Bulletins From BA #18

Bulletins From BA #18

21 octubre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Like any great city, Buenos Aires offers innumerable opportunities to hear live music. And although we don’t make the same effort to get out and listen as we once did (age and gravity do take their toll), from time to time A.J. and I flag a taxi and venture forth, usually to some interesting older theatre with horrible seats, to better inform our cultural outlook. Here are two examples for your consideration.

I - “Tango en Concierto”

Orquesta Nacional de Música Argentina “Juan de Dios Filiberto”

(www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_de_Dios_Filiberto_National_Orchestra_of_Argentine_Music)

From the program notes (my translation): “In 1932, the composer Juan de Dios Filiberto founded the ‘Orquesta Porteña’ which in 1948, under the high patronage to the arts made ​​by the government of General Juan Domingo Peron, passed into the orbit of the National State.

Today Orquesta Nacional de Música Argentina ‘Juan de Dios Filiberto’ continues with its mission: to ‘develop, prioritize and promote music in all its Argentine manifestations with the goal to increase and form a national consciousness among the people’.”

I heard about this concert via Facebook from Sergio Rivas, an Argentine contrabass player with whom a friend of mine (with whom I use to play) has studied tango. The program included three selections by the orquesta, a “Trípitico para Contrabajo y Orquesta” con Solista Sergio Rivas, and several pieces featuring Trio (Martinez) 2+ Lifschitz. (Flute, guitar, bass, drums.)

It was a great program. Sergio is a wonderful bassist, the Trio is simply terrific, and the Orquesta… well, this was my first opportunity to listen to a group of más o menos 40 excellent musicians play tango. It was a wicked impressive experience. And, as is customary, the audience of porteños did not hesitate to make their enthusiasm known.

II - “Treemonisha” de Scott Joplin (Estreno en Argentina)

OID Opera (www.oidopera.com.ar)

I have in my musical back pocket several Ragtime compositions by Scott Joplin. Each is a small jewel and I am grateful that they translate so well from the original piano scores to the accordion. Joplin is a justifiably esteemed composer who passed, at the age of 49, much too soon.

That said, I must admit that I know next to nothing about “Treemonisha” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treemonisha), Joplin’s grand operatic work, which was never properly produced during his lifetime. So, props to OID Opera for giving it a go and premiering it in Argentina. My experience of the evening was, unfortunately, less than satisfactory.

The major problem was that the 19-piece orchestra had serious intonation issues that could not readily be ignored. The singers were good, although the balance with the orchestra was hit-or-miss. The libretto, sung in English, was largely unintelligible, a not unexpected state of affairs in operatic productions. There were supertitles, of course. En español. Oh well, what can you do?

“Treemonisha” was meant to be performed by African-Americans, which is pretty tricky in Argentina, due to a severe scarcity of opera singers of African descent. So, members of the cast wore “conventional theatrical blackface,” à la Placido Domingo portraying Otello. The effect was discomfiting, particularly for those of us who are somewhat schooled on the history of blackface in America and its racist connotations.

[Sidebar: Can’t recall if I’ve recommended this before, but a rather thorough and strangely entertaining overview of blackface and minstrelsy is afforded in the film “Bamboozled,” directed by Spike Lee. Dude did his research.]

Finally, the venue, Teatro Empire (designed in Art Deco mode as a pretty cool hybrid of space ship and bee hive), was built in 1934. And still has THE ORIGINAL SEATS. From the moment we sat down, we experienced acute distress, a vexation that would have made it difficult to enjoy even a great performance, never mind a problematic one. Oh, bueno, ¿qué puedes hacer?

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #17

Bulletins From BA #17

09 octubre 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

[Noted in Passing - Today is John Lennon’s 73^rd birthday.]

Unbelievably, it’s been two months since the last Bulletin. I would apologize for flagrant dereliction of duty as correspondent, but I simply haven’t had much to report, certainly nothing worth your precious reading time. But in the interests of inter-hemispheric communication and not being totally forgotten (“He’s still in Buenos Aires? Really?”), here goes.

It took long enough, but Anne and I finally made it to an actual milonga, a place where normal people go to dance tango and participate in its peculiar rituals. We had guests in from the States, so we took them to El Niño Bien, a venerable milonga held weekly in a local community center and recommended to us by our friends Cherie and Ruben, who are professional tango instructors. What really sealed the deal was the fact that the event started at 7:00 PM, not midnight, as is the norm.

As you might expect, it was an older crowd that packed the place and filled the capacious dance floor. A.J. and I demurred on actually dancing (I am fearless when it comes to playing tango on the accordion, but the dance is complex and intimidates the hell out of me.) and spent an absolutely lovely evening drinking champagne, chatting in imperfect español, and watching older tangueros in suave suits dance with well turned-out ladies in fabulous shoes. It was una noche excelente.

Speaking of excellent nights, this past weekend I was invited to perform a short set as part of the celebration for the 70^th Anniversary of ARICANA, the Binational Center (BNC) in Rosario, some 300km from Buenos Aires. As compensation, ARICANA agreed to pick up the tab for expenses. So, since shlepping an accordion on a bus is a burdensome proposition (at least), Anne and I contracted with Ricardo, our inestimable go-to tour operator, to hire a remise (private car) and driver (Javier), who took very good care of us. Our hotel was simple, satisfactory, and not far from the event.

