Elisabeth Leonskaja
Substitute Concert for Maurizio Pollini
For decades now, Elisabeth Leonskaja has been among the most celebrated pianists of our time. Her almost legendary modesty still makes her somewhat media-shy today. Yet as soon as she walks out on the stage, audiences can sense the force behind the fact that music is and always has been her life’s work. As substitute for Maurizio Pollini, who has fallen ill with the flu, Leonskaja makes her debut in the Elbphilharmonie Grand Hall with this piano recital. The Grande Dame of the Russian school plays Beethoven’s last two sonata, followed by Schubert’s last sonata, his Sonata in B-flat Major D960, after the interval.
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, to a Russian family, she was regarded as a child prodigy and gave her first concerts as early as age 11. Her exceptional talent soon brought her to study at the Moscow Conservatory. While still a student at the Conservatory, she won prizes in the prestigious Enescu, Marguerite Long and Queen Elizabeth international piano competitions. Elisabeth Leonskaja’s musical development was shaped or influenced to a decisive degree by her collaboration with Sviatoslav Richter. The master recognised her exceptional talent and fostered her development not only through teaching and giving her advice, but also by inviting her to play numerous duets with him. The musical partnership and personal friendship between Sviatoslav Richter and Elisabeth Leonskaja endured until Richter’s death in the year 1997. In 1978 Elisabeth Leonskaja left the Soviet Union and made her new home in Vienna. Today, she performs with the leading orchestras in the world and is a frequent and welcomed guest at prestigious festivals.
Performers
Elisabeth Leonskaja piano
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonate für Klavier As-Dur op. 110
Sonate für Klavier c-Moll op. 111
– Interval –
Franz Schubert
Sonate B-Dur D 960
Encore:
Franz Liszt
Sonetto del Petrarca Nr. 104 S »Pace non trovo« / aus: Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, Italie S 161
Sonetto del Petrarca Nr. 123 »I’vidi in terra« / aus: Années de pèlerinage, deuxième année, Italie S 161
Estimated end time
22:00