ED2016 5/5 Reviews ED2016 Music Reviews

Orchestra Dell’Accademia Nationale Di Santa Cecilia Boris Berezovsky Plays Rachmaninov’s Paganini Rhapsody (Edinburgh International Festival)

By Louise Rodgers | Published on Tuesday 9 August 2016

Even without knowing the story I would have realised things had ended badly because of the sombre perfection of this performance of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Fantasy Overture, Romeo and Juliet’. There was a respite from tragedy, however, before I was overwhelmed again by the sorrowful magnificence of Schoenberg’s ‘Pelleas und Melisande’ with its extravagant orchestration including nine French horns. Next, Boris Berezovsky was the solo pianist for the energetically delightful ‘Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini’ by Rachmaninov. Berezovsky let the music speak directly to the audience, shunning theatrical devices and simply playing wonderfully. Overall, this was a memorably happy evening; the artists’ rapport with the audience and each other – together with the jokes and encores – made me smile through the tears.

Usher Hall, 7 Aug.
tw rating 5/5 | [Louise Rodgers]