SHOWS

Maria de Buenos Aires

Written by Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer
Directed by Elbio Barilari and Jorge Niedas; Music Direction by Gerardo Moreira

Presented by Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, in association with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture

August 12, 2011 — August 14, 2011
Chicago Cultural Center
FREE, ticket required - SOLD OUT

Audience Advisories: The production will be done in Spanish with English supertitles.  Current run time is 75 minutes.

The 20th-century Tango Operita, Maria de Buenos Aires, tells the story of the seductive Maria, played by the astonishing young soprano Catalina Cuervo, who embarks on a journey through life, death and the after-life with the hauntingly beautiful sound of the bandoneon, played by Grammy Award-winner Raul Jaurena. Cuervo performs in the company of highly praised baritone Ricardo Herrera.

The Argentinean Tango was born in the brothels, reared in bars and backstreets in the outskirts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, nurtured by the souls of the downtrodden. This Tango Operita celebrates the heights to which this once lowly dance has been elevated. First performed in 1968, it was a key work in Astor Piazzolla’s revolutionizing of the tango, transforming it from dance music to concert music by bringing in elements of jazz and classical composition for the first time.

Music Director Gerardo Moreira travels from Rio de la Plata to conduct the Chicago production of Maria de Buenos Aires, which he has been championing since 1992 in the most prestigious concert halls in the world including Teatro Colon of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Teatro Solis in Montevideo, Uruguay and throughout Latin America.

Elbio Barilari narrates in the original dialect of Rio de la Plata, lunfardo. The fully staged production incorporates stunning tango sequences performed by guest dancer Victoria Vargas, of the Joffrey Ballet, and dancers of Tango 21 under the direction of Jorge Niedas, Artistic Director of Tango 21. Barilari and Niedas share credit for the Stage Direction of this production.

Maria de Buenos Aires is presented in collaboration with the Latino Music Festival, a program of the ILCC, International Latino Cultural Center. Accommodations are generously provided by Seneca Hotel and Suites in downtown Chicago.

- All performances are SOLD OUT.
- A waitlist will begin 1 ½  hours prior to curtain in the Washington Lobby of the Chicago Cultural Center. 
- You must arrive in person to be placed on the waitlist ; no phone or electronic requests will be accepted.  Just prior to curtain, any seats that are available due to cancellations or no-shows will be released to the waitlist.
- Please note, once you have placed your name on the list you are not required to remain in the lobby until the list is called.  You are welcome to leave, but please be in the Washington Lobby at least 15 minutes prior to curtain in order to pick up any possible tickets.  If your name is called and you are not present, you will forfeit your tickets. Please note that placing your name on the waitlist is not a guarantee of tickets.

Maria de Buenos Aires performances will take place Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 14 at 3 p.m. in Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
All Summer Opera performances are free and open to the public; however, tickets are required.  Due to popular demand, all performances have sold out.  Please see the waitlist information listed above.

Information for Ticketholders:

- Preston Bradley Hall is located on the third floor of the Chicago Cultural Center at 78 E. Washington.
- The accessible entrance for the Chicago Cultural Center is located at 77 E. Randolph.
- Discounted parking is available for $10 at InterPark Garage, located at 20 E. Randolph, across the street from Macy’s. Please see the Security Guard at the Randolph side entrance for a validation ticket.
- Venue will open for seating 1 ½ hours prior to curtain.
- Please note that seating is guaranteed with a ticket until 15 minutes prior to curtain - to ensure seating, you and your guests must be seated at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance. Any seats open 15 minutes prior to curtain will be released to the waitlist.

For more information, visit www.ExploreChicago.org or call the ticket office at 312.742.8497.

Read the SUMMER OPERA blog