Join Mikhail Pletnev on an exciting odyssey through the works of Fryderyk Chopin, who inspired his peer Robert Schumann to exclaim: ‘Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!’

The recital’s first half features several large-scale virtuoso works. The Polonaise Op 26 No 1, inspired by a dance from the composer’s native Poland, is both tempestuous and tender. The Fantasie Op 49 and the Polonaise-Fantasie Op 61 reveal Fryderyk Chopin at his most musically adventurous while the romantic F sharp Barcarolle highlights his love of Italian opera.

The second half explores the introspective nocturnes Chopin wrote throughout his career. Yet, the recital ends in exuberant rather than pensive mood with the Polonaise Op 53. The composer’s lover George Sand described this piece as a ‘heroic symbol’ of revolution.

Supported by Dunard Fund