The concert "Tango e Dintorni" (Tango and Beyond), part of the Moncalieri Jazz Festival 2010 at the Royal Castle of Moncalieri, served as an organic investigation into the evolution of Argentine tango. The event proposed a fusion of music, dance, cinema, and literature, orchestrated to convey the formal complexity of a genre that evolved from popular roots to the high-art avant-garde of the 20th century.
Sestetto Renacerò and the Approach to Piazzolla's Work
At the heart of the evening, Sestetto Renacerò interpreted Astor Piazzolla's repertoire from a critical perspective aimed at highlighting the Argentine composer's most daring expressive means. The ensemble—featuring Ugo Viola (accordion), Marco Viola (violin), Valentina Fornero (cello), Giuseppe Calvagna (double bass), Valerio Signetto (sax/clarinet), and Maurizio Fornero (piano)—performed arrangements designed to elevate tango beyond its original dance function.
The Orchestral Dimension and Arrangements by Andrea Ravizza
The Orchestra Ritmo-Sinfonica A.Gi.Mus. di Moncalieri, under the direction of Andrea Ravizza, provided the timbral framework for a symphonic re-reading of the pieces. Ravizza, who curated most of the orchestrations, developed a program spanning from the traditions of Carlos Gardel and Osvaldo Pugliese to the electronic experiments of the Gotan Project, including his own original composition "Tango per Carola".
Intersections of Art: Dance, Cinema, and the Spoken Word
The event featured dancers Los Hermanos Macana, Sarita Goyas, and Ricardo Labriola, who provided a plastic representation of the dance's stylistic phases. The narrative was enriched by cinematic clips from works such as Scent of a Woman and Enrico IV, alongside readings of texts by Jorge Luis Borges, Giovanni Arpino, and Luigi Pirandello, performed by Ciro Imparato.
Concert Program - First Half
- Concierto Para Quinteto (A. Piazzolla) – arr. V. Signetto, orch. A. Ravizza
- Milonga del Angel (A. Piazzolla) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Text by C. Castillo ("Maria")
- Canaro En Paris (A. Scarpino - J. Caldarella) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: Los Hermanos Macana
- Summit (A. Piazzolla) – arr. G. Perrone Fornero
- Oblivion (A. Piazzolla, from the film "Enrico IV") – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: S. Goyas and R. Labriola. Text by L. Pirandello
- Adios Nonino (A. Piazzolla) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza (featuring Piano Cadenza by A. Ravizza). Text by A. Le Pera ("Tornare")
- Emancipacion (O. Pugliese - Benilacqua) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: S. Goyas and R. Labriola. Text by Marvil ("Cosi si balla il Tango")
- Felicia (E. Saborido) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: Los Hermanos Macana
Concert Program - Second Half
- Invierno Porteno (A. Piazzolla) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Text by M. Romero ("La Canzone di Bueno Aires")
- Por Una Cabeza (C. Gardel, from the film "Scent of a Woman") – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: S. Goyas and R. Labriola. Text by G. Arpino (from "Il buio e il miele")
- Tango per Carola (A. Ravizza) – music, arr./orch. by Andrea Ravizza
- Mala Junta (P. Laurenz) – arr./orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: Los Hermanos Macana
- Fracanapa (A. Piazzolla) – arr. V. Signetto, orch. A. Ravizza. Dancers: S. Goyas and R. Labriola. Text by J. L. Borges ("Qualcuno dice al Tango")
- Medley Gotan Project (from the films "Take the Lead" and "Shall we Dance?") – arr./orch. A. Ravizza