Skip to content

Topic

Tango in 1985

In 1985 the stage show *Tango Argentino* opened on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, and the Fundación Konex honoured a number of tango musicians and singers [2][13][3][7]. The year also brought a Teatro Colón concert by Osvaldo Pugliese's orchestra for his 80th birthday, a body of dated recordings, and the first annual Tangomarkkinat festival in Seinäjoki, Finland [8][11][1].

Tango in 1985 is documented through several separate threads. One concerns the Broadway run of the show *Tango Argentino*, created and directed by Hector Orezzoli and Claudio Segovia [2]. Another concerns the 1985 Premios Konex, which went to figures including Astor Piazzolla, Carlos Gardel (posthumously, as an honour award), Mariano Mores, Edmundo Rivero, Osvaldo Pugliese, Roberto Goyeneche and the Sexteto Mayor [3][4][7][6][8][9][10].

On 26 December 1985 Osvaldo Pugliese's orchestra played at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires to mark his 80th birthday [8]. A discography lists a large number of recordings by Pugliese's orchestra dated to the same day, along with 1985 recordings by the orchestras of Alfredo De Angelis, Fulvio Salamanca and José Basso [11].

Outside Argentina, sources date several developments to 1985. These include the annual Tangomarkkinat festival in Seinäjoki, Finland [1], a tango dance studio founded in Berlin by Juan Dietrich Lange [15], and the beginnings of a tango community in the Netherlands [16]. Pugliese's orchestra also toured Spain that year [14].

Tango Argentino on Broadway

*Tango Argentino* was created and directed by Hector Orezzoli and Claudio Segovia [2]. According to the same source, the show was first presented at the Festival d'Automne in Paris in 1983 and was staged on Broadway in New York in 1985 [2]. A history of the Sexteto Mayor describes the show as presented in Paris in 1983, with global success on Broadway in 1985 and performances in dozens of cities worldwide over more than a decade [10].

Sources differ on when the Broadway run began. A theatre database gives a first preview on 8 October 1985, an opening date of 9 October 1985 and a closing date of 30 March 1986, all at the Mark Hellinger Theatre [13]. The Sexteto Mayor article instead places the group's Broadway success with the show at the Mark Hellinger Theatre at the end of October 1985 [10]. It adds that a season planned for six weeks was extended to six months [10].

Sources name several of the people involved in the 1985 Broadway production. Elba Berón sang at the Broadway premiere [3]. A biography of Mariano Mores states that three of his tangos were included in the Broadway version [7]. In that account, *Taquito militar* was danced by Juan Carlos Copes, María Nieves, Nélida y Nelson and Los Dinzel; *Uno* was sung by Alba Solís; and *Tanguera* was played by the orchestra of Osvaldo Berlingieri [7]. The Sexteto Mayor was part of the show [10].

A biography of Juan Carlos Copes recalls the moment he met Kelly on Broadway in 1985, after his presentation of *Tango Argentino* [12]. The source on the show also refers to a playbill of the 1985 Broadway production listing its performances, and to events shortly after the premiere, but the dossier does not reproduce these details [2].

Konex awards

The Fundación Konex honoured a number of tango figures in 1985 [3][4][6][7][8][9][10]:

  • Astor Piazzolla received the Premio Konex de Platino as the best tango vanguard musician in the history of Argentina [3]
  • Carlos Gardel received the Premio Konex de Honor for his contribution to the history of Argentine popular music [4]
  • Mariano Mores received the Premio Konex de Platino as the best tango composer in history; he later received special mentions in 1995 and 2005 [7]
  • Edmundo Rivero received the Premio Konex de Platino as best male tango singer [6]
  • Osvaldo Pugliese received the Platino in the category of director of an orquesta típica; he later received a special mention in 1995 and an honour award in 2005 [8]
  • Roberto Goyeneche received a Konex award, listed as a Diploma al Mérito for male tango singer [9]
  • The Sexteto Mayor received a Diploma al Mérito in the category of vanguard tango ensemble [10]

Musicians and singers

Osvaldo Pugliese's orchestra played at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires on 26 December 1985 to celebrate his 80th birthday [8]. The source notes that this venue was reserved almost exclusively for academic music and opera [8]. It describes the concert as an achievement that no one had reached until then [8]. Pugliese's orchestra also toured Spain in 1985 [14].

