Yo Soy Maria

Astor Piazzolla

This article is a stub. If you can help add information to it,
please join the WRP and visit the FAQ (left sidebar) for information.

Subtitle: From the Opera Maria de Buenos Aires

General Info

Year: 1968
Duration: c. 6:50
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Unknown
Cost: Score and Parts - Unknown

Instrumentation

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Piazzolla combined his efforts with Horacio Ferrer to compose his tango opera (tango operita), Maria de Buenos Aires. The opera premiered at the Sala Planeta in Buenos Aires on May 8, 1968. Yo Soy Maria is the fourth number in the opera.

- Program Note from Florida State University Wind Ensemble concert program, 10 November 2020

María de Buenos Aires is a tango opera (tango operita) with music by Astor Piazzolla and libretto by Horacio Ferrer that premiered at the Sala Planeta in Buenos Aires in May, 1968. The song Yo Soy Maria (I am Maria) is the opening solo from the main character.

While certainly not in the narrow sense an opera ballet, because the dance is tango rather than classical ballet, it falls within the tradition of having set dance pieces integral to an operatic work. There are a lot of tango dancing during the opera.

The first part of the surreal plot centers on the experiences of a “fallen lady” in Buenos Aires, Argentina; the second part takes place after her death. The characters include María (and, after her death, the Shadow of María), a folksinger, various members of the Buenos Aires underworld; a poet and narrator; a goblin-like humanoid; several marionettes under the control of the goblin; a circus of psychoanalysts; pasta makers; and construction workers.

Obviously, a collection of characters guaranteed to make any good opera into a Great Opera! Or, at least, one you will not easily forget.

- Program Note by David Holsinger

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Hartwick College (Oneonta, N.Y.) Wind Ensemble (Andrew Pease, conductor) - 18 May 2021
Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.) Wind Ensemble (David Holsinger, conductor; Delores Beery, soprano) - 13 April 2021
Florida State University (Tallahassee) Wind Ensemble (Devan Moore, conductor) - 10 November 2020

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Yo Soy Maria (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1968/2020)

All Wind Works

Adiós Nonino (arr. Woude) (1984)
Contrabajissimo (arr. Scott) (1984/2008)
Escualo (arr. Teho) (1979/)
Fuga y Misterio (arr. Leeuwen) (1974/2018)
Fuga y misterio (arr. Ziegler) (1974/)
Fugata (arr. Smith)
Fugata (arr. Warner)
Histoire du Tango (1986/2008)
La Muerte del Ángel (arr. Pease) (1962/2005)
La Muerte del Angel (arr. Woo) (1962/2019)
Le Grand Tango (arr. Sharretts) (/2008)
Libertango (arr. Scott) (1974/2009)
Libertango (ed. Etchegoncelay) (1974/)
Libertango (arr. Murtha) (1974/2016)
Michelangelo '70 (arr. Warner)
Milonga del Angel (arr. Warner)
Milonga sin Palabras
Oblivion (arr. Avila) (1982)
Oblivion (arr. Longfield) (1982/2013)
Oblivion (arr. Six and Sealy) (1982/)
Oblivion (arr. Smith) (1982/)
Oblivion (arr. Warner) (1982/)
Primavera Portena
PULSACION (arr. Kataoka) (1969/2012)
Selections from "Cinco Piezas" for Guitar
Sinfonía Buenos Aires (1949/2022)
Street Tango (arr. Longfield) (2017)
Tangazo (arr. Ansanay-Alex) (2010)
Tango Suite (arr. Jackson) (1984/?)
Tango Suite (Saxophone Quartet) (arr. Sharretts) (/2007)
Tango Suite (Woodwind Quintet) (arr. Sharretts) (/2008)
Tango Suite (arr. White)
Tres Minutos con la Realidad (arr. Smith)
Yo Soy Maria (arr. DeJonge) (1968/)
Yo Soy Maria (Flex instrumentation) (arr. DeJonge) (1968/2020)

Resources

Maria de Buenos Aires, Wikipedia Accessed 11 November 2020
Pease, Andy. "Yo Soy María by Astor Piazzolla." Wind Band Literature, 8 July 2021. Web. Accessed 8 July 2021