Tango in 1981

Tango in 1981 is documented here through a small set of biographical and discographic sources. They cover tango performance in Europe, several albums and a film, and a long list of individual recordings dated to that year ^[6][8].

The most widely reported event was the opening in Paris of Trottoirs de Buenos Aires. One source describes it as the first tango café-concert in Paris, located on the rue des Lombards. It was inaugurated by Sexteto Mayor and became a meeting place for exiles of the dictatorship ^[11]. Sources give different accounts of who founded the venue, and those versions are set out below ^[6][10][11].

Other activity in 1981 included Susana Rinaldi's tour of Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Israel ^[7]. Mariano Mores's orchestra appeared in the film Sucedió en el fantástico Circo Tihany ^[3]. Roberto Goyeneche released the album Farol with the Orquesta Típica Porteña of Raúl Garello on RCA ^[5], and Cuarteto Cedrón issued the LP Canciones de algún país on Polydor ^[2].

A discography lists more than ninety recordings with 1981 dates. They include sessions by Horacio Salgán, Osvaldo Pugliese, the Orquesta Típica Porteña, Raúl Miguel Garello, José Canet with Nelly Omar, Susana Rinaldi, Leopoldo Federico and Alfredo De Angelis ^[8]. The dates in that listing are recording dates. They are not composition or premiere dates ^[8].

According to an inventory document on milongas in France, Les Trottoirs de Buenos Aires opened in 1981 on the rue des Lombards in Paris. The document describes it as the first tango café-concert in the city and states that Sexteto Mayor inaugurated it. It adds that the venue became a meeting place for exiles of the dictatorship ^[11].

The source on Sexteto Mayor states that in 1981 the group had its first presentation of worldwide repercussion when it performed in Paris at the inauguration of Trottoirs de Buenos Aires ^[6]. The same source describes this as another major change for the ensemble ^[6]. It reports that Tomás Barna took the group to inaugurate the Paris tanguería, and it names Julio Cortázar, Yves Montand and Paloma Picasso among the figures present on that occasion ^[6].

A biography of José Libertella gives a similar account. After tours of Argentina and Latin America, the group's first standing ovation and later acclaim came when it appeared in Paris at the opening of Trottoirs de Buenos Aires in 1981 ^[9]. A biography of Luis Stazo gives the specific date of 19 November 1981 for the group's performance at the venue ^[10].

Sources differ on who founded Trottoirs de Buenos Aires. The Luis Stazo biography names Antonio Cantón, Tomás Barna and a third person whose name is cut off in the available excerpt ^[10]. The French inventory document names Julio Cortázar and Edgardo Cantón as founders ^[11]. The Sexteto Mayor source does not call Barna a founder. It says he brought the group to inaugurate the venue, and it lists Cortázar among those present ^[6]. The two sources also give different first names for Cantón, Antonio and Edgardo ^[10][11].

The Luis Stazo biography states that the Sextet had previously traveled throughout the Americas and appeared in Germany in 1981 and 1982. The biography says these appearances awakened the tango passion of the Europeans ^[10].

A source on the musical Tango Argentino states that by 1981 "they" were playing in Paris, and that Segovia approached Libertella and Stazo with his idea ^[1]. The excerpt does not describe that idea ^[1].

Susana Rinaldi's tour continued to Bonn, Germany, where she gave a concert and appeared on German television ^[7]. She then performed in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Israel. The Israeli dates included the Festival Heijal Hatarbut in Tel Aviv in 1981 and the International Convention Center in Jerusalem ^[7].

In 1981 Mariano Mores appeared with his son and daughter-in-law in the film Sucedió en el fantástico Circo Tihany, directed by Enrique Carreras ^[3]. In the film, Claudia and Nito sang "Adiós pampa mía" as a duet, accompanied by his orchestra ^[3].

The same source states that José Pepe Corriale played percussion until 1972, and that Ignacio Pucho Riccio played it from then on ^[3].

The source on the tango "Mi noche triste" also cites a 1981 work by Francisco García Jiménez. The excerpt does not give its title ^[4].

The listing also credits the tango "Nada más que uno más" to Hernán Salinas, dated 24 September 1981 ^[8]. It credits "La beba" (tango) to Beba Pugliese, dated 1981 ^[8].

The sources do not state whether these sides belong to the album Farol, which Goyeneche recorded with the Orquesta Típica Porteña of Raúl Garello for RCA in 1981 ^[5][8].

The same listing includes "Adiós, nonino", described as tango nuevo, with a duration of 04:29 and a 1981 date. The performer field of this entry is unclear in the data ^[8].

Several titles appear in more than one 1981 recording in the listing. "La morocha" is credited to both Susana Rinaldi and Alfredo De Angelis ^[8]. "Ropa blanca" is credited to both Susana Rinaldi and Raúl Miguel Garello ^[8]. "Tinta roja" appears both as a Susana Rinaldi recording and as a Leopoldo Federico recording with Rinaldi ^[8].

These entries give 1981 as a recording date only. In each case 1981 is the year of that recording, not the year the work was composed or first performed ^[8].