Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents
Quinteto Astor Piazzolla
Le Grand Tango
Astor Piazzolla's Le Grand Tango is at the center of this show's program, which brings together some of the composer's most essential works and offers a renewed vision of his legacy that is intense, refined and strikingly contemporary. The program unfolds through a series of vivid contrasts: the driving energy of "Presto" (the third movement of the Concerto for Bandoneon and Orchestra, here arranged for quintet); the sharp virtuosity of "Escualo"; the introspective world of "Soledad" and "Oblivion"; and the delicate lyricism of the rarely performed "Luna," alongside iconic pieces such as "Zita," "Milonga loca" and "Verano porteño."
PROGRAM
Verano Porteño
Thriller
Soledad
Milonga loca
Le Grand Tango
Zita
Luna
Escualo
Oblivion
Presto
Adiós Nonino
The show will run 75 minutes without an intermission.
Quinteto Astor Piazzolla
For more than 25 years, Astor Piazzolla Quintet have preserved and honored the legacy of revolutionary bandoneon player and composer Astor Piazzolla. Throughout their extensive career, the Quintet have toured across the United States, Latin America, Europe, Australia and Asia, earning unanimous praise from critics and numerous prestigious awards. Among their most notable achievements are two Latin Grammy Awards for Best Tango Album (2019 and 2023), further raising their reputation and prestige on the global stage.
The group is composed of five virtuoso soloists with renowned careers, all deeply committed to Piazzolla’s aesthetics and artistically shaped under his direct influence: Pablo Mainetti (bandoneon), Matías Feigin (piano), Serdar Geldymuradov (violin), Armando de La Vega (guitar) and Cristian Basto (double bass). Under the musical direction of Julián Vat, the Quintet keep alive Piazzolla’s extensive body of work, preserving the essence of his transformation of tango into a unique art form.
In 1960, Piazzolla formed his original Quintet, choosing the bandoneon, violin, electric guitar, piano and double bass as the key instruments. This lineup played a vital role in the development of Nuevo Tango, a genre he pioneered throughout that decade, leaving a lasting impact on the history of world music.
The musicians who accompanied Piazzolla were exceptional performers, valued by the maestro for their ability to reinterpret and enrich his music with their own styles and personalities. During the 1970s, Piazzolla’s move to Europe led to the Quintet’s temporary suspension. The Quintet reunited in 1978 with new musicians who accompanyied him for the next 10 years. This period marked Piazzolla’s rise to international fame, with a repertoire blending the Nuevo Tango of the 1960s with innovative new compositions that gave birth to authentic masterpieces.
In recent years, Astor Piazzolla Quintet have released five albums and a series of singles, not only celebrating the composer’s vast legacy but also recovering and revaluing some of his lesser-known compositions. Their albums include Revolucionario, Fugata, En 3x4, Triunfal and Operation Tango.
To honor and celebrate the work of this musical genius, Astor Piazzolla Quintet offer an experience that pays tribute to his expansive creative universe. In concert, the Quintet combine and contrast Piazzolla's academic works with his popular repertoire, highlighting different moments of creativity, intensity and passion. Their music connects the past with the present, preserving the essence of a musical genius.
-
Christian Basto
Double bass
Artist Bio
Christian Basto
Christian Basto
Composer, arranger, and conductor of tango orchestras. Since early 2024, he has been the double bassist of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla. He studied at prestigious institutions such as Universidad Maimónides and the Conservatorio Superior Manuel de Falla, specializing in contemporary and Latin American music. His training also includes composition, arranging, and conducting studies with renowned mentors such as Diego Schissi and Juan Pablo Navarro. Throughout his career, Basto has received several major awards, including two Premios Carlos Gardel, a Latin Grammy nomination (2024) for his arranging work, and an Honorable Mention at the SONUS International Music Festival for his piece Surera for double bass and piano. He has collaborated with many of the leading figures in tango and popular music, including Amelita Baltar, Julieta Laso, Raúl Lavié, Pablo Mainetti, Susana Rinaldi, Diego Schissi, and the Quinteto Real, among many others. His versatility has also led him to perform and record with artists from a wide range of genres such as Luis Alberto Spinetta, Andrea Motis, Cristina Branco, Chango Spasiuk, and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. He has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (USA), the Teatro Colón (Argentina), the Oriental Art Center (China), and festivals such as La Villette (France), Lollapalooza Argentina, and the Roskilde Festival (Denmark). With a deep connection to Piazzolla’s work and a contemporary approach to tango, Cristian Basto brings strength, musicality, and sensitivity to the current formation of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla.
