BBC World Service investigates thriving art scene in Buenos Aires

The BBC radio show The Arts Hour on Tour, which records a new episode every month in a different city exploring their respective art and culture, taped their newest episode in Buenos Aires last Tuesday (November 21).

Host Nikki Bedi led a lively conversation about the experience of creating art in the context of Argentina’s economic crisis and the distinct culture of Buenos Aires City.

The show featured a diverse range of artists and a headline performance by singer-composer Dante Spinetta, the popular musician who recently won a Latin Grammy. The artist, the son of legendary rock nacional icon Luis Alberto Spinetta, performed two songs: ‘El Lado Oscuro del Corázon’ and ‘Perdidos en el Paraíso’ and spoke of his father’s influence on his music, what it means to be a porteño, and his pride at being Argentine.

A second stunning performance by the band Fémina followed. Sisters Sofia and Clara Trucco, two-thirds of the musical trio that make up the group, hail from the Patagonian city San Martín de los Andes and performed their song ‘Tú me quieres.’

In a change of tone, stand up comedian Ana Carolina then performed a set about the capital, reflecting with anarchic humour about its place amongst the cities of the world as a land of opportunity for performers such as herself.

The panel also included the actress Delfina Chaves, who spoke about her starring role as the Argentine born Queen of the Netherlands, Máxima Zorreguieta, in the upcoming series Maxima. The series, which is expected to be released next year, will be Chaves’ next appearance on the small screen following her starring role in the series Argentina, tierra de amor y venganza.

Rounding off the discussion, filmmaker Benjamín Naishtat spoke about his newest film, Puan, a comedy-drama that he co-wrote and directed with his partner María Alché that is in theatres now and follows the life and struggles of a philosophy professor in Buenos Aires.