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Author Jorge Luis Borges<br />
español. Now semi-retired, he<br />
does occasional live shows, the<br />
most memorable being the one<br />
on the Madres’ 30th anniversary<br />
in 2007 (see p9).<br />
* Jorge Luis Borges<br />
(1899–1986)<br />
In death, the laureate of <strong>Buenos</strong><br />
<strong>Aires</strong> enjoys as high a literary<br />
profile as he did in life. Borges’<br />
existential novellas, The Aleph<br />
and The Secret Miracle, are<br />
required accessories for any<br />
self-respecting philosophy and<br />
letters under-graduate.<br />
( Jorge Rafael Videla<br />
(b. 1925)<br />
After the restoration of<br />
democracy in 1983, selfappointed<br />
president General<br />
Videla was in and out of jail,<br />
courtrooms, hospitals, and, at<br />
time of writing, under house<br />
arrest following charges of<br />
human rights abuses. Porteño<br />
street graffiti calls for his retrial.<br />
) Torcuato de Alvear<br />
(1822–90)<br />
If <strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong> is likened to<br />
Paris, a debt is owed to the city’s<br />
first mayor, Torcuato de Alvear.<br />
He oversaw the urban planning<br />
of Recoleta as well as Avenida<br />
de Mayo, and began<br />
infrastructure projects that<br />
facilitated the capital’s growth.<br />
<strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> Argentinian<br />
Musical Stars<br />
! Fito Páez<br />
A piano balladeer, Páez’s<br />
talents include writing films.<br />
Andrés Calamaro<br />
@ The gritty-voiced Calamaro<br />
paid homage to Bob Dylan in<br />
2007 with La Lengua Popular.<br />
£ Soda Stereo<br />
The Latin American band<br />
of the 1980s and ‘90s, Soda<br />
reunited in 2007 for a tour.<br />
$ Patricio Rey<br />
This artist infused old-rock<br />
‘n roll with <strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong><br />
slang, or lunfardo.<br />
% La Renga<br />
Adding the metal-tinged<br />
guitar to 1980s rock, La Renga<br />
highlighted the poverty<br />
plaguing the city’s barrios.<br />
Attaque 77 ^ Skater punks Attaque<br />
have been the conscience<br />
of porteño youth for<br />
two decades.<br />
Bersuit Vergarabat<br />
& Bersuit led the rock<br />
nacional scene of the 1990s<br />
and early 2000s, championing<br />
drunken anti-heroes.<br />
* Los Fabulosos<br />
Cadillacs<br />
The band’s 1994 hit, Matador,<br />
is still a frequent request,<br />
though the singer Vincentico<br />
has since found solo success.<br />
( Gustavo Santaolalla<br />
Santaolalla is a popular<br />
Argentinian musician and<br />
wrote the soundtracks for<br />
Brokeback Mountain and The<br />
Motorcycle Diaries.<br />
) Juana Molina<br />
Molina, distinguished by<br />
her ethereal voice and quirky<br />
pop instrumentation, has<br />
recorded some of the most<br />
critically acclaimed albums of<br />
the past decade.<br />
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<strong>Buenos</strong> <strong>Aires</strong>’ <strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> 59
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