Carlos Buono: I understood only the words "Tsavd Tanem" but thought it was real tango (video)
Passion, love, hate… The sensual and emotional tango "was born" in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the end of the 19th century after combining different cultures of immigrants who had arrived in the country in search of a better life. The rhythms of the African tangano, Argentine milonga, Hawaiian habanera, Spanish flamenco and Italian canzone were mixed together in it. Tango was initially danced by men. 1935 is seen as the beginning of the Golden Age of Tango thanks to Astor Piazzolla, Osvaldo Pugliese and Carlos Gardel. Tango singer Carlos Gardel, known as El Zorzal Criollo (the King of Tango), is one of the legends of tango, whose birthday is celebrated as International Tango Day. “Por Una Cabeza” (1935) is one of Gardel's most famous tango compositions and Al Pacino dances to it in Scent of a Woman (1992). On May 27, a wonderful evening of Argentine tango will be held at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall in Yerevan at the initiative of Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Embassy of Argentina in Armenia. The concert will be conducted by Carlos Buono, a famous Argentine conductor and bandoneon, who gave over 98 concerts in more than 27 countries last year. “Sometimes people say I smile a lot while performing tango which is not very typical of this dance. And I answer that I paid a high price, deprived myself of many things for tango, it's my life, and every time I play it as if it were my last performance,” he says. “It is no secret that tango originated in brothels and was thought to be vulgar in the beginning but since it had a beautiful music it was impossible to give it up,” the musician continues. Asked whether he likes to dance, Carlos Buono responds with humour, “Argentines prefer to say 'those who play do not dance.' Carlos Buono has many Armenian friends in Argentina and says he is fond of Armenian dishes. During his visit he ‘fell in love with Armenia and Armenian music.’ “It resembles tango… I saw a woman singing on one of your channels. I could only understand the words “Tsavd Tanem” but I understood that it was real tango with its rhythm,” the conductor said. Dancers Arianne Caoili, the wife of famous Armenian chess player Levon Aronian, Suren Mkhitaryan, Arkadie Atasuntsov and Diana Hayrapetyan will perform during the event.
