Ukrainian-born classical pianist Valentina Lisitsa, who captured the world’s attention via YouTube, is coming to Toronto to replace Cuban pianist Horacio Gutierrez at Koerner Hall on Dec. 9.
Gutierrez was forced to cancel because of a severely herniated disc in his neck.
Lisitsa, who is 39 years old, was a good pianist whose career was going nowhere in particular when she posted her first performance on YouTube in 2007. Since then, her videos have attracted more than 30 million views, according to her website.
She gave a live concert at Royal Albert Hall this past summer that was not only sold-out, but broadcast live on YouTube and immediately released as an album by Decca Classics.
It might be easy to dismiss Lisitsa as an exceptional self-promoter, but she actually does play very nicely.
Lisitsa has already performed at Koerner Hall, accompanying violinist Hilary Hahn in a recital last spring.
The proposed programme for what will be her Toronto solo début looks very promising, starting with Ferrucio Busoni’s quietly intense transcription of the Bach Chorale Ich ruf zu dir, Herr, followed by Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Sonata, some Liszt transcriptions of Schubert Lieder, some Chopin Nocturnes and Sergei Prokofiev’s fearsome Sonata No. 7.
So forget about Christmas shopping next Sunday afternoon, and treat yourself to a live pianistic event instead.
As a fan of Bösendorfer pianos, I understand that Lisitsa is going to pass on the Royal Conservatory’s better-than-excellent Steinway for a Bösendorfer Imperial Grand supplied by Robert Lowrey’s.
Details should be posted soon here.
Here is Lisitsa in action, first the Op. 32 B-minor Prélude by Rachmaninov, followed by Liszt’s transcription of Schubert’s Erlkönig:
John Terauds