The show consisted of myself, students from a local school of musical theatre (complete with tango as well as a delightfully cheesy version of “New York, New York”), and a local chorus that sang, among other things, Negro spirituals in dialect, complete with Spanish accent. (A brief pause while you consider that.)

[Critics Sidebar - The accordion player’s performance was “un gran éxito” (a great success), being described by various astute audience members as "romántico", "emocional" y "sentimental". In Argentina, these are words of high praise indeed.]

Following this epic production, the assemblage was fêted with drinks and a four-course dinner, making for an altogether wonderful soirée. It was an honor to have been included.

News Update - Some of you have inquired about the local effects of the current shutdown of the U.S. government. We are still up and running in Buenos Aires, but many Embassy functions and activities have been curtailed or strictly limited. For the moment, no one has been furloughed, but that will change, should this impasse continue. The shutdown is very bad news.

Culpability for this totally preventable debacle resides, false equivalencies aside, squarely with the GOP Congressional delegation. As a group, they covet power, but function only to impose their will, regardless of logic or consequence. Their sanctimonious disdain for governance, the job they were constitutionally elected to do, is matched only by their documentable incompetence.

Moreover, they are intellectually circumscribed and spiritually malicious. They proclaim their patriotism, but behave like terrorists holding our economy hostage, like bumptious vandals willing, indeed, eager to bring down our entire government. They bring discredit to the United States and I am profoundly embarrassed for my country.

Good luck (buena suerte) to us all.

[Noted in Passing - Today is Sean Lennon’s 38^th birthday.]

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #16

Bulletins From BA #16

06 agosto 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“BA Interiors 1”

It’s August. Time to do some catching up…

Last night, we received our first robocall from a candidate soliciting support in Argentina’s upcoming legislative elections. (Since the message was in español, it was considerably less irritating than one might expect.) A contentious campaign season is upon us, with August primaries and a general election to be held on 27 October. Argentina is in something of a mess, but no American citizen deserves the luxury of condescension when it comes to matters of dysfunctional governance.

In other news this month, I have a performance scheduled for 13 agosto at ICANA (Instituto Cultural Argentina Norteamericano). This will be the final programme funded by a grant from the Public Affairs section of U.S. Embassy Argentina. That’s eight juggling workshops and four solo concerts in four different cities, which, for you concerned taxpayers, is excellent cultural diplomacy and darned good value for the money.

[Here’s a link, in case you’re sufficiently interested.]

August is an eventful month for DOS people living in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s summer vacation time in America and many diplomats (especially those with niños) take their annual leave now, which inevitably results in staffing complications. It is also transfer season, with a whole boatload of comings and goings. And since winter break has just ended for Argentines, the joint is jumping and there’s work to be done.

As a result of this standard temporal bifurcation, I am picking up a lot of work at the Embassy, filling in as needed. And, por supuesto (of course), Anne is still gallivanting all over South America doing her job. We seem to require a “calendar meeting” every four hours but, that’s what we signed up for.

And while we’re on that topic, I want to respond to those of you who have expressed kindly concern about our well-being in the wake of the temporary closings of U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East and elsewhere. It is my experience that the State Department responds to credible security threats with an abundance of caution; not an imprudent strategy, particularly given that the period of August through 9/11 is a time of exceptional volatility. Also, I counsel skepticism regarding the meme that precautionary embassy closings somehow constitute ”surrender to terrorism.” This is no more than cynically opportunistic bull. Also, shit.

That said, A.J. and I are quite muy bien. Moreover, our first actual guests are actually scheduled to visit in September and we’re looking forward to showing them the sights of Buenos Aires. Más pronto y ¡Feliz agosto!

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #15

Bulletins From BA #15

30 junio 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Cementerio de la Chacarita”

If you’re interested in Argentine history, one of the places you have to visit in Buenos Aires is the Cementerio de la Chacarita, also known as the National Cemetery. Anne and I previously visited Cementerio de la Recoleta, which is downtown, compact, and crowded with turistas. Chacarita is located in the western part of Buenos Aires and is a much larger and quieter city of the departed. It is also the site of the tomb of Carlos Gardel, who died tragically in a plane crash in 1935.

It is impossible to overestimate Gardel’s importance to Argentina. He was a brilliant singer, gifted composer, and genuine Latin superstar. Historical comparisons can be dicey, but in some Spanish-speaking countries of Latin and South America, Carlos Gardel was as idolized in his day as Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson were in theirs. 78 years on, many people, mostly locals, still make the pilgrimage to his gravesite, where they honour him by placing a lighted cigarette between the fingers of his statue. A fitting tribute, if kind of gross.

[Musical Sidebar - For my part, I have managed to learn and memorize two of Gardel’s most beautiful and famous compositions: “El Día Que Me Quieras” and “Por Una Cabeza.” When I play them, my breath and that of my accordion become one. (Por favor, perdona el interludio rapsódico.)]

Speaking of tango, last evening, A.J. and I went to a performance of Orquesta de Tango del IUNA (Instituto Universitario Nacional del Arte), a 13-piece ensemble that performs classic arrangements from the 1930s and 40s. Listening to a real orchestra play this wonderful music is a thrilling experience and the ensemble was excellent.

There was, inevitably, a catch. The venue is a converted house, so the performance space is bifurcated, with one room facing the musicians and the other room facing stage left. As a musician, I found this arrangement to be the stuff of nightmares. Also, the sound suffered somewhat from the fact that every surface in both rooms was reflective. Nonetheless, the group played con brio and the packed house was most appreciative. And, the concert was free and the venue is a five-minute walk from our apartment, so…

In other news, we’re headed Stateside on July 4, after the humongous official reception at the Ambassador’s residence. This is a business trip, since Anne has a conference in DC. Afterward, we’ll go to Fairhope, AL for a few days for visits and appointments, and then fly back to BA. FYI, we do expect to return to the U.S. in December for R & R and a longer visit, during which we’ll have more time to make the grand circuit and catch up with family and friends.

Meanwhile, hasta luego; and if you aren’t familiar with the music of Carlos Gardel, I sincerely recommend that you check it out. La música es la vida.

¡Adelante!

Rodger

Bulletins From BA #14

Bulletins From BA #14

02 junio 2013

¡Hola! there… Rodger French here.

Photo Update Alert: www.picasaweb.google.com/rodger.french

“Salta”

It’s a quiet Sunday here on Avenida del Libertador; just an elderly miniature poodle named Sam and myself lounging on the luxurious State Department furniture. We eat, we doze, we watch TV, and I occasionally take Sam out to pee on unsuspecting curbs. We are currently living very comfortable, boring lives. There are, of course, explanations.

1. Anne is attending a conference this week in Santiago, Chile and running amok with her sister IROs.

2. Sam’s humans have gone to the States to tend to some sad, though not unexpected, family matters, leaving us (meaning me) with doggie duties.

3. A combination of age, stress, and exertion has left me with severe back pain, the kind of severe back pain that requires spending as much time as possible in prone positions. (My condition is, thankfully, improving daily.)

This state of lethargy is assuredly a radical departure from the past few weeks. For example, Anne was the Embassy’s point person for The 39^th Buenos Aires International Book Fair, so she and, to a certain extent, I (being her wingman) were all up in it for three weeks. It was un gran éxito (a great success) and A.J. and the entire Public Affairs Section were cubierto de gloria (covered in glory).

Then, not altogether inexplicably, I landed a grant to teach juggling workshops and present accordion concerts at several BNCs (Binational Centers) in the NW provinces of Argentina. Since Anne was due to visit these places anyway, we teamed up and took our act on the road.

There was no shortage of drama at the outset. The customized juggling props (beanbags embossed with the Embassy logo) did not arrive from the States until the day before we were due to depart. This necessitated us transporting a very large/heavy prop bag in addition to a very large/heavy accordion in a very large/heavy flight case. But, OK, that’s part of the deal.

Not part of the deal was a wildcat strike by airline baggage handlers that forced us to (a) reschedule our departure, (b) reclaim our already checked large/heavy baggage, and (c) return home only to come back the following day and hope for the best. Fortunately, our second attempt to get out of Buenos Aires was successful.

The rest of the week went like clockwork. We even managed to work in a long day of touring in the mountains NW of Salta, not far from Bolivia. It is a beautiful, stunningly desolate area, inhabited by people decidedly not of European extraction. There is also a lot less oxygen that we are use to. More than once, I had to remind myself to don’t forget to breath. (En español: “No te olvides de respirar.”)

Salta itself is a lovely little city, and very tourist oriented. The visit to the Salta BNC - indeed, all the BNCs - went swimmingly. The workshop students were invariably polite and attentive, in spite of some space and time constraints, and took instruction well. A few actually learned to juggle. They were also very tolerant of (and amused by) my less than fluent español.

The audiences for the concerts, a mix of students, faculty, and the public, were enthusiastic and curious. The program itself was quite popular (especially the tangos, naturally) and prompted mucho interest. At each BNC, audience members, mostly students, stayed on after the concert, posing for photoz and asking all sorts of questions until the place closed.

[Musical Sidebar - Interestingly, many of the students did not know of Carlos Gardel (www.todotango.com/english/gardel) and his importance to Argentine and South American culture, although they responded muy emocionalmente to his music. I did my best to elucidate.]

Fortunately, we had had sufficient foresight to engage a tour operator to schlep our baggage and us from town to town. From Salta, we drove to Tucuman, a fairly large and bustling city surrounded by sugar cane fields and, finally, to Santiago del Estero, a surprisingly nice little town in the middle of nowhere. Eventually, we made our way back to Tucuman and caught our return flight to BA. Without incident, I’m happy to report.

And now, here we are, a man and a dog, in the throes of transitory ennui. Pardon me, but Sam and I are off once more in search of unsullied curbs.

¡Adelante!

Rodger