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| | Arts Calendar / May 27 / Concerts |
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18:00 | Denis Matsuev (Russia) |
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 Denis Matsuev is one of those electrifying pianists often associated with finger-busting repertory. But his keyboard persona is rather perfectly balanced: its thunder and hair-raising brilliance coexist nicely with delicacy and nuance to yield an interpretive depth of a rare kind. In short, he is an artist who can bowl his audiences over with pyrotechnics one moment, then mesmerize them with poetic rapture the next. His repertory as a soloist is rich in the concertos of Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Prokofiev, and his recitals feature works by that trio as well, but also Schumann, Chopin, Scriabin, and a spate of other notables. Matsuev has appeared with the major orchestras of New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, and St. Petersburg, and with such conductors as Gergiev, Maazel, Mehta, Masur, Temirkanov, Slatkin, and Jansons. His recordings are available on Mariinsky, RCA, and Sony. In 1998 Matsuev won the Tchaikovsky Competition, probably the most attention-grabbing springboard from which to launch one's international career.
Rachmaninov Concert Hall (Philharmonia-2)  |
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19:00 | Russian National Orchestra |
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 Russian National Orchestra will perform works by Ravel, Saint-Saens and others. The Orchestra was founded in 1990 by pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev and today is widely recognized as one of the world's top orchestras. About its debut at the BBC Proms in London, the Evening Standard wrote, "They played with such captivating beauty that the audience gave an involuntary sigh of pleasure." The RNO is also described as "a living symbol of the best in Russian art" (Miami Herald), "as close to perfect as one could hope for" (Trinity Mirror), and "astoundingly virtuosic" (Glasgow Herald). The first Russian orchestra to perform at the Vatican and in Israel, the RNO maintains an active international tour schedule, appearing throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. The RNO is the founding and resident orchestra of Napa Valley Festival del Sole, and performs at prominent venues such as the Edinburgh, Shanghai and Chopin Festivals, and the BBC Proms. Gramophone magazine called the first RNO CD (1991) "an awe-inspiring experience; should human beings be able to play like this?" and listed it as the best recording of Tchaikovsky's Pathetique in history. Since then, the orchestra has made more than 80 recordings, principally with Deutsche Grammophon and PentaTone Classics, as well as with other prestigious labels.
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall |
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