Fabio Hager (center left) presenting the score of DramaticoOn January 19, the day after their arrival in Japan, Maestro Fabio Hager and the members of his sextet, together with the group’s featured dancers and singer, visited the Min-On Culture Center in Tokyo before departing for a two-month concert tour of Japan. They were greeted in the museum hall with warm and enthusiastic applause from Min-On President Hiroyasu Kobayashi and members of staff.
During a formal meeting, the bandoneon master, who has worked at several prestigious tango houses in Buenos Aires as an acclaimed musical director, composer and arranger, presented President Kobayashi with a framed score of his composition Dramatico. Maestro Hager wrote on the score sheet a dedication to Min-On founder Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, who he has acknowledged as his greatest artistic influence.
In the course of the discussion, Mr. Hager recalled his unforgettable experiences performing for the Min-On Tango Series in the past, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for Min-On’s unfailing support for and promotion of tango in Japan for more than 40 years. “My heart is filled with a sense of deep appreciation for being able to share moments of my life and my beloved tango with Dr. Ikeda. I have composed this piece to express my debt of gratitude, and present it as a humble dedication to the Min-On founder . . . I am very proud of this piece, which is, I believe, my finest composition. I wrote this piece with my boundless feelings of appreciation and named it Dramatico from my deep respect for Dr. Ikeda’s convictions and his magnificent life.”
The piece has been performed at each venue during the thirty-eight-city tour of Japan.
