TANGO NUEVO CABARET WILL BE AN AVANT-GARDE EXTRAVAGANZA
ngo-nuevo-cabaret-will-be-an-avant-garde-extravaga nza/
May 18th, 2009
LOS ANGELES-Producer, artistic director and choreographer Sergei
Tumas will present "Tango Nuevo Cabaret" stage extravaganza, which
exhibits the avant-garde tango music of legendary Argentine composer
Astor Piazzolla.
The performances will take place at 8 p.m. on May 29 and 30 at the
Pasadena Civic Auditorium and at 8 p.m. on June 4 at Royce Hall
in UCLA.
The show will feature exciting French-style cabaret dancers and
world-renowned Argentine tango dancers performing to a modern symphony
orchestra directed by Argentine composer and arranger Walter Rios. The
Buenos Aires Octet will include some of the original musicians of the
late Astor Piazzolla’s band and for the first time will be joined by
the world famous Cadence Ensemble lead by Armen Babakanian. The show
is proud to present the vocal performances of mezzo-soprano Julia
Migenes and the exquisite Mariel Dupetit singing Piazzolla’s tangos.
The Cadence Ensemble was formed in February 2004 by five outstanding
Armenian instrumentalists under the leadership of pianist Armen
Babakhanian, initially to perform the works of Argentine composer
Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992).
The ensemble’s premiere concert took place in April 2004, and it soon
became one of the leading and most popular music groups of Armenia,
as it expanded its musical vision to include masterpieces of classical
and contemporary European, American, Russian and Armenian composers,
while maintaining an affinity for Piazzolla.
Arrangements of many famous works, from classical, world music and
pop are now included in its repertoire, alongside specially composed
pieces dedicated to the ensemble and its members.
Cadence has enjoyed international exposure through live broadcasts of
its concerts, and the release of three CDs and DVDs, and has received
numerous invitations to perform in Russia alongside European, Asian,
Gulf and Middle East countries. The group’s first international tour
took place in April 2005, the highlights being performances in the
Teatro Colon and Teatro Servantes, Buenos Aires.
A prize-winner at several of the world’s most prestigious international
piano competitions including the Leeds, Van Cliburn, Guardian Dublin,
William Kappell, Gina Bachauer, and World Piano Competition, Armen
Babakhanian has captured the imagination of audiences and critics
alike through the intensity and honesty of his performances.
Babakhanian has given recitals in the US, Canada, Japan, the UK,
Germany, Austria, Italy, France and Spain. He has appeared as soloist
with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle,
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Irish
National Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra Dallas Symphony, Saint
Petersburg Philharmonic under Yuri Temirkanov, Moscow Philharmonic
under Valery Gergiev, and the Israel Philharmonic. Festival appearances
include the Aspen, Interlochen, Santander and Baalbec music festivals.
Babakhanian’s performance of the Shostakovich Piano Quintet with the
Takacs Quartet at the Santander Festival in Spain was named the best
chamber music performance of the festival. He has recorded for the
ASV and Real Sound labels and his performances have been broadcasted
on BBC, PBS, ORF (Austria) and RAI (Italy) television networks. His
recent recording of the Tchaikovsky piano sonatas received rave
reviews in the European press.
In addition to his performing career, Babakhanian has served as jury
member for several international piano competitions, including the
Gina Bachauer, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff piano competitions. In 1999
he founded and served as Artistic Director for the Armenian Legacy
International Piano Competition in Yerevan, Armenia.
He has taught numerous master-classes in Russia, UK, Spain, Japan and
the USA. He is currently an Artist-inresidence at the Komitas State
Conservatory in Yerevan, where he also received his musical education.
During the 2001/2002 season, Babakhanian appeared in concerts in 17
cities in Japan, USA, Canada, Australia and Finland. He also took
part in a concert tour of France which included a recital in Lyon’s
famed Salle Molière.
During recent seasons Babakhanian has performed in Germany, Sweden,
Denmark, Russia, USA, China, Lebanon, Syria, Japan, Israel, Lithuania,
Switzerland, Slovenia, Argentina and Iceland.
