She has many names: Maria of Buenos Aires, Maria Tango, slum Maria, Maria night, Maria fatal passion, Maria of love.

Once upon a time in the slums of Buenos Aires, there lived a girl named Maria. People say Maria was ‘born on a day when God was drunk…with a curse in her voice’. One day she travelled to the city and was seduced by a decadent underworld moving to the passionate beat of the tango. In a dangerous waterfront bar she became consumed by the fiery dance. Yet even after the old thieves and brothel keepers planned her death, her shadow returned to the streets…

Victorian Opera invites you to discover Maria de Buenos Aires, an intoxicating mix of opera and tango by the legendary Astor Piazzollaand poet Horacio Ferrer. This August, the Melbourne Recital Centre stage is transformed into a seedy Buenos Aires bar filled with escorts, waiters, tango dancers and entertainers. This award-winning production features Leigh Warren & Dancers and Victorian Opera Tango Nuevo Ensemble led by acclaimed musician James Crabb.

Maria de Buenos Aires is presented by Victorian Opera in association with Leigh Warren Dancers and State Opera of South Australia, by arrangement with Warner Chappell Music (Argentina).

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Venue
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre

Dates
Wednesday 21 August 7.30pm
Thursday 22 August 7.30pm
Friday 23 August 7.30pm
Saturday 24 August 1.00pm, 7.30pm

Performed in Spanish with surtitles.

1 hour 50 minutes with one interval

Conductor James Crabb
Music Preparation and Supervision Andrea Katz
Director Leigh Warren
Set and Lighting Designer Nigel Levings
Costume Designer Kathryn Sproul
Sound Designer Jim Atkins

Cast

Maria Cherie Boogaart
Cantor Nicholas Dinopoulos
Narrator Alirio Zavarce
Tango Dancer Andrew Gill
Magician James James
Contortionist Jacinta Rohan

Leigh Warren and Dancers
Victorian Opera Tango Nuevo Ensemble
Victorian Opera Chorus