Since Máxima’s famous tear during the moving Adiós Nonino, Piazzolla’s music captivated the entire Dutch population in one fell swoop. Now, 25 years later, his famous tango opera María de Buenos Aires is finally being performed in the Netherlands again, in a brand-new guise. The Dutch Saxophone Octet was the first Dutch ensemble to be granted the right by Piazzolla’s heirs to arrange the piece for eight saxophones, vocals, text, bandoneon, piano, and percussion.

The opera María de Buenos Aires tells the story of María, a woman who symbolizes the soul of Buenos Aires and the world of tango. She is born into poverty and grows up in the rough city life, where she is drawn into an existence full of passion, desire, and self-destruction. Eventually, she dies, but her story continues as she keeps wandering through the city as a ghost. Alongside the eight tango-dancing saxophonists, mezzo-soprano and crowd favorite Karin Strobos shines as the feisty title character. Baritone Berend Eijkhout is her vigilant male counterpart, while Freek den Hartogh portrays the idealistic Duende. And what would an inspired tango opera be without the bandoneon and dance? Nothing, of course, so musicians Santiago Cimadevilla (bandoneon), Juan Pablo Dobal (piano), and Marcos Baggioni (percussion) join in, and tango duo Ezequiel Paludi and Geraldine Rojas impress with their passionate dance.