As part of the Ópera en minúscula (small-format opera) concerts, Astor Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires has been scheduled for performance at Espacio La Granja. The concert is a production of Galemúsica with the participation of the Galician Centre for Dramatic Art.

This tango opera is the first collaborative work of Horacio Ferrer, Uruguayan-Argentine poet and historian of the Uruguayan tango, and Astor Piazzolla, considered one of the most important musicians of the 20th century.

The work is a retrospective expression of the musical and literary culture of Buenos Aires that tells the story of the life and death of a woman who is a central figure in the city’s post-war nightlife. Her existence revolves around the tango canyengue (a classic style of tango), the city’s ghettos and her libertine lifestyle, the narration of which will immerse spectators in a moving story.

María de Buenos Aires is a reflection of the imagery of Buenos Aires, a poetic and symbolic vision of the city and its relationship with the tango. The work crystallises the city’s spirit through the main character, María, who is the very embodiment of the tango, with her birth, rise, decadence and rebirth. Other themes are explored, such as social exclusion, prostitution and the challenges faced by women in patriarchal societies.

The work also contributed to the revival of the tango at a time when some saw the genre as outdated. With its modern language and structure that is more akin to opera or cantata, the work helped to consolidate Piazzolla’s nuevo tango within the cultural landscape of Argentina and the world.

The intense blend of dance, theatre and poetry, along with the contemporary and surrealist libretto, makes this work a unique, appealing and captivating show that draws in and enthrals its spectators.

Borja Quiza is a producer and actor, and the owner of Galemúsica. His love of Latin American works and passion for multidisciplinary shows led him to this fascinating work years ago. Teresa Garzón is a choreographer, theatre director, actress, dancer, singer and brilliant rising star. She has taken the artistic reins of this project as its director and as its main character, an undertaking made possible by her passion for and knowledge of the multiple disciplines that come together in María de Buenos Aires: theatre, dance and music.