Town Hall Welcomes Tangos from Gardel to Piazzolla 4/29

The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street, Times Square's landmark concert venue, will welcome back the Romulo Larrea Tango Ensemble for the world premiere of "Tangos from Gardel to Piazzolla," a concert evening of Tango dance and music, Friday, April 29 at 8:00 PM. This concert follows the Town Hall successes of Romulo Larrea's acclaimed productions of "Tango First Century" (Town Hall, 2006) and the internationally renowned "Spotlight on Tango" (Town Hall, 2009).

"Tangos from Gardel to Piazzola," performed by the Romulo Larrera Tango Ensemble, celebrates the immense beauty of the art of Tango. Singer Verónica Larc and six tango dancers present a world of intense emotions, extraordinary music, great melodies and magnificent dances celebrating the talent and passion of renowned composers Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzolla.

Maestro Larrera, a virtuoso bandoleon player, is recognized internationally as a leader among the Tango scene. His troupe diligently explores the world of tango that has made them exceptional ambassadors of the art of Tango in international cultural circles. His ensemble's artistry presents a unique approach to the genre and is a benchmark for all aficionados.

ABOUT ROMULO LARREA
Born in Montevideo (Uruguay), Larrea began his bandoneon study at the age of ten with Professor Rolando Gavioli. In the 1960s, he formed his first ensemble, began composing, recorded his first album and worked with several orchestras in Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

Larrea went to Quebec at the end of the 1970s and founded the first Tango groups. He is known for having introduced Tango to Montreal. At the end of the 1980s, Larrea worked with Master Astor Piazzolla in South America. When he returned to Montreal, Larrea made his debuts as soloist with the Quebec Symphonic Orchestra. He developed a new musical approach that led to the creation of the Romulo Larrea Tango Ensemble.

Larrea added tours throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and South America. He has performed in several concert halls including at the Wiesbaden Kurpark (Rheingau Festival), Teatro Alvear and Teatro San Martin in Buenos Aires, at the Vaz Ferreira concert hall in Montevideo, at Orange County Performing Arts Centre in California, at the Metropolitan in New York, at Town Hall Theatre, at Meany Hall Theater, Washington, at Place des Arts de Montréal, at Palais Montcalm and Grand Théâtre de Québec and at the National arts Centre in Ottawa.

He has shared the stage with renowned francophone artists such as Michel Sardou, Claude Léveillée, Bruno Pelletier, Sylvain Lelièvre and Claude Dubois. Larrea also performed with Piazzolla's collaborators: cellist José Bragato and poet Horacio Ferrer, as well as guitarists Alvaro Pierri and Aniello Desiderio, flutist Timothy Hutchins, cellist Antonio Lysy and Julius Berger, violinist Paul Rozcek, clarinetist André Moisan and pianist Pascal Rogé. In 1999 he received the Félix Award as ‘‘Arranger of the year'. Larrea is also a member and delegate for Quebec of the Academia National del Tango of Argentina.

Larrea created the shows "Tango First Century," "Le Tango de chez nous," "Homenaje a Astor Piazzolla," "Tangos... para La Milonga," "Tango Sinfónico," "Piazzolla y sus contemporáneos," "Tango du cœur," "Sinfonía del Ángel" and "Spotlight on Tango."

Musical Director of "Tangos from Gardel to Piazzolla" is Maestro Romulo Larrea; he is also arranger and appears on bandoleon. The Romulo Larrea Tango Ensemble includes François Pilon, first violin, Frédéric Lefebvre, violin; Martine Gagné, viola; Sheila Hannigan, cello; Alain Malo, double bass; Louise-Andrée Baril, piano and Verónica Larc, vocals. The tango partners will be Leah Barsky & Carlos Cañedo, Mariana Galassi & Walter Perez, Mariana Parma & Hernán Brizuela. Group number choreography is by Cecilia Saïa and Carlos Cañedo. Lighting design is by Pierre Lavoie.