Anna Fedorova, studio.zahora.eu
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of one of the most outstanding Polish musicians - Artur Rubinstein
Artur Rubinstein was born in Łódź on the 28th of January 28, 1887. He passed away 30 years ago in Geneva on the 20th of December 1982. To commemorate these two dates, the National Opera hosts Ukranian pianist Anna Fedorova performing excerpts from works by Domenico Scarlatti, Alfred Schnittke, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Chopin.
Federova has won top prizes at many prestigious international piano competitions, including the Chopin Piano Competition in Moscow (2004), The Dorothy Mackenzie International Piano Competition in New York contest in Tbilisi (2005) and 8th International Competition for Young Pianists Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam in Bydgoszcz (2009), also known for music lovers to participate in the 16th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw (2010).
Artur Rubinstein's extensive career and vast repertoire comprised nearly all the major works of classical and romantic music of the 19th century, as well as introducing audiences to many contemporary works of the 20th century, such as those of Karol Szymanowski, Alexander Scriabin, Maurice Ravel, Isaac Albeniz, Manuel de Falla, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud. He recorded for the Gramophone Company / His Master's Voice, RCA Victor, from the works of Chopin, Johann Sebastian Bach to the piano concertos of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Edvard Grieg, Camille Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov. He performed under the baton of such conductors as John Barbirolli, Daniel Barenboim, Vladimir Golschmann, Fritz Reiner, and performed 19th century chamber music from with such acclaimed violinists as Paweł Kochański and Jaschy Eugene Ormandy.
Altogether, Rubinstein performed more than six thousand times and his career continued for over eighty years. His first public performance at the age of seven took place in Łódź, his first professional debut at the age of 13 took place in 1900, in Berlin's Beethoven-Saal. The pianist's career took off upon his signing a contract with the impresario Gabriel Astruc in Paris. Later years had him flee Europe in face of the Nazis coming to power. He became an American citizen in 1946, refusing ever to play in Germany in protest of Nazi crimes.
Arthur Rubinstein in memoriam concert takes place at the National Opera on the 23rd of February, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
For more information, see: www.teatrwielki.pl
During the intermission there will be a presentation of Bożena Pellowska-Chudobińska's book Arthur Rubinstein Łódź Concerts, published by the Arthur Rubinstein International Foundation for Music (Łódź 2011) and an exhibition of photographs by Wojciech Grochowalski entitled Arthur Rubinstein - visits to Poland after World War II.
Programme:
Part 1
Domenico Scarlatti:
- Sonata in D Minor K 213
- Sonata in E Major K 20
Alfred Schnittke:
- Improvisation and fugue
Sergei Rachmaninov:
- 5 preludes
No. 5, Op. 32; No. 6, Op. 32; No. 12, Op. 32; No. 1, Op. 23; No. 2, Op. 23
Part 2
Frederick Chopin:
- Sonata No. 3, Op. 58
The concert has been organised by the National Theatre and the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Foundation in Łódź
See more on Artur Rubinstein
See more on Anna Fedorova at www.annafedorova.com