Grooving Through Tango: The Saxony's Cultural Heart's Embrace of South American Rhythm
Saxony's Cultural Hub Eyes South America: Exploring Salsa & Tango Connections - Dance Fever in Saxony: The Cultural Hub of Latin America
Get ready, culture enthusiasts! Chemnitz, Saxony's reigning Cultural Capital of Europe 2025, is shaking things up with a fabulous focus on Tango. This year, rejoice as you're taken on a passionate journey through milongas (Tango dance events), concerts, and thematic tours. On July 8th, the Theaterplatz will reverberate with the electrifying "Tango Pur!" composition, while the MDR promises a sizzling music summer, starting August 8th, overflowing with South American-inspired sounds, featuring tracks by Astor Piazzolla[1].
But before you grab a partner and prance off to the dance floor, here's a little background history on the love affair between Chemnitz and Tango. The roots of the bandoneon, an integral Tango instrument, can be traced back to the heart of this city. In the 19th century, Carl Friedrich Uhlig, a local instrument maker, conjured up the concertina, a precursor to the bandoneon, in 1834[1]. The stage was set for the bandoneon to eventually become the soulful voice of Tango music in South America[2].
Furthermore, the production of these enchanting instruments reached the peak in the tiny town of Carlsfeld, nestled in the Ore Mountains. Tens of thousands of bandoneons found their way to the dance floors of South America[1]. Saxon instrument masters still create these musically magical instruments today.
2025 marks the perfect time for Chemnitz to celebrate its affection for Tango. Under the "Moving Sounds" banner, the city, along with the wider region, will be presenting a captivating array of events to underscore its connection with Tango and indulge your inner rumba-a-latin lover[1]. Here are some key highlights to keep an eye out for:
- Exhibitions and Concerts: The Hartmannfabrik will host a display of around 40 historical bandoneons, including an Alfred Arnold bandoneon that's circumnavigated the globe. The accompanying concerts and storytelling sessions will captivate the hearts (and feet) of visitors[2].
- Dance Tours and Milongas: Quench your thirst for Tango as the city arranges danced tours and milongas. These events fuse the industrial past of Chemnitz with the sultry rhythms of South America[1].
- Tango Performances: The "Carl Friedrich Tango Connection" summer concert brings the pulse-pounding melodies of Tango straight to the heart of Chemnitz[5].
Join us in this sultry, rhythmic dance as Chemnitz revels in its distinctive fusion of European roots and South American zest. The results are sure to get your feet tapping and your heart swooning!
Footnotes:
[1] https://www.chemnitz2025.de/en/events-and-programme/the-cultural-capital-of-europe-2025/[2] https://www.welt.de/kultur/musik/article215248877/Chemnitz- Bandoneonmuseum-eroffnet-Bandoneonausstellung-als-erster-Block.html[3] https://www.euro-parl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20210128IP103881/eu-chosen-cities-embrace-culture-and-sign-up-as-european-cultural-capitals[4] http://www.chemnoise.de/bandoneon-knaller/[5] https://www.chemnitz2025.de/en/events-and-programme/our-events/carl-friedrich-tango-connection/
In the heart of Chemnitz, the city's employment policy, rooted in music instrument production, played a significant role in the global popularization of Tango. The city's employment policy fostered the creation of bandoneons, an essential Tango instrument, as early as the 19th century by local instrument makers like Carl Friedrich Uhlig. As Chemnitz prepares for its European Cultural Capital of Europe 2025 celebrations, its employment policy will continue to be showcased in exhibitions, concerts, and dance tours, promoting a unique fusion of lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, entertainment, and music.
