2023-04-21 18:21:56
After almost six years of groping, excuses and throwing the ball outside, the Alberto Ginastera room of the Teatro Argentino, the pride of La Plata and one of the most precious in Latin America, raised the curtain once more. He did it last night, at an exclusive gala for guests that will be repeated today for the general public, with Beethoven’s testament, his Ninth Symphony, a universal hymn that sealed, between the power, emotion and joy of its score, a date reopening that will remain in history.
Renovated, with black seats, lower and more accessible, arranged with greater space between one row and the other for more comfort for the spectators, the Ginastera once once more gave room. The last time was in November 2017, with a performance of the opera “Cosi fan tutte”, with which the government of María Eugenia Vidal closed it to put it back in value following “17 years without maintenance”. The works began in 2018, however, they soon stopped and the only program that was executed was that of neglect.
Although it looked beautiful from the outside, the heart of the Teatro Argentino, its main room, remained dismantled. The works stopped, the workers stopped being summoned and the stable bodies “rusted” but never stopped demanding: “We want to play, we want to sing, we want to dance.”
In 2019, the political baton changed, then the pandemic broke out and although the Piazzolla reopened in 2022 and there were popular activities in spaces such as Plaza Seca, the Ginastera remained silent for four more years, until yesterday.
Its reopening, as explained by the provincial authorities, is part of a comprehensive recovery plan for Argentina, for which 350 million pesos were allocated. Many infrastructure works and improvements for the artistic bodies still have to be finished and they promise that they will be carried out with “the public inside the room”.
THE REOPENING GALA
Dresses, suits and a sober elegance cut with few exceptions framed last night with an evening that had Governor Axel Kicillof as the main political protagonist. He was seconded by Verónica Magario, lieutenant governor, and Florencia Saintout, president of the Cultural Institute, on whom the Argentine now depends. Its artistic director, Ernesto Bauer, was also present.
On stage, Kicillof defined the first Buenos Aires coliseum as “a jewel” but was descriptive in assuring that his management received “a jewel full of garbage.” He said that he became “obsessed” with its value, and that he worked closely with Saintout who at one point believed that reaching the reopening would be “impossible”, but they did it. He explained that they worked from the “outside in” with the north set on promoting a “different project” of inclusive programming. “The idea was to combine all the genres and not to discriminate between theoretically higher genres and more popular genres because the truth is that everything is culture, everything is art and everything is the people”, he assured.
Among the guests who filled the room (which now has a capacity for 1,780 spectators), there were several celebrities. From Víctor Hugo Morales, to Thelma Fardin, passing through the actresses Cristina Banegas, Mirta Busnelli, Luisa Kuliok and Cecilia Rosetto. Also present were the trade unionist Roberto Baradel, the former Minister of Economy, Silvina Batakis and the president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, Estela de Carlotto, among other personalities.
The program, by the Orchestra and the Estables Choir -which will surely be better received tonight by the public when they enter the room-, opened with the Argentine National Anthem, and included the participation of the Camerata Académica, directed by Bernardo Teruggi, and the Children’s Choir, conducted by Mónica Dagorret. And then, the main course: Symphony No. 9, in D minor, Op. 125, by Ludwig van Beethoven, which, with its instrumental magnitude, moved even those who did not know it.
Conducted by maestro Carlos Vieu, and with Eduviges Picone in charge of the Choir, the gala featured the solo quartet made up of tenor Juan Carlos Vassallo, baritone Hernán Iturralde, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Díaz and soprano Paula Almerares, who lived one night of deep emotion because it is the second time that he has to reopen the Ginastera, following the one in 1999.
On that occasion, the program was different and included a dance piece for the Ballet to show off, which, last night, was the only stable body that did not participate. According to Bauer, it was due exclusively to a matter of “timing” that prevented them from having the right stage, although he announced that he is already preparing for “Romeo and Juliet”, the title with which he will open the dance season in June, with the direction from Iñaki Urlezaga from La Plata.
THE 2023 SEASON
The reopening gala also served to anticipate the artistic season that can be seen in the Argentino this 2023 which, as far as opera is concerned, will open and close with Verdi: “Aída” will be offered in May and “Falstaff” in October. “Pagliacci” will also be shown in August, but in a concert version.
Within the annual concert cycle, which opened with Beethoven’s Ninth, highlights include Mozart’s “Requiem” and Haydn’s Symphony No. 4 in July; Rachmaninov’s “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini” and Dvorák’s Symphony No. 6 in September; and Verdi’s “Requiem”, in November.
As for the ballet, in addition to the aforementioned “Romeo and Juliet”, “Giselle” will be offered in August and the unbeatable “The Nutcracker” in December with which the Ginastera will lower the curtain.
As they advanced, tickets for this season will be free and will continue to be reserved through the virtual modality. Consulted by this means regarding the possibility of enabling a physical ticket office for people who cannot access the internet, they assured that they will do everything possible so that no one is left out.
On Tuesday it was announced that the Ninth would have a second function, open and free, for the general public, which will take place today at 8:00 p.m. but the tickets sold out in five minutes. Fifteen minutes before the start of the function, the tickets that, even reserved, were not withdrawn will be delivered.
Those who do not have the privilege of being able to attend tonight’s evening will have another opportunity on Sunday: the Stable Orchestra, conducted by Vieu, and with the soprano Daniela Tabernig as soloist, will perform Program No. 2, made up of “Four Last Songs” by Strauss and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Tickets will be enabled for reservations today in the followingnoon.
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