Maria de Buenos Aires

Queen of Tango

Premiere September 18, 2026, Schouwburg & Congrescentrum Orpheus Apeldoorn (NL)

 To the melancholic sounds of Astor Piazzolla's Adiós Nonino, a tear once rolled down Máxima's cheek. All of the Netherlands felt the soul of the tango at that moment. Twenty-five years later, Piazzolla's enchanting tango opera María de Buenos Aires returns to the Dutch stage, relevant as ever, in a brand-new production. The Netherlands Saxophone Octet was the first Dutch ensemble to receive permission from Piazzolla's heirs to rearrange this iconic work. The result: a thrilling cast of singers, actors, tango dancers, eight saxophones, bandoneon, piano, and percussion.

Maria de Buenos Aires tells the poignant story of the rise and fall of Maria, queen of the tango. The Duende, her creator, poetically brings her back to life as a resistance against a world in which only pleasure, power, and money seem to hold sway. Through Maria, this tango poet attempts to touch the soul of everyone. But where he sees inspiration, others sense mainly self-interest. When all boundaries are crossed, and Maria threatens to be destroyed by her passion, the Duende firmly draws a line.  

Alongside the eight saxophonists mezzo-soprano and crowd-favorite Karin Strobos shines as the combative Maria de Buenos Aires, baritone and opera hero Berend Eijkhout as her vigilant male counterpart, and Freek den Hartogh as the idealistic Duende. And what would an inspired tango opera be without the bandoneon and dance? Maria de Buenos Aires therefore features the Argentinian musicians Santiago Cimadevilla (bandoneon), Juan Pablo Dobal (piano), and Marcos Baggioni (percussion), both of whom have had success in the Netherlands. The tango duo Ezequiel Paludi & Geraldine Rojas also impresses with their equally passionate and graceful dancing.

María de Buenos Aires is an eternal cyclical narrative of love and hate, passion and pain, life and death — an ode to the soul of the tango, to a life full of passion. 

Photo © Angela Schouten

Credits Cast & Crew

Maria de Buenos Aires Karin Strobos (mezzo-soprano)

Payador Berend Eijkhout (bariton)

Duende Freek den Hartogh (actor)

Tangodancers Ezequiel Paludi & Geraldina Rojas

The Netherlands Saxophone Octet David Cristóbal Litago, Femke IJlstra, Pedro Silva, Catarina Gomes, Natalio Sued, Jenita Veurink, Juan Manuel Dominguez, Marijke Schröer

Bandoneon Santiago Cimadevilla

Piano Juan Pablo Dobal

Percussion Marcos Baggiani

Composition Astor Piazzolla

Libretto Horacio Ferrer

Stage direction Annechien Koerselman

Arrangement David Cristóbal Litago

Translation Barber van de Pol

Choreography Ezequiel Paludi & Geraldina Rojas

Costumedesign Iris Elströdt

Setdesign & Props Annechien Koerselman 

Lightdesign Annechien Koerselman 

Technics Oscar Bouwmans (sound) & Youri Wezenaar (light)

Set construction David Cristóbal Litago & Ignacio Cristóbal

Productionmanagement Annechien Koerselman, Pedro Silva & Jenita Veurink

Artistic & Business Management & Impresario Marijke Schroër

Organisation The Netherlands Saxophone Octet i.c.w. partner Schouwburg & Congrescentrum Orpheus Apeldoorn

CALENDAR

Apeldoorn (NL) Schouwburg & Congrescentrum Orpheus September 17, 2026 Prepremiere

Apeldoorn (NL) Schouwburg & Congrescentrum Orpheus September 18, 2026 premiere

Utrecht (NL) TivoliVredenburg November 09, 2026

Leiden (NL) Stadsgehoorzaal December 15, 2026 

Hengelo (NL) Schouwburg December 17, 2026 

Amsterdam (NL) Meervaart December 18, 2026 

Almere (NL) Kunstlinie January 10, 2027 

Groningen (NL) SPOT February 16, 2027 

Haarlem (NL) Philharmony May 17, 2027

Heerlen (NL) Parkstad Limburg Theaters May 22, 2027 Tango brutal 

will be further complemented

More information: Nederlands Saxofoon Octet

Photo © Maan Limburg