Chorus Meets the Argentine Tango

September 6, 2023 – Sarasota

Key Chorale, the Suncoast’s premier symphonic chorus, first concert of the season is “Tango” on September 23, 4 PM at Church of the Palms in Sarasota.

Billboard Top 10 Duo Ben & Winnie join the 100+ voices of Key Chorale to celebrate the passion and sizzle of the Argentine Tango. Bandoneonist Ben Bogart, pianist Winnie Cheung, and four traditional tango dancers take you to the streets of Buenos Aires. Together they present Martín Palmeri’s Misatango, a Latin mass incorporating the harmonies, rhythms, and sensual qualities of the tango. Soloists Amy Connours and Stephanie Jabre add their vocal sparkle to the dance. Key Chorale will be joined by a string quintet, piano, and the bandoneon, a button-accordion that has become synonymous with the tango.

Tango was born in the 1880s. It grew out of the lower-class dance halls and brothels of Buenos Aires. Tango combined African and South American styles with European influences and reached the height of its popularity in the 1940s. Today, it is still one of the most popular dances and is celebrated worldwide for its fire and passion.

“Duo Ben & Winnie are masters in taking the raw energy and intricacy of a tango orchestra and distilling it down into exciting and imaginative duo arrangements,” says Artistic Director, Joseph Caulkins. “The featured work on this program is one of my all-time favorites. It is Misa a Buenos Aires (or, as its popularly known, Misatango) by Argentine composer Martín Palmeri. Palmeri takes the traditional Latin mass text and infuses it with the tango. It was premiered in 1996 by the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba and since then has been performed in cities throughout the world.”

The six movements of Misatango are scored for traditional tango orchestra and will also incorporate four traditional tango dancers. The movements of the mass will be interspersed throughout the program with traditional tangos in between by composers like Astor Piazzolla, Rosita Melo, and Osvaldo Pugliese.

World-renowned dancers and choreographers Fernanda Ghi and Silvio Grand, and Junior Cervila and Guadalupe Garcia, who are considered one of the most explosive tango couples on the scene, will be joining Key Chorale for this concert experience. 

“We are showcasing the depth and breadth of this infectious music,” said Maestro Caulkins. “These artists are all at the front edge of their artform, teaching workshops in tango all over the world. We are thrilled that Ben and Winnie will be leading several educational outreach experiences with Title 1 elementary and middle school students as well as a presentation to nearly 150 students at the Desoto Boys & Girls Club.”

To purchase tickets to “Tango” or to buy a season subscription, visit www.keychorale.org or call 941-552-8768 to reserve the best seats and to take advantage of additional savings.