KVT – Marveilleux, Formidable et Bravo Bravo

How lucky can we be? Pianist Nicolas Stavy, one of ‘the most renowned interpreters of the romantic repertoire’ gave us a recital at L’Espace , and a stunning night it was for the capacity audience. After warming us up with Chopin and a Schuman (rudely interrupted at a vital moment by a twerp in the middle of row 3 with a loud mobile phone) Stavy thrilled us with Brahms transcription of Bach’s Partita for solo violin. This is transcribed for playing with the left hand only and what an aural and visual feast this was for those of us who arrived early enough to get the seats with a view of the keyboard.

Then came Listz… and we got a bravura performance. First a magnificent interpretation of Funeraille, Liszt’s emotive response to the 1849 crushing of the Hungarian Revolution by the Habsburgs; then two edge of your seat playings of the fifth and then the last of the Year of Pilgrimage Suites. Petrach’s Sonnet 104 was stunning and After a Lecture by Dante an 18 minute tour de force.

This is the second time this year we’ve had the two served up to us… first as a delicious taster by young Vietnamese pianist Vu Ngoc Linh and now as a sumptuous main course by a maestro.

The French Embassy and L’Espace deserve as much applause and ovation as Stacy received at the conclusion of the recital… World class for 100,000VND at one of the best acoustic venues you’ll find anywhere.

Luckily Stacy reprised Schumann’s Arabesque as an encore… but this time the accompanist in row 3 missed his cue.