IT WAS rather a pity that two prominent Argentine musicians – the singer Alicia Rappoport and the bandoneon player Camilo Ferrero – chose to perform their musical “Forbidden Tango” here just tonight only just days after Marcela Fiorillo had performed her Astor Piazzolla tango show in the very same venue.

Argentine soprano Alicia Rappoport, described by one critic as “like an Argentine Valkyrie,” ranges between tango and opera, and plans to offer a powerful one-woman show in tribute to composer and musician Piazzolla, revolutionary of the tango. She will appear with Camilo Ferrero, the master of the accordion-like tango instrument, the ‘bandoneon’, often called the soul of tango.

Together they plan to bring to life various characters inspired by the lyrics of some of traditional tango’s greatest poets and composers as well as Piazzolla’s ‘tango nuevo’ (new tango).

The musical has been sponsored by the Argentine Embassy and the Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies and it will be a free event.

Born in Argentina, Ferrero began studying the Bandoneon at age 8, later accompanying important interpreters of tango as Alberto Podesta, Rut Durante, Oscar Ferrari, Abel Córdoba, Ameli­ta Baltar and Jorge Sobral, who was in turn the bandoneon player for Piazzolla.

“Forbidden Tango: La Apasionada”, in the Larry Sitsky Room (ANU School of Music) 7pm tonight, October 13, followed by Argentine wine and canapés. Free event, seats at the door.