Special Guest pioneer and Singer Juan Carlos Tajes (Montevideo / Amsterdam)
Presentator on the Friday Opening Milonga + Singer on Sunday 12th 15:00 - 15:15

As a singer of tango music from the first hour in 1983 Juan Carlos Tajes is considered to be one of the pioneers of tango in the Netherlands. With his track record of almost 40 years of groundbreaking tango performances, he has been an enormous force in the spreading of tango music throughout the Netherlands and beyond. He has done a lot of work, with a lot of people, all over Europe and also in Montreal, Toronto, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Japan. He is an enormous fan of Carlos Cardel. Almost 40 years in tango and still going strong.

He is a versatile artist who directs, acts, sings, designs and writes. He studied at the Theatre school and Arts Academy in Montevideo, Uruguay. His directorial debut was in 1969 in Italy. Since 1971 he has lived in the Netherlands.
He performanced with Orquesta Típica El Choclo, Tango Quatro, Sexteto Canyengue, OTRA, the Muziektheater productions The Art of Tango with bandoneonist Roberto Alvarez and Tango Tango, the orchestras Veritango and Tango al Sur from bandoneonist Alfredo Marcucci and Malando Tango Orkest. His programs about tango and poetry, in collaboration with pioneer pianist Piet Capello, were of great influence in the Netherlands. He produced shows like Tango Amigo, with Las Guitarras del Plata and Libertango with pianist Christa Mierás and bandeonist, arrangeur Christiaan van Hemert.

Juan Carlos Tajes is a specialist in commedia dell’arte and historical theatre, directs theatre, opera, operettes and zarzuela’s. He is an actor in plays, (music) theatre and movies and is the founder and director of the Centrum Commedia dell’Arte Maskers, where he designs and creates masks.

It is a great honor that Juan will welcome us back to the dance floor, presenting the Opening Milonga on Friday night and on top of that he will also sing a couple of songs on Sunday, accompanied by  pianist Christa Mieras.


Special Guest Pianist Christa Mierás (Amsterdam)
Sunday 12th 15:00 - 15:15

Accompanying pioneer tango singer of the Netherlands Juan Carlos Tajes on the concert piano with a selection from their previous collaboration.

“The first time I heard the Argentine tango I was in the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. Tango Cuatro was playing with Carel Kraayenhof on bandoneon. Juan Carlos Tajes was on vocals. I was sold immediately.
Later, in Buenos Aires, it was as if I was walking in an old movie; colourful houses, green trees hanging over the streets and yellow cabs everywhere. And amidst all this beauty I noticed an old-timer, with a sign saying “Me venden” - “They are selling me”.

In tango everything has a soul."