El sol de San Telmo, Analía Vega y Fernando Galera, Saverio Perre – maestro/salas de ensayo, Lina Acuña – Tangoguesthouse, Pilar - La casa de Pilar, Erika López, Oscar Orzuza - Tierra Tango, Claude Dumont - Buenos Aires/Perpignan, Ricarda – Lunallena, Roberto Amerise - Orquesta La Nacional, Enrique Grahl Junior y Judith Zapatero - Physioterapeuten, Org. La Cantina (Stuttgart), Joy Winter - Buenos Aires/Zürich, Esther Tiegel - Zürich, Katrin Gloggengiesser – Berlin, Ivette Grant – Australien, Fritz – Alemania, Arona – USA.

The long-awaited Anime altrove, the Lucia Baldini's second photo-book about the Tango that features the Michela Fregona's fair texts, has at last been released from the peaky rotary press of Editore Colombi.
The work, which is totally dedicated to the history and leading figures of the Argentine Tango in Italy, will be presented by the authors in several meetings, the first of which is in Udine next February 2.
The publisher trusts the e-commerce so much that he has curiously decided to sell the book only on Internet. A faint discount for those who want to purchase it this way.

At the end of February Buda Musique of Paris should probably release the latest CD by César Stroscio's Trio Esquina, by the title of: “Tangos pour Corto et les autres”.
From an advance listening of the raw copy, we reccomend the outstanding version of Piazzolla's “El penultimo” and an absolute jewel: “Casi lloro” by Claudio Pino Enriquez.
More informations on the TMN's next number.

Very short italian tour of Nueva Compañia Tangueros between April 6 and 10. The show will be Flores de Tango, or a selection from the Company's repertoire. The dancers will be Mariano Suazo y Silvia Vaccaro and Sebastian Romero y Silvina Aguera, while the live music will be provided by Sexteto Canyengue, as usual. Venues and dates in the next Newsletter.

In the Memory Day we would like to remember also another (perhaps) small persecution.
Starting from the Thirties, the nazis methodically destroyed - because it was considered leftist and subversive - the big culture of the bandoneòn in Germany. The workers' associations and the people meetings in general were usually followed by music performed mostly on this instrument. The bandoneonists were a lot and – as they say – very good. The Alfred Arnold's two daughters remember in the interview given to Rocco Boness that thousands of instruments, also those that were posted Argentina, were smashed and burnt down. The music scores, whole concerts for bandoneòn and orchestra, the transcriptions and even the teaching books were wiped out in the same way from private houses, shops and libraries. It was not the factory's changeover due to war, but the conscious aim to annihilate that caused the bandoneòn's death in Germany and in the world.
Music, whether it celebrates evil or holy water, is always revolutionary.