Noticias
From August 31 to October 1
The singing and the king of the instruments together in the International Piano Festival, Black & White
August 22, 2017The 21st edition of the International Piano Festival Black & White will enrich 2017 with its artistic proposal of 12 recitals combining the magic of the so-called king of instruments with bel canto, in a fusion that will also rescue little known works by classical authors.
The public attending the sessions that will be held at the National Arts Center from August 31 to October 1 will enjoy the excellence of renowned international musicians and singers such as Abdiel Vazquez, Joshua Dennis, Michael Chioldi, Sophie Pacini, Alexander Krichel, Vincenzo Maltempo, Steven Osborne, Florian Noack, Francesco Libetta, Scipione Sangiovanni, Karen Gardeazabal, Cassandra Zoé Velasco, Benito Rodríguez and German Olvera.
"Mexico is a country of pianists and in this edition of the festival we continue giving support to national talents, in addition to presenting the most outstanding exponents of other countries," said Lázaro Azar, who, for the third year, is the music curator of the festival that will be opened on August 31 with the gala Mahler, the song of the land performed by Abdiel Diaz and will be the premiere in Mexico of the original version of this great composer.
"For us it’s vital to grow this festival that for two decades has become a tradition of music in our country, at the Arts Center”, said Ricardo Calderón, director of Cenart, who added that the programming of this building tries to include public of all ages as well as expressions like dance, theater, music, literature and multimedia.
He said that at its 21 years of age, Black & White has grown significantly, as in the 20th edition
"It’s very important to point out that as in previous years the number of people who see the festival presentations is much higher, because we broadcast all the concerts in streaming, so much people enjoy at a distance the best of piano music ".
"In our audience there are music lovers, but also people who out of curiosity come to enjoy for the first time a concert. Recent editions have been some of the most important of Black & White. We have had top-level pianists with memorable performances. It’s certainly also a platform and an open door for talented young people. Just last year we had Rodolfo Henkel, winner of the Angelica Morales contest”.
Meanwhile, Lázaro Azar said that the program will be dedicated to Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, a great music lover who started the festival from the beginning, and will feature 10 solo piano recitals and two concerts with singers who will rescue the tradition of the voice and the piano together as a musical spirit.
"On Sunday October 1st we will present a program dedicated to the memory of Rafael Tovar y de Teresa, who as a fervent pianophile would have been delighted to listen Beethoven's two most famous symphonies, the fifth and the ninth, with Lizt's arrangements for solo piano and two pianos, with Florian Noack, but also accompanied by four voices ".
He said that there’s a balance in the curation of the festival with a quarter of Mexican pianists, another of women, another of talented young people and another of great consecrated ones.
The festival will feature the presentation of Cassandra Zoé Velasco, in addition to receiving for the first time the visit of Frederic Rzewski, who is one of the great American composers, according to The New York Times, whose work leads movements of tolerance and in favor of human rights.
On September 2, it will be held the next program "Ravel, 80 years later", which will be performed by the German pianist Alexander Krichel.
The programming also includes Vincenzo Maltempo with his program The Other Russians, which he offered at the prestigious festival Raritäten der Klaviermusik im Schloss vor Husum; the American pianists Sophie Pacini, member of Project Argerich and Philip Fortenberry; as well as the Venezuelan pianist Edith Peña and the Mexican Felipe Villanueva who will dedicate his presentation to the singer Eva Maria Zuk.
Lázaro Azar recalled that since the piano came to Mexico has been an instrument that has been present in the Mexican homes.
"Since the time of the colony, the Marchioness of Calderon de la Barca talked about the fact that in many houses there was a piano. I’m from Campeche and I can say that even in houses that did not have a certain level there were pianos, because there was a time that this instrument came as a load on ships coming from Europe. It has always been an instrument that has been close to the Mexicans and allows to include a wide musical registry for its versatility. "
He added that historically the piano has also been a great promoter of music, and recalled that Beethoven’s music was known for the first time in our country thanks to the musical arrangements made for this instrument.
"The piano gives you all that richness, so in this Black & White edition we will remember that tradition with many recitals that will include piano arrangements of great works of universal music. Florian Noack, one of the youngest performers of this edition, is also a great transcriber and his music has already been recorded worldwide. This edition will certainly surprise the public”, concluded Lázaro Azar.
Mexico,Distrito Federal
