Antonio Lysy brings the sounds of Argentina to the Broad Stage

Against a stark white background, a pianist and a cellist share the stage.

The pianist, Bryan Pezzone, coolly plays the keys with carefree precision. The cellist picks up his pace, his fingers run wildly over the neck of his cello.

The whiteness fades into photos of the Pampa region of Argentina.

This was the scene as Latin Grammy Award winner and cellist Antonio Lysy returned to The Broad Stage Saturday night in the show "Te Amo, Argentina."

"Te Amo, Argentina" introduced the full house to the culture of Argentina through the music and dance of Lysy's heritage.

Lysy's father Alberto, a renowned violinist, native of Argentina, and to whom the show is dedicated, introduced Lysy to the culture he holds so close to his heart.

"I would go back [to Argentina] and he would introduce me to a lot of these places and people and it was always very dear to me," Lysy says.

The show presents 11 compositions centering around Lysy and his 300 year-old cello "Tony."

"It illustrates the impact of pre-Hispanic Amerindinan traditions, Spanish based Creole influences, and musical developments such as the Tango on Argentine composers," Lysy says.

The show featured "Pampas," a commissioned composition for Lysy by Argentinian composer Lalo Schirfrin for which Lysy won the 2010 Latin Grammy for Best ClassicalContemporary Composition off the CD "Antonio Lysy at The Broad: Music from Argentina."

The music was set against the designs of conceptual artist Garreth Walsh which included photos of the Pampas, surrealist art depicting the streets of Buenos Aires, and abstract art.

Pieces were punctuated with the graceful moves of tango couple Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo.

The couple are choreographers for FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance" and Larici rose to fame in the Broadway hit, "Forever Tango."

The show garnered praise from the patrons who attended Saturday night.

"I cannot say one [single] piece impressed me because they were all wonderful," Argentine Mario Bicscaldi, an attendee, said.

"Te Amo, Argentina" will take a brief hiatus from touring so Lysy can preform with the UCLA Camrades Ensemble at the Incontri in Terra di Siena in Tuscany, Italy, but will return to the States in September.