D'Arienzo for export and Japan

The export recordings and Japanese tours brought D'Arienzo's orchestra to international audiences in its later years. The four export LPs were instrumental, while the touring orchestra adapted its programmes for Japanese listeners ^[1][6].

D'Arienzo's absence from the 1968 tour was central to its story: the orchestra travelled, performed and recorded under his name, but he remained behind ^[5][6].

In 1963 RCA-Victor chose Troilo and D'Arienzo as the only tango artists for a new stereo series; Troilo recorded first. D'Arienzo for Export was followed by volumes in 1966, 1967 and 1968, while D'Arienzo's other albums continued to appear in mono ^[1].

The first LP contained twelve instrumentals: nine established D'Arienzo hits and three pieces new to his repertoire. Lavocah described its tempos as comparatively slow and judged the later volumes more playful ^[1]. Volume 2 revisited Gran Hotel Victoria and Nueve de julio, both associated with the orchestra's 1935 repertoire, and included El amanecer, Pura trampa and Papas calientes ^[2]. The new interpretations divided contemporary opinion: Lavocah reported a 1968 review that praised Sollozos from Volume 3 while describing traditionalists' resistance to the newer D'Arienzo style ^[2].

The stereo series had a precedent. In 1958 RCA-Victor had issued the instrumental compilation Don Juan - El Irresistible with English translations of the titles and brief English sleeve notes ^[3].

The orchestra was invited to Japan in 1968, after orchestras led by Pugliese and Canaro had visited. Lavocah reported that D'Arienzo declined to travel because he feared flying; the orchestra went without him, and bandoneonist Ernesto Franco was also absent ^[5][6]. The tour opened at Tokyo's Hibiya theatre on 30 September. Its programme included an apology from D'Arienzo that attributed his absence to medical reasons ^[6].

The touring band played two unusual instrumental features: La casita de mis viejos for strings, with solos by Milo Dojman, and Flores negras for bandoneons. The album D'Arienzo en Japón included Mi Japón, written for the tour and sung partly in Japanese according to the chapter ^[6]. The book identifies Alberto Echagüe as the only vocalist who travelled in 1968, but an earlier passage says he joined the orchestra in 1972; its account of the tour's singer therefore has an unresolved chronology ^[4][6].

The orchestra returned to Japan in 1972 under Juan Polito's leadership. It opened in Kawasaki on 5 July, continued to Tokyo and gave sixteen performances in all ^[7]. Cayetano Puglisi, who had died in November 1968, was absent; Bernard Weber had taken his place in the orchestra. The 1972 party included singers Alberto Echagüe and Mercedes Serrano ^[7].