Astor Piazzolla was named Ciudadano ilustre of Buenos Aires in 1985 [3]. According to his biography, he presented his *Concierto para Bandoneón y Guitarra: Homenaje a Lieja* in Belgium that year [3]. Also in 1985, he gave his score *500 Motivaciones* to the group Nuevos aires [3]. The group performed it in Salas A and B of the Centro Cultural General San Martín as part of a tribute to him on being named Ciudadano ilustre [3]. His biography also lists Fernando Solanas's film *El exilio de Gardel* (1985) [3].

Mariano Mores designed the show *Todo tango* in 1985 [7]. With it he toured Italy, Holland, Germany, Israel, Japan, the United States and most Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas [7].

Edmundo Rivero published *Las voces, Gardel y el canto* in 1985 [6]. On 24 December 1985 he suffered a cardiomyopathy and was admitted to the Sanatorio Güemes [6]. He remained there for three weeks until his death at the age of 74 on 18 January 1986 [6].

Roberto Goyeneche recorded *El polaco por dentro* (1985) with the orchestra of Carlos Franzetti for RCA [9]. He also sang the piece *Solo* on the RCA soundtrack album *El exilio de Gardel (Tangos)* (1985), from the film of the same name [9]. Toward the end of the decade he made his last records with Raúl Garello and Néstor Marconi, and Marconi became his regular live accompanist [9].

The Cuarteto Cedrón released the LP *Cuarteto Cedrón canta Bertolt Brecht* in 1985 on Polydor, catalogue 825 251-1 [5].

Recordings

A discography lists a number of recordings dated 1985, given here by orchestra [11]. Dates are recording dates as listed and say nothing about when the works were composed [11]. Many of Osvaldo Pugliese's recordings are dated 26 December 1985, the same date the orchestra played at the Teatro Colón [11][8]. The dossier does not state whether these recordings were made at that concert [11][8].

Osvaldo Pugliese, recordings dated 26 December 1985 [11]:

- *A Evaristo Carriego* (tango) [11] - *Almagro* (tango), with Adrián Guida [11] - *Arrabal* (tango) [11] - *Chacabuqueando* (tango) [11] - *Chiqué* (tango) [11] - *Contame una historia* (tango), with Adrián Guida [11] - *Copacabana* (tango) [11] - *Desde el alma* (vals) [11] - *Después* (tango), with Abel Córdoba [11] - *El encopao* (tango) [11] - *La canción de Buenos Aires* (tango), with Abel Córdoba [11] - *La mariposa* (tango) [11] - *La yumba* (tango) [11] - *Los mareados* (tango) [11] - *Mala junta* (tango) [11] - *Melodía de arrabal* (tango), with Abel Córdoba [11] - *Quinto año* (tango), with Adrián Guida [11] - *Recuerdo* (tango) [11] - *Toda mi vida* (tango) [11]

Other Pugliese recordings listed for 1985 [11]:

- *Recuerdo* (tango), 25 April 1985 [11] - *Milonga para Gardel* (milonga), with Abel Córdoba and Adrián Guida, 30 April 1985 [11] - *El encopao* (tango), 11 November 1985 [11] - *La yumba* (tango), 1985, no day given [11] - *Toda mi vida* (tango), 1985, no day given [11]

Alfredo De Angelis, recordings dated 1985 [11]:

- *Al Colorado de Banfield* (tango) [11] - *Argañaraz* (tango), with Rubén Linares [11] - *Cascabelito* (tango), with Rubén Linares [11] - *Gracias por el silencio* (tango), with Rubén Linares [11] - *Gricel* (tango), with Marcelo Biondini [11] - *La piel de Buenos Aires* (tango), with Marcelo Biondini [11] - *Lluvia de estrellas* (tango) [11] - *Mi Yerutí* (vals), with Rubén Linares and Marcelo Biondini [11]

