María de Buenos Aires

The spirit summons the forgotten voice of María through a crack in the pavement and tells her story. She was born on a day when God was drunk. “I am María ... María Tango, María of the suburbs, María Night, María fatal passion, María of love for Buenos Aires am I!” - Searching for happiness, she leaves the suburbs, glows, gets high and plays, sells herself and, in death, becomes a mystical figure. As a shadow, María wanders through a world of surreal encounters, tracing life backwards from oblivion to birth - until she finds redemption through poetry. On a holy Sunday.

The founder of Tango Nuevo, Astor Piazzolla, created an homage to tango, which originated in the run-down harbor districts of Buenos Aires, with this abysmal passion story of María. Jazz, toccata and fugue are further ingredients of his musical composition between joie de vivre and melancholy. Deutsche Oper am Rhein’s new production is directed by Johannes Erath, who explores María's carnal and religious passions with a sharp eye.