Mariel Dupetit was the first Argentinean artist to be awarded the
"Gaviota Plata" prize. In Chile, she was recognized as the best
interpreter at the Vina del Mar Festival.
In 1986, she recorded her debut, self-titled album for CBS
records. Following the success of "Mariel Dupetit," she returned to
the studio to record her second album, "Corramos a Amarnos."
In Tio Cuzio and Mar del Plata she had the honor of sharing the stage
with such recognizable artists as Armando Manzanero, Luis Aguile,
Antonio Prieto and Nicola Di Bari.
For her participation in the show "Para Comenzar La Vida," she was
awarded with the Premio Estrella de Mar.
For eight months, Dupetit was the guest of honor at the Tropigala
Club del Fontainbleu Hilton, Miami hosted by Eber Lobato. To add
to her impressive list of credits, she was invited to perform with
Russian acrobat and dancer, Leonid Filatoy. She was also invited to
perform in "Tributo a Piazzolla" at the Modern Art Museum in Miami,
as well as the opening of the Lyric Theatre in Miami.
Aside from Miami, Mariel has performed in Las Vegas, Mexico, Peru,
Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Italy, and Buenos Aires.
In 2006 her Album "Tangos" was published in the USA.
On her way back to Argentina she was asked to appear on "Ensayo,"
directed by Professor Walter Rios Trio.
Her recent album, "Tarde de Julio," was published by Melopea.
In addition to an extensive performing career, Mariel is fluent in
four languages, Spanish, French, English, and Italian. As a result,
she can perform in all four languages.
She is an exquisite artist with a powerful stage presence. Mariel
strives to move the audience with every performance…let go of all
your intuitions and give your heart to a marvelous artistic experience.
Sergei Tumas, a world renowned tango dancer, produced and directed
the Tango Angelino Show in 2005, at the historic Alex Theatre,
which received rave reviews in Los Angeles. Over the last several
years, maestro Tumas has choreographed such stage shows as Astor
Piazzolla’s rare US production of "Maria De Buenos Aires Operetta"
in conjunction with the Long Beach Opera House. As the principle
dancer, Sergei collaborated closely with the London-based director
John Lloyd Davies and Nicola Bowie of the English National Opera. In
Buenos Aires, Argentina Sergei partnered with renowned Guillermina
Quiroga and performed in numerous prestigious theatres including the
Theatro Colon. Last year alone, Sergei participated in staging and
directing the exclusive ARGENTANGO show which was presented by the
Gloria Kauffman foundation. During this event Mrs. Kaufman’s non-
profit charity organization donated $3.5 million to the president
Dr. Joseph W. Polisi of the world famous Juilliard School of Arts.
In 2006 Sergei Tumas with his former partner renowned Zita Gonzales
toured in US with the show "Los Tangos," a production of the acclaimed
Forever Tango show. Later that year, Sergei and Zita were chosen to
dance as the soloist couple for the Julio Iglesias’ World Tour. Tumas
has taught dance in various cities worldwide including Argentina,
US, France, Austria, Russia, Spain, Greece and Germany to name a
few. This year in July Sergei was featured as a principal dancer
at the Hollywood Bowl along with Chris Isaac and the Los Angeles
Philharmonic Orchestra dancing two nights to Astor Piazzolla. In
August, Tumas performed in the Fiesta Argentina 2008 at the Ford
Amphitheatre; the show was broadcast thought the television to over
a million viewers in America. In addition to his stage work, Sergei
has done numerous commercials, choreographed for big budget Hollywood
films and TV dance shows as "Dancing with the Stars."
Walter Rios is an exquisite, versatile Bandoneon Player, composer,
arranger, and director. His art has made him an inspiration for poets.
Bandoneon, the instrument of the century, "the one that breathes," said
Horacio Ferrer. "The purest expression from the soul…," when played
by Walter Rios, …"becomes the most beautiful melody of all time."
