KHATIA BUNIATISHVILI

Present since the very first edition in 1994, Evgeny Kissin has grown and flourished at the Festival, becoming one of the most extraordinary musicians of our time. For the bicentenary of the German composer’s death, the celebrated pianist presents an unforgettable panorama of Beethoven’s music, from the first Viennese sonata to the pivotal No. 13, through to the late Diabelli Variations.

A flamboyant heir to the Russian piano school, Nikolaï Lugansky has no equal in illuminating the works of Beethoven, of whom he is one of the foremost interpreters. Under his fluid fingers, the German composer’s works carry an ever-present urgency, combining strength and suppleness. Likewise, his mellow sound is ideally suited to the music of Schumann, of whom he performs two works directly rooted in Beethoven’s legacy.

In just a handful of editions, Yunchan Lim has won over the Verbier Festival. A true star in his home country (on a par with some pop singers), the Korean pianist reveals all of Mozart’s humanity in this recital devoted to the music of a composer who loved to confide his secrets to the keyboard.

Daniil Trifonov is no ordinary pianist. Since 2011 (the year he won in quick succession the prestigious Rubinstein and Tchaikovsky Competitions), the musical world has followed his brilliant solo career with admiration. Deeply personal, his recital combines the figure of the Wanderer with his love of South American music.

Yuja Wang never fails to surprise us. For her carte blanche, the virtuoso pianist showcases her musician friends, such as the Frenchman Gautier Capuçon in a fine sonata by Grieg, and Yamen Saadi (concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic) in Berg’s Chamber Concerto, where technical constraints are wedded to incandescent lyricism.