-
Armando de la Vega
Guitar
Artist Bio
Armando de la Vega
Armando de la Vega
In 1999, Armando de la Vega joined the quintet of renowned pianist and composer Pablo Zielger. He formed several ensembles with Ziegler, including the Nuevo Ensamble Porteño, which performed the operita María de Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer. Since 1984, he has played with Rodolfo Mederos’ quintet. In 2002, he was invited to perform as a soloist with the Symphony Orchestra of Oviedo in Spain, interpreting “Concierto de Liega” by Léo Brouwer and “Doble Concierto para Bandoneón, Guitarra y Orquesta” and “Concierto de Nácar” by Piazzolla. He has also performed and worked with artists such as Saúl Cosentino, Liliana Herrero and Paquito D'Rivera. He has taught numerous workshops and seminars on tango guitar around the world.
-
Matías Feigin
Piano
Artist Bio
Matías Feigin
Matías Feigin
Since March 2025, Matías Feigin has been the pianist of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, bringing his extensive experience in tango and Argentine popular music to the official ensemble carrying forward Piazzolla’s legacy. An accomplished Argentine pianist, Feigin has built an international career that positions him as a leading figure in contemporary tango performance. His training and artistic sensitivity have allowed him to represent the expressive richness of the genre on stages around the world. He has served as pianist and musical director for the legendary Raúl Lavié, performing in major productions such as Piazzolla Inmortal both in Argentina and abroad. Since 2011, he has been the pianist and musical director of the renowned Tango Fire company, touring over 30 countries and performing in prestigious venues such as London’s Peacock Theatre, Beijing Opera House, Olympia de Montreal, and the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. Feigin has also worked as pianist and musical director for Tango Buenos Aires international productions, in collaboration with TFG and Royal Caribbean, further expanding his global reach as a tango performer. Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with notable tango artists including Virginia Luque, Alberto Podestá, and Juan Carlos Godoy, and has contributed as arranger and session pianist at El Yeite Studio, participating in the recording of numerous albums. Dedicated to education, he has also taught at institutions such as the Beethoven Conservatory, sharing his knowledge and passion for piano and tango with new generations. His incorporation into the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla marks the continuation of an artistic journey that blends virtuosity, deep respect for tradition, and a contemporary approach to the music of the great master of nuevo tango
-
Lucía Kohan
Violin
Artist Bio
Lucía Kohan
Lucía Kohan
Argentine violinist Lucía Kohan brings a distinguished classical background and a deep connection to the musical traditions of Buenos Aires. Her versatility and expressive artistry have established her as an accomplished performer across classical music, chamber music and contemporary Argentine tango.
Beginning her musical studies at the age of 4, Kohan graduated from the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón, the Juan Pedro Esnaola School of Music and the renowned Orquesta Escuela de Tango Emilio Balcarce. She further developed her artistry under the guidance of distinguished masters such as Rafael Gintoli, Rolando Prusak and Nicolás Chumachenco.
Her orchestral career includes performances with some of Argentina’s most prestigious institutions, notably the Teatro Colón Permanent Orchestra and the Juan de Dios Filiberto National Orchestra of Argentine Music. She is a permanent member of the General San Martín Municipal Symphony Orchestra, with which she has also appeared as a soloist.
A prominent presence in Buenos Aires’ tango scene, Kohan has performed with acclaimed ensembles including the Pablo Mainetti Quintet, Víctor Lavallén’s Orquesta Típica and the Juan Pablo Navarro Septet. Her recording career includes collaborations with legendary tango musicians Néstor Marconi, José “Pepe” Colángelo and Nicolás Ledesma, as well as leading figures in Argentine popular music.
Her international career has taken her to concert stages across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, performing in countries including Spain, Greece, Egypt, Jordan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In October 2025, Kohan joined Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, making her debut during the ensemble’s Asian tour. Combining classical refinement with an authentic understanding of tango’s expressive language, she contributes her distinctive musical voice to the Quintet’s ongoing celebration of Astor Piazzolla’s extraordinary legacy.