Fulvio Salamanca, recordings dated 1985 [11]:

- *Aquel tapado de armiño* (tango) [11] - *El abrojito* (tango), with Julio Rodolfo [11] - *La cautiva* (tango) [11] - *La trampera* (milonga) [11] - *Mariposita* (tango) [11] - *Tinta roja* (tango), with Julio Rodolfo [11] - *Toda mi vida* (tango), with Julio Rodolfo [11]

José Basso, recording dated 1985 [11]:

- *Viejo rincón* (tango), with Gloria Diaz [11]

Tango outside Argentina

In Finland, the Tangomarkkinat tango festival has been held annually since 1985 in the central Finnish town of Seinäjoki [1]. A source describes it as one of the highlights of Finnish summers [1].

In Germany, Juan Dietrich Lange founded his tango dance studio in Berlin in 1985 [15].

In the Netherlands, Eric Jørissen, founder of El Corte, dated the beginnings of the Dutch tango community to 1985 [16].

In Spain, Osvaldo Pugliese's orchestra toured the country in 1985 [14].

References

How Tangopedia works

  1. Finnish tango · en.wikipedia.orgSource page“One of the highlights of Finnish summers is the Tangomarkkinat, or tango festival, held annually since 1985 in the central Finnish town of Seinäjoki.”
  2. Tango Argentino (musical) · en.wikipedia.org“It was created and directed by Hector Orezzoli and Claudio Segovia, and premiered at the Festival d'Automne in Paris in 1983”
  3. Astor Piazzolla · es.wikipedia.org“En 1985 fue nombrado Ciudadano ilustre de Buenos Aires, obtuvo el Premio Konex de Platino como el mejor músico de tango de vanguardia”
  4. Carlos Gardel · es.wikipedia.org“En 1985 la Fundación Konex lo homenajeó con el Premio Konex de Honor por su incalculable aporte”
  5. Cuarteto Cedrón · es.wikipedia.org“Cuarteto Cedrón canta Bertolt Brecht (1985) – LP (Polydor – 825 251-1)”
  6. Edmundo Rivero · es.wikipedia.org“En 1985 recibió el Premio Konex de Platino como el Mejor Cantante Masculino de Tango.”
  7. Mariano Mores · es.wikipedia.org“En 1985 recibió el Premio Konex de Platino al mejor compositor de tango de la historia”
  8. Osvaldo Pugliese · es.wikipedia.org“Tal era la talla artística de este hombre que en 1985 logra lo que nadie hasta entonces: el 26 de diciembre de ese año”
  9. Roberto Goyeneche · es.wikipedia.org“En 1985, recibió el Premio Konex como uno de los mejores cantantes de tango de la historia en Argentina”
  10. Sexteto Mayor · es.wikipedia.org“Integran el famoso espectáculo Tango Argentino, presentado en 1983 en París y con éxito global en Broadway en 1985”
  11. tango.info · tango.info“A Evaristo Carriego | T0370968674 | tango | Osvaldo Pugliese | - | zxx | 1985-12-26 | 04:20 | 3 | info”
  12. www.todotango.com · todotango.com“He sits quietly, staring blankly ahead, probably flying back to the moment he met Kelly in Broadway back in 1985”
  13. playbill.com · playbill.com“First Preview Oct 8 1985; Opening Date Oct 9 1985; Closing Date Mar 30 1986”
  14. en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org“Spain (1985; 1988 playing in Madrid, at Teatro Albéniz with the singer Joan Manuel Serrat, and Barcelona)”
  15. www.nzz.ch · nzz.ch“und gründete 1985 sein Tanzstudio.”
  16. radiocrossovertango.blogspot.com · radiocrossovertango.blogspot.com“Eric told us about the beginnings of tango in the Netherlands since 1985”
Data: recordings, facts and sources

No published facts yet. Facts appear here, each with its source, as they are collected.

Listen

No recordings to play yet.

Ask Tangopedia

Answers only from cited facts, each with its source.