The universal suffrage law (1912) brought about social integration of the popular classes (lower classes) and was accompanied
by a new treatment of the culture, of the Orillera and of the Tango, and in so doing lost its original abstruseness.
In Paris, during the 1910's and
'20s the Tango evolved into an aesthetic phenomenon. In 1913, at the Palais des Glaces, the first prize of a Tango contest was won by a couple having danced 62 Tangos in a row. Acceptance by the
Parisians elevated the dance to such prestigious heights that the Tango reached the dance floors of Argentina's high society lounges and clubs. Everyone was dancing the Tango!
On June 23, 1919, a law
was passed closing all the brothels. The cabarets where rich men came to dance became the institution of the time. People went to cafes to listen to the Tango, which by now had become a musical
genre. Those who didn't have access to cabarets went to the theatres to find the same atmosphere and characters recreated for them. It was at this time the "Tango Musician" evolved as a
combination of "Tango-man" and professional composer.
The poetry of the Tango's lyrics also became a genre. In 1918, Pascual Contrusi wrote "Mi Noche Triste" which was sung before somewhat passive
audience by Carlos Gardel. After "Mi Noche Triste' lyric-writing for the Tango became the latest trend. The three most common themes were: (1) Social reality appearing as fatality (2) Shame to
those who betray their social class, the Orilla and (3) Shame to those who betray their family.
1930: Relative freedom was put to an end by the
army. People lost their right to vote, to become politically involved. The voice of a people – the Tango – was silenced. The rising presence of American culture was strongly felt – mainly
through the arrival of talking movies. The Tango became a subject of study for the specialists, who wrote the first historical works on this artform.
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