However, the start was not rosy, because although the work was premiered on March 15, 1985, with text, lyrics, direction and leading role of the capocomic and music by Gregory Vatenbergchoreography of Juan Carlos Iglesias and production of Buddy Day, was full of complications.
“Enrique had written Salsa criolla, and I went with that project to see Alberto González at the Maipo theater, I went to see Julio Gallo at the Astral, but nobody, no businessman wanted to give me a room for Enrique Pinti because they did not believe in the project “, recalled Cipe Fridman, his right-hand man, a fundamental person in Pinti’s career.
In that sense, he explained: “”At that time I worked with both of them, with Antonio Gasalla and with Enrique. Pinti had already made Bread and Circus in 1982 directed by Antonio Gasalla and it had been made at the Liceo. Then I got the rumor, through a technician from the Lyceum, that Buddy Day -owner of that theater at the time- was looking for a show. I invited Buddy to my house, I told him what it was about and he told me that he was interested in it, that he was going to produce it.”
“The production, the truth, it must be said, was very poor. At the time that the character of Evita appeared in the work, the actress (Patricia Browne) wore a pink dress from the woman from Buddy Day who was an opera singer “All the costumes were made with used clothes and the scenery consisted of small squares that illustrated the time. It was more like an end-of-year play. But it was the only way we had to premiere,” he said.
The original cast was completed Omar Lopardo (at that time Sergio Lupardo), Juan Carlos Iglesias, Mirta Wola, Patricio Vargas, Patricia Browne, Patricia Sánchez, Ariel Tejada, Juan Carlos Carbajal, Guillermo Ortiz and Zoraida Fontelara.
They were also part of the repertoire Gustavo Moro, Mirta Wola, Reynaldo Arias, Mario Suarez, Juan Carlos Carabajal, Marcela Castro, Valeria Robles, Diego Funesamong others.
On the day of the premiere, everyone was delighted with the work, with the musical scenes, with the text, with the choreographies, but everyone agreed that the final monologue was unnecessary, that it added nothing to the show.
“Everyone except Tato Bores, who told him not to touch that. And yes, the success of Salsa Criolla was largely due to the last monologue because people went to see the work once a year to hear what Pinti was adding and updating as reality changed”revealed Fridman, who assured that the conditions of the work did not change despite the enormous success, which included the gathering (highest part of the room), that upper wooden horseshoe in which about 64 extra people entered who for years did not had been enabled.
On January 7, 1994, the work was taken to Mar del Plata for the first time. One of the monologues in “Salsa Criolla” Pinti did it pedaling on a stationary bicycle, alluding to the “financial bicycle”, for almost ten minutes: “This is how a country does shit, with sweet money, with the financial bicycle.”
“It was a dream to be in such a successful play. From Tuesday to Sunday it was full. To get tickets you had to get them a month in advance. In addition, Enrique gave space to the ballet, it was not usual. His generosity always characterized him. He always had words of encouragement.” remembered Gustavo Mororenowned dancer, choreographer and transformist.
In addition, he added: “I entered as a dancer, but if he saw something more in you, he would give you texts, highlights. That’s when acting began to interest me. The Salsa Criolla ballet was the best ballet of the time. At the same time I started working as a drag queen and, to get to the nightclub shows on time, Pinti would let me do the final salute with a makeup base”.
Pinti premiered his works in January and continued without stopping until October with those eight packed weekly performances. Also, during summer Sundays, when the work started earlier, at 7:00 p.m., there were already people queuing to get in, with 35 degree heat. Of the 3,000 functions performed, he only suspended one and it was due to a loss of voice.
In this aspect, Pinti acted sick, although he said he was a very healthy person who never had a fever. “The last time I had a fever was in 1994 and it was fierce. So maybe that immunized me forever. My voice took great care of me. Thanks to the New Theater, where we had a German teacher who was spectacular and taught us how to place the voice with an infallible technique”, the capocomic told.
Source: Ambito
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