From Buenos Aires to Erie: Tango After Dark opens MIAC’s Spring 2026 season
The Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture launches its Spring 2026 season on Wednesday, Feb. 18, with the highly anticipated Erie debut of Tango After Dark, a thrilling theatrical journey into the soul of the Argentine tango.
Directly from Argentina, Tango After Dark captures the seductive energy of Buenos Aires through electrifying choreography, live music, and breathtaking athleticism. Bold, sensual, and unforgettable, the production reveals tango in its purest and most powerful form, where precision meets passion and tradition collides with innovation.
Inspired by the music of legendary composer Astor Piazzolla, the visionary force behind Nuevo Tango, the production explores the many eras of his revolutionary work. Piazzolla transformed the tango landscape in the 1960s and 70s by fusing traditional Argentine rhythms with jazz, classical, and avant-garde influences, propelling tango onto the world’s most prestigious stages and reshaping the genre for the modern age.
Piazzolla’s music embodies the spirit of Buenos Aires itself—its light and shadow, elegance and ferocity, mystery and intensity. From this nocturnal world emerges Tango After Dark, a production steeped in the energy of the porteña night that inspired Piazzolla’s bold artistic vision.
Led by tango superstar and World Champion Germán Cornejo, the production features a sensational company of ten world-class dancers, accompanied by live music performed by two singers and seven onstage musicians. Cornejo’s choreography honors tango’s deep roots while pushing its expressive boundaries, blending raw emotion with striking contemporary sophistication.
Celebrated by audiences around the globe, Tango After Dark has enjoyed sold-out performances worldwide. Cornejo’s work has earned acclaim from cultural tastemakers and celebrities alike, praised for its electrifying fusion of tradition, innovation, and theatrical flair.
An evening of passion, power, and artistry, Tango After Dark promises an unforgettable night that will leave audiences breathless long after the final bow.
Tickets, priced $20–$45, may be purchased online at miac.universitytickets.com, by phone at 814-824-3000, or in person at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center box office (Tues.–Thurs., noon–5 p.m.). A $5 per-ticket processing fee applies to all orders.
This performance is made possible through the generous support of B. Scott Kern, Esq. & Amy Cuzzola-Kern, Ph.D. The 2025–26 MIAC Live season is sponsored by Alan & Patti Schaal and VNET, with additional support from the Greater Erie Alliance for Equality and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority.