Adam Aston - Tangolita, 1934

Adam Aston & Orkiestra Syrena Rekord (dir. by Iwo Wesby?) - Całować umiem tak jak Tangolita (I Can Kiss Just Like Tangolita) Tango z opt. “Bal w Savoy’u” (From Operetta “Bal in Savoy") Muz. P. Abraham, sł. Andrzej Włast, Syrena-Electro 1934 (Polish)
NOTE: The Warsaw premiere of Paul Abraham’s operetta „Ball in Savoy” was staged in theatre Wielka Operetka [Grand Operetta; formerly: the cabaret Rex, located in a former hippodrome) by an experienced manager Andrzej Włast who, after collapse of his beloved music-hall “Morskie Oko” in 1932, was nervously looking for new opportunities for himself. To his delight, the show became a great success, it couldn’t have been otherwise with mega-stars like Alexander Żabczyński, Nina Grudzińska ex aequo with Janina Kulczycka, Loda Halama or Wojciech Ruszkowski featured in it. However, Ludwik Sempoliński (a veteran of prewar Warsaw cabaret) decribes in his memoirs two funny, yet, in a way also ominous events, which happened during the premiere. First: the stage design was based on a wrong calculation so when the boys-ballet appeared on the stairs, the construction started to crack and sway. Hadn’t it been for the strongman Woycieszko - the choreographic director of the theatre - who propped up the whole structure on his own back, until the revue number was over - there would’ve had been a true catastrophe during the show. The second mishap was Nina Grudzińska’s prolonged entrance onto the stage to sing her headline number “Tangolita”. The star was known as very demanding as for her looks, so she was still in her wardrobe taking pains to make her beauty more and more shining, although the introduction was already played by the orchestra. The introduction was played and played several times, making the audience more and more nervous until, finally, the star emerged on stage and everyone’s throat, already prepared to the angry roar, got choked with delight... The success of “Ball in Savoy” enabled director Andrzej Włast to prepare a similar premiere in April 1935, which was Ralph Benatzky’s international hyper-hit “Im Weissen Rössl” (The White Horse Inn). After that, unfortunately, theatre Wielka Operetka bankrupted and within it’s empty walls, the tireless director Andrzej Włast opened something he loved most of all: another music-hall called “Wielka Rewia” (The Grand Revue). And it was a success again.

[@dzhegertwo4520]

Lovely tango with robust rhythm -- and the radiant singing of Aston adds to the appeal. Your ability to dig up and present the appropriate accompanying images is amazing, G.!

[@1920sfan1]

Thank you for sharing this lovely operetta aria which, as far as I am aware, was not to be heard outside of Poland.

[@jangramofonoman4760]

Piękne nagranie :)

[@XxXEMOBOYx]

Piękne delikatne, spokojne wykonanie ;) Nigdy nie słyszałem tej wersji. Dziękuję za przesłanie jej tutaj.
Pozdrawiam, życzę miłego dnia! :)

[@240252]

+Oliver K. To jedna z tych płyt, które czekały na Grado. Na szafirze strasznie wychodziło, teraz to zupełnie co innego. Pozdrawiam :-)

[@tango3721]

Hello Grzegorz and all the clickers - The Warsaw Operetta production of "Ball in Savoy" in the sixties - featured Mieczyslaw Wojnicki - it was truly fabulous in every way. I think that I saw it - like - five times. This upload sounds and looks super good - brings back tons of fun memories. Have a great new week - Grzegorz and all of us. It's still cold, windy with some snow in my hilly corner - close to NYC!

[@Trombonology]

What a lovely tune in an enchanting rendition! The sultry Latin atmosphere is most attractive, with Mr. Aston managing to keep the temperature high without boiling over in histrionics. ... A very interesting history of theatre Wielka Operetka and, of course, an exquisite slideshow!

[@240252]

+Trombonology Erstwhile You have pointed out exactly what I love about this rendition: a very discreet Spanish decor, without exaggerating with all those castanietas etc. as it is usually performed.

[@LidiaSovrano]

******** grazie

[@240252]

+Lidia Sovrano Grazie, Lidia! Avere una bella DOMENICA!

[@NicolasOrlinski]

Obok "Madame Loulou" chyba najsmielsza piosenka Astona. ;-)

[@240252]

+Nicolas Orlinski Rzeczywiście, trochę zmienił tekst ,choć chyba niepotrzebnie. Przed wojną na płytach często śpiewane były "damskie" teksty przez mężczyzn i nikt z tego powodu nie robił problemu. Liczyła się przede wszystkim muzyka i melodyjność interpretacji, a tekst stanowił jedynie tło. (Mówię oczywiście, o popularnym szlagierze, a nie o piosence literackiej). Podobnie w szekspirowskim teatrze, role kobiece były grane przez mężczyzn i też bez podtekstów. Pozdrawiam :-)

[@NicolasOrlinski]

Nie, nie, mnie nie razi śpiewanie partii żeńskich. Po prostu tekst jest bardzo śmiały, "na jedną noc" itd... :-))
Gdy byłem młody bardzo idealizowałem "przedwojnie" pod względem moralności, aż przeczytałem ogłoszenie parafialne o tym by chłopcy nie podkładali nóg starszym idącym do Komunii i nie usłyszałem z ust ojca chrzestnego mej żony, rocznik 1914 (zmarł krótko przed setką, krakus), piosenki z wojska o tym by "kończyć na brzuszek". ;-)))