Columbia Artists and The Toledo Symphony Present “Tango Buenos Aires – Company of 25”
For Immediate Release
September 13, 2007
Contact: Julie Heigel
jheigel@toledosymphony.com
419.418.0033
"...repeatedly crafted swirling, fast-paced tapestries of movement, laced with proud postures and sensual couplings." raves The Washington Post”
TOLEDO — Direct from Argentina, Tango Buenos Aires will make its Toledo debut in a Toledo Symphony special event, Sunday, September 30, at 8:00 p.m. in the Franciscan Center on the campus of Lourdes College. This exquisite dance production offers all the glamour, excitement and romance of the ballroom in a magical stage performance.
Tango Buenos Aires, has become one of Argentina’s great cultural exports, known throughout the Americas, Europe and the Far East as the most authentic and uncompromising representative of the Tango. “The Four Seasons” is the company’s renowned show, under Julian Vat’s musical direction and Lidia Segni’s choreography, which explores the passion and sensuality of music and dance throughout the world. Tango Buenos Aires’ “The Four Seasons” takes an intimate look at the Tango art form, in four scenes that take the audience from The Street, to The Ballroom, to The City and The Theater.
Tango Buenos Aires was created for the "Jazmines" festival at the famous Buenos Aires cabaret "Michelangelo" by renowned composer and tango director Osvaldo Requena. The company met with tremendous success and was immediately added to the season of the General San Martin Municipal Theatre. Since then, their world tours and performances have continued to play to rave reviews and full houses.
Meet the Music Director
Julian Vat - Music Director, Composer, Flutist and Saxophonist - Vat is regarded as one of the most accomplished musicians, composers and directors working with tango music in the world today. He has composed for theatre and films, produced several recordings and performed as a flutist and saxophonist at international music festivals throughout the world in countries such as Argentina, Spain, France, Portugal and Venezuela.
Vat graduated with honors from the National Conservatory and has been associated with tango music since 1990, working as musical director and musician in shows such as Tango x 2 (by Zotto & Plebs), and Tango: Magic & Seduction (by Juan Carlos Copes); as composer and musical director In Operatango; among others.
Meet the Choreographer
Lidia Segni is a true representative of the most rigorous tradition in Argentine Classic Ballet. She was born in Corboba City, Argentina, where she began her Classical Ballet career at the age of 5 with Genoveva Sagues as her principal teacher to later join the Ballet Oficial of Cordoba. At an early age she was admitted to the exclusive Instituto Superior de Arte of the Teatro Colon, where she further developed her dance technique with Michel Borowsky. Simultaneously, she started dancing at the Teatro Argentino, where Esmeralda Agoglia, Director of the ballet of that theater, fully introduced her to the wide spectrum of traditional classical dance. She became prima ballerina at the prestigious Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1977. Her experience increased considerably collaborating with well-known choreographers such as G. Skibine, A. Lozano, A. Plissetsky, P. Lacotte, O.Araiz, J. Carter, and Z. Previl. Each of them selected her for the leading roles in their most outstanding works. These experiences gave her versatile knowledge and prestige, as well as exposing her to a wide repertoire. Having enriched her expertise when joining the Colon's company, she went on to perform the most varied number of roles a dancer of her genre and caliber could wish.
George Skibini chose her for the main roles in Cinderella and Blue Bird. She danced in the world premiere of Ravel-Losano's Deapheis Et Chloe. Alexander Plissetsky invited her to perform in his productions of Walpurgis Night and Raymonda. She danced in the premiere of La Cotte's La Hija del Danubio and Araiz's Summer Night's Dream. Among other works she has taken part in Massine's Usher and also in Carmen, The Witch Boy and Don Juan de Zarissa.
Despite her intense activity at the Teatro Colon, she formed her own company in 1977 to tour Argentina and several Latin American countries. At the time, she also danced with great success in Japan, as well as in Dallas, USA, especially invited as visiting artist of the Dallas Civic Ballet. In 1980 Jack Carter invited her to perform Odile in his version of Swan Lake, and Prebil to perform The Queen of Driad in his version of Don Quixote. She was also chosen to dance the leading roles in Apollon and Les Sylphides with Rudolf Nureyev in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Rio do Janeiro, Brazil.
For complete bios and history, visit www.cami.com/?webid=487
Tango Buenos Aires tickets are available for $25 and $30. Advance purchase student tickets are $15.00. For tickets, call 419-246-8000, toll-free 800-348-1253 or visit www.toledosymphony.com
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The Toledo Symphony. The Sound Is All Around You. ™
For the 64th consecutive season, the Toledo Symphony will bring music to the regions of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. In 2007-2008 it will continue its mission of service and quality and present over 400 performances to nearly 500,000 music listeners. Performances take place in classrooms, concert halls, churches, auditoriums, senior centers, and theatres in nearly 100 communities in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. In its commitment to provide excellent music to the largest possible audience, the Toledo Symphony remains an essential force in the quality of life throughout the region.
Formed in 1943 as The Friends of Music and incorporated in 1951 as the Toledo Orchestra Association, Inc., the Toledo Symphony has grown from a core group of twenty-two part-time musicians to a regional orchestra that employs eighty professional musicians who consider the Toledo Symphony their primary employer and Toledo their home.
The Ohio Arts Council helped fund the Toledo Symphony with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.