Historia del Tango

THE TANGO CHILD PRODIGY SINGER

After Carlos Gardel’s death, all the children in Abasto neighbourhood, dreamed about being tango singers. In that moment, around 1936-1937, there was an orchestra auditioning kids with tango aspirations at the Petit Salon every afternoon. One of those kids was a brunette boy, very vivacious, who was meant to be one of our greatest tango singers. This orchestra was directed by bandoneon player Antonio Bonavena (the uncle of Argentine famous boxer, Ringo). Bonavena asked the kid “What do you want to sing?”, and the boy answered “I’m not sure… ‘Alma de bohemio’ (‘Bohemian soul’) or ‘Milonguero viejo’ (‘Old milonga man’)”. The orchestra director stared at him and warned him “You know those are very difficult songs. You have to put your voice very high.”, and the kid said “Old milonga man”, knowing that, from the two he had mentioned before, it was the most complicated tango. Bonavena, although not very convinced, started to play and the kid began to sing. The director could not believe what he was listening: that little and thin boy had a spectacular voice, and he could reach the highest pitches without any trouble. Bonavena thought “This is an angel singing”, and thanked God for being the one who discovered that boy, who would contribute to make the generational change that was needed around that time. He never thought of asking the boy how old he was, his wearing short trousers showed he was under aged, and kids were not allowed to perform. This boy was, around that time, only 16. Bonavena asked him if he wanted to sing every afternoon for some money, and the boy said yes. The director had no doubts about the great future the boy would have, and time would prove him right. He told his friend, director Francisco Di Rose who was playing at El Nacional café at that time, about the talented boy he had discovered, and Di Rose became interested in auditioning the kid. As a result, he began to sing at El Nacional, where he performed during forty glorious nights. One of those nights, Margarita, a beautiful girl who knew Carlos Di Sarli, heard him singing “Old milonga man”. She was astonished by how he interpreted the tango that Di Sarli had dedicated to his teacher and friend Osvaldo Fresedo. Immediately she told Di Sarli, and he went to El Nacional to confirm the information. When he heard the boy, he was so moved that he went towards him and asked him “You know who am I… do you want to sing with me?”. And the boy, who still wore short trousers, answered “Ok”. For those who knew Di Sarli, this scene was incredible, since he was a very serious man. However, he must have felt touched by the boy’s angel voice, and from that moment on, the director and the boy started an almost-father-and-son relationship, until Di Sarli died in 1960. We all know El Nacional was recognised as the tango cathedral, and it wasn’t easy for the boy to stop singing there. Di Sarli, when he say the kid was having doubts, said to him “Come on, I want to have you auditioned immediately. There’s a piano where I play, at the Moulin Rouge cabaret, very near from here”. And the boy and the teacher began to walk. When they were by the piano, Di Sarli asked him “Will you sing ‘Old milonga man’?” The director was moved to tears, as he could not believe what he was hearing: his tango sung by an angel. When the boy finished, Di Sarli asked him “Do you think you could make your debut with my orchestra tonight at the Moulin Rouge?”. Di Sarli wasn’t interested either about the boy’s age. He knew child couldn’t perform, but he took the risk anyway. It didn’t go well, since the owners of the cabaret didn’t want to get in trouble, and the director had to take the kid out under his coat, so the place was not shut down. It was logic, the singer was still wearing short trousers! Some days later, Di Sarli took the kid to a famous tailor’s shop, and bought him his first suit with long trousers. When he recorded his first tango, “Corazón” (“Heart”), a series of successes for Di Sarli’s orchestra began. Everyone wanted to meet this boy, whose voice confounded itself among the instruments of the orchestra. This was only the beginning of Roberto Rufino’s brilliant career, who left many impeccable recordings of his participation in some of the most important orchestras, such as Miguel Caló’s, Francini and Pontier’s and Anibal Troilo’s. These recordings prove us that Roberto was one of the greatest tango singers. The way he expressed, the suffering he transmitted and the sorrow he gave to his interpretations tell us about an uncomparable personality. Those of us who love tango, will never forget this lovable and sensitive man, who was also a model as a husband, a father and a friend.

With affection,

OSCAR MARMOL

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