-
Pablo Mainetti
Bandoneon
Artist Bio
Pablo Mainetti
Pablo Mainetti
As a bandoneon player he has formed part of important groups and tango ensembles such as: Leopoldo Federico, Julian Plaza, Emilio Balcarce, the Buenos Aires Tango Orchestra, Carlos García, Sexteto Mayor, Atilio Stampone, Osvaldo Berlingieri, Néstor Marconi, Rodolfo Mederos, Orquesta Juan de Dios Filiberto, Julio Pane, Daniel Binelli, among others. He has accompanied world class singers such as Roberto Goyeneche, María Graña, Raúl Lavié, Rubén Juárez, Susana Rinaldi, Alba Solís, Amelita Baltar, Eladia Blazquez, Ute Lemper, Mercedes Sosa, Joan Manuel Serrat, among others. He has recently participated in the final album project of the renowned pianist and composer Luis Vidal. As a soloist, he has performed with Symphony Orchestra of Teatro Liure (Barcelona), National Orchestra of Spain, BBC London, National Orchestra of the Capitol of Tolouse, Gulbenkian Orchestra of Lisboa, Orchestra of Granada, Symphony Orchestra of Navarra, OCB (Orquesta Ciudad de Barcelona), Symphony Orchestra of Praga, Orchestra of Poitiers, Orchestra of Niza, among others. He has recorded the “Concierto para Bandoneón y Orquesta de Astor Piazzolla” for Harmonia Mundi, with the Chamber Orchestra of Teatro Liure, under the musical direction of Josep Pone. Julián Vat Pablo Mainetti Cristian Basto Mainetti has also performed various arrangements of Piazzolla’s tango works for bandoneon and symphony orchestra, conducted by Ernest Martinez Izquierdo, a co-production between OCB and Symphony Orchestra of Navarra. He premiered “Three Movements for Bandoneón and Ensemble”, written especially for the Composer Conference of 2018 at the Brandeis University, directed by Mario Davidovsky and conducted by James Baker. As a composer, he has had his work performed live during the screening of the silent film “La vuelta al bulín”, by José Ferreyra, at the Buenos Aires Tango Festival of 2017. As a soloist, he has also performed with National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina under the musical direction of Pedro Ignacio Calderón, Facundo Agudin, Mariano Chiacchiarini, Jose Maria Sciutto and Luis Vacalov. Some of his nominations and accolades include: Latin Grammys 2004 for his CD Album “Tres Rincones”, Premios Clarín for Tango Personality of the Year, Premios Ace for the opera “Ultramarina”, and the Premios Gardel for Best Tango Album with the Mainetti-Angeleri Duo. He was distinguished and awarded with the Diploma of Merit in the category of Classical Music Instrumentalist by the Konex Foundation in 2019. Currently, he leads his own ensemble, Pablo Mainetti Quinteto, and is part of the Mainetti-Angeleri Duet. Since the year 2019, he has formed part of the Quinteto Astor Piazzolla, taking on the role and responsibility of principal bandoneon, and has toured extensively promoting the music of the maestro Astor Piazzolla.
-
Julían Vat
Musical director
Artist Bio
Julían Vat
Julían Vat
Since 1990, Julián Vat has performed as musical director and musician for great musical figures such as Julio Bocca, Juan Carlos Copes, Miguel Ángel Zotto, Lidia Segni, Chet Walker and Ana María Stekelman. Vat is the author of more than 70 musical creations for cinema, ballet and theater. He has directed performances such as Cabaret, Pingo Argentino, Tango de burdel salón y calle and Operatango in Argentina and elsewhere. He recorded La Historia del Tango alongside Cacho Tirao, presenting the work in Europe and Argentina. He’s also worked with Mercedes Sosa, Enrique Morente and Joan Manuel Serrat, and he’s presented himself as soloist with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mar del Plata at the Teatro Colón, interpreting music by Astor Piazzolla. Among his many awards and recognitions, the most notable consist of an Ace Award, the Hugo Award for musical theater and the Martin Fierro Award for his work in musical theater, film and television. Since 2000, Vat has interpreted and directed music performances for the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, bringing the maestro’s music to stages across the globe.
Donations help the Arsht transform lives by connecting our community to the arts. Make a gift today at ArshtCenter.org/Gift.
Postshow Survey
Your feedback is important to us. Please complete a brief survey about your recent Arsht experience.