THE STORY
Act I
The story begins in 1932 with the passing of the first tango poet, Pascual Contursi. His spirit remains, destined to guide and shadow the life of his son, José María “Katunga” Contursi.
Buenos Aires, 1935. At a roaring party, Katunga crosses paths with the beautiful Gricel, who has arrived with her friend, the famous singer Nelly Omar. Katunga and Gricel fall deeply in love. The magic is abruptly broken when Nelly must leave, taking Gricel with her. Katunga’s wife, Alina observed the scene. In fiery jealousy, she confronts him. Katunga wanders the night-drenched streets of Buenos Aires tortured by an internal turmoil of confusion, love, and heartbreak, when his late father’s spirit appears.
From despair, Katunga falls ill. Sensing his friend’s despair, the humorous musician Ciriaco Ortiz proposes a remedy: Katunga must travel to the hills of Córdoba, where Gricel lives, to recover.
Katunga arrives in the mountains, Gricel is overjoyed to see him. Their love blossoms beautifully. However, as night falls, guilt consumes Katunga. He remembers his traumatic childhood because his own father had left him and his mother. Torn by his conscience, Katunga decides he must return to his wife and children.
Act II
Gricel is left heartbroken but ultimately finds the inner strength to move forward without her great love. Meanwhile, the spirit of Pascual looks on, wounded by the realization that his son chose a different, more honorable path than he did in the past.
1942, back in Buenos Aires. Guided by his father’s spirit handing him a pen, Katunga’s poetic voice is born. Joined by his close friend, the legendary Aníbal Troilo, Katunga pours his heartbreak into lyrics, composing the immortal tango “Gricel.” To escape his thoughts, Katunga plunges into the elegant nightlife of a 1940s milonga. But as the party ends, he is left alone , confronted by the tormenting demons of his own Conscience, Temptation, and Lust.
Years pass, and in 1955, his wife Alina passes away, leaving a collapsing Katunga behind.
ACT III
Ciriaco Ortiz travels to Capilla Del Monte to inform Gricel of the widowed Katunga. Gricel—now a single mother—decides to return to her great love.
Finally, they reunite. Gricel pulls Katunga away from the night and the whiskey. In Capilla Del Monte they get married, and look forward to a bright future together. But Katunga’s weak health stands in their way. Pascual Contursi’s spirit comes to take his son to the Hereafter.
But their love lives on- in the legacy of José Maria Contursi’s beautiful Tango lyrics, inspired by his muse Gricel.
Gricel - Tango Argentino e.V. 