To the Editor:
It is interesting to share the wonderful and challenging moments in the history of the Argentinean National Day Festival Celebration. The committee pioneered the idea of sharing with the Argentine, Hispanic and international community’s some of the food, arts, and culture of Argentina. It has always been a pleasure to showcase events in Arlington and to present young artists and famous performers at the acclaimed "Festival Argentino."
With great enthusiasm the Argentinean National Day Celebration Committee invites you to become acquainted with its long commitment to promote cultural activities to benefit humanitarian causes and schools in Argentina. For over 30 years in Arlington, we are honored to participate, to serve, and to share our cultural heritage with diverse communities. The Festival Argentino has been Washington, D.C. area’s only local National Day Festival celebrating Argentina’s diverse musical traditions with live Argentine performances by artists based both in the United States and Argentina.
Our 29th anniversary goal is to celebrate with MC and Top Level Folklore, Ruben Gimenez "Abrazo en el Alba;" Soledad and Ana Issa, a young vocal duo of folk, ballads-latino rhythm; Hugo Valverde, acclaimed singer folk and tango; and folk rock artist Dario Chiesa.
PontiTango, a principal dancer of "The Tango Ambassadors,” and Carlos Gutierrez have enjoyed a 30-year career as a professional dancers. Their clean footwork and elegant masculinity have inspired hundreds of people, encouraging them to achieve greater skill in their own dance. Their workshops are very popular and in high demand.
Victorio Menghi will present two songs from "Tango FusionTour." Additional performers include the locals Cristian Perez,’ a guitar ensemble that interprets Tango in a fresh, elegant, and passionate way, and draws heavily upon the repertoire of the great Astor Piazzolla will be accompanied by Yana Hristova (flaute). The well-known local Capital Tangueros Dancers round out the program, including dancers Carlos Gutierrez and Syndney Kleen are doing a tango show and Liza and Alexey Semyonov Tango Dancers and Salvatore the Best Pop singer of the DMV!
We are extending our invitation to join our celebration to all people to partake in our culture and musical traditions. All artists’ performances will be held inside the theater, where you also will find that this community-based festival also features Argentine cuisine, a menu of choice Argentinean foods by Il Bastone will be available for purchase. The committee is selling indoor-outdoor food tickets sales so that attendees will be able to taste famous Argentinean food such as asado, chori-pan, empanadas, tartas, and pastries. The Series Festival-Embassy also features exhibits, arts and crafts, truco, jewelry makers, tourism and more.
As an additional incentive and token of appreciation to all attendees, a raffle of one round trip ticket from D.C.-Buenos Aires Copa Airlines is included in the admission ticket. This event will occur May 14, at the Thomas Jefferson Theater, 125 South Old Glebe Road in Arlington. Admission ($20 in advance at www.Tickeri.com; or $30 at the door) (some proceeds benefit a school in Argentina). For information, visit www.festivalargentino.org or 703-212-5850.
We hope that the newly appointed Argentinean ambassador to the United States of America, Martin Lousteau, will continue to support the cultural activities of the community, and the Argentinean Festival. On behalf of the Argentinean Committee, I hereby extend my most sincere appreciation, and would especially like to thank the members of the committee for all their dedication, commitment and hard work, and for the support they have given me in the past years.
My gratitude also goes out to our collaborators: Eduardo Zavala, Carmen Martínez, Norberto Requejo, Stan Weinstein, Pedro Gutiérrez, Martha, Mauricio y Kenny Manzano, Francisco Pizzi, Luis Angel, Eduardo Varas, Juan Gonzalez, Mario Martínez y Palacios, C. Virgen del Luján, Alex y Laura of Il Bastone, and all participants.
I want to convey my most sincere thanks to Federico Barttfied Cultural Secretary Embassy of Argentina, all members of the Arlington County Board, Joan Lynch of the Arlington County Cultural Affairs, Hal Crawford, and director of the Arlington County Cultural Affairs and our media story collaborator from Arlington.
The program is supported in part by Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division of Arlington Economic Development and the Arlington Commission for the Arts www.ArlingtonArts.org. The auspices of the Embassy of Argentina. Co-Sponsors include Argentine Airlines; Telemundo; Hola Ciudad.com, Noticias Univision; Copa Airlines, TD Bank, CapitalWirePR; GWHCC; El Comercio Newspaper; Eco de Virginia, Dentons-McKenna Long Alridge; Washington Hispanic, Que Creative; El Comercio Newspapers, Kesta Happening; Gestiòn Argentina, Dr. Bauman and Stoleru, and Arzani Soccer.
Thanks to all volunteers, local and direct argentine artists, advertisers, media supporters, Data Eventos — exhibitors, books, and collaborators. Festival Argentino is partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Daniel Manzoni
Chairman
Festival Argentino Arlington