A dream