The writer Rodolfo Relman dedicated the poem "Fuelle" to Walter Rios.
Rios is the founder of the Tango Trio and cofounder of Quinteto de
Música de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. He has performed al around
the world with the Walter Rios Quintet or with the Six members
of the Walter Rios Group, along with Ricardo Dominguez with the
unforgettable guitar and bandoneon duet, as a solo bandoneon player
next to prestigious Symphony Orchestras like "El Pueblo Joven,"
"María de Buenos Aires" by Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer, well
as the Symphony Orchestra of Finland next to Susana Rinaldi.
He lived three years in France where he performed recitals and
recorded with prestigious French and Argentinean musicians. In Israel
he appeared as the invited artist for six months in "El ghetto Vilna."
He was invited by Professor Mariano Mores to give a few concerts
for the Queen of England at the Palace in London where the former
Argentinean president Dr. Carlos Saul Menem and several other
politicians attended to his concerts. The special feature of this
artist is his extensive knowledge of the diverse genres from tango
to rock even folklore and reggae.
He has done work with very talented tango artists such as: Oscar
Alonso, Alberto Castillo, Hugo del Carril, Tania, Edmundo Rivero,
Roberto Rufino, Roberto Goyeneche, Susana Rinaldi, Fernando Soler,
Raúl Lavie, Chico Novarro, Eladia Blazquez, Adriana Varela, Horacio
Molina, Mariel Dupetit, Tito Reyes, Enrique Cadícamo, Jose Ángel
Trelles and Antonio Agri.
He has recorded with Folklore artists such as: Mercedes Sosa, Domingo
Cura, Kelo Palacios, Chango Nieto, Zamba Quipildor, Peteco Carabajal,
Los Nocheros,El Chango Farias Gomez. He has worked with songwriters
such as: Leon Gieco, Litto Nebbia, Facundo Cabral, Los Pericos,
Thalia, Jairo, and Jorge Rojas. He has worked with directors and
arrangers such as: Oscar Cardozo Ocampo, Lalo Schiffrin, Mariano
Mores and Leonard Baccardi among others.
He has also recorded the soundtrack for the movies: "El verano del
potro," "Amigo mío," "Tango Feroz," "Convivencia," "Una sombra ya
pronto seras," "El lado oscuro del corazon," and " Plata Quemada.." He
gave a Jazz Concert in Stockholm with Gustavo Bergalli , Carlos
Franzetti and Big Band.
He participated in the show "Tango Brujo" which was headlined by
Julio Bocca with music of Manuel Falla in Spain and in Argentina. He
has taught Tango and Folklore classes at the "Instituto Manuel de
Falla" He also gives private lessons to students from Asia, Europe,
USA, etc. He has taught the "instrument and genre" Workshops in
Israel, Spain, USA, etc. He participated as the musical director
of the Cosquin Festival, as the director of "Sexto Mayor" with the
company Tango Pasion, as the director in the USA of "Forever Tango,"
as the director of the Buenos Aires Tango Company in Japan; as the
invited director of "El Viejo Almacer," as the musical director of
"Tango Mio," he was one of the directors at the "Seleccion Nacional
de Tango," and director of Sr. Tango.
He has participated as the guest of honor on the following shows:
Susana Rinaldi, Mercedes Sosa, Luís Miguel, Raimundo Fagner, Joaquín
Sabina, Mariano Mores, María Felix, Oscar Cardozo Ocampo, y Lalo
Schiffrin, etc.
Walter worked with the singer Mariel DuPetit on his work called "Tarde
de Julio" doing a magnificent artistic work merging the classic and
contemporary genres.
His last work called "Mi Refugio" was composed of tango, folklore,
etc. It also has a few solo improvisations of bandoneon which were
selected from the Art of bandoneon and recorded at the studio by
Leopoldo Federico, Nestor Marconi, Julio Pane and closed with Walter
Rios. Walter Rios stands for an innovative musical artistic vision and
is one of the most culturally surprising Tango musicians of our time.