16 May 2016, by Clandestino Music Travel in Argentina
Earlier this winter we caught up with Sarah Stern, associate principal harpist with the Teatro Colon Orchestra of Buenos Aires. The Pittsburgh native sat down with us and talked about her experiences living in Buenos Aires and playing with the orchestra. She also treated us to an exclusive performance!
Built in 1908 and recently renovated, the Teatro Colon is acoustically considered to be among the five best concert venues in the world. A world-class forum for classical music, opera, and ballet, the theatre draws some of the best musicians and conductors from around the world. The magnificent seven-story building occupies an entire city block and is located alongside the famous 9 de Julio Avenue. The horseshoe-shaped auditorium holds 2,500 seats and has an additional standing room for 1,000.
Sarah treated us to an exclusive performance of Astor Piazzolla’s Verano Porteño (Buenos Aires Summer). The original work was written in 1965 and is part of a set of four tango compositions known as the Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires). The pieces were composed between 1965 and 1970 and scored for Piazzolla’s quintet of violin (or viola), piano, electric guitar, double bass and bandoneón. Sarah is playing an arrangment for the harp by Maria Luisa Rayan-Forero.
More on the Teatro Colon Orchestra (Orquesta Estable del Teatro Colón) and the Teatro Colon concert season can be found here.
