Alan Schwartz

Evenings at the Tango Palace Alan Schwartz

Evenings at the Tango Palace explores a son's disowning his father's dreams and choosing differently. A respected composer, conductor and jazz pianist, Juilliard professor Max Bergman's memories of his childhood and coming of age are colored by his vivid imagination and sense of drama. His father's sudden death a few days before the premiere of Max's opera, forces him to deal with generational conflicts as the family gathers in his sister's home for the traditional mourning period. There he discovers a history he never knew. Max's opera, Number Our Days, is based upon a family episode that his father and sister had wanted to keep secret, and when he refuses to cancel the scheduled premiere, his professional and personal ideals conflict. Battles with himself and his family over dreams, choices, and responsibilities determine his own life and freedom, and lead to a hard won triumph. Mature readers will recognize and identify with the characters and situations in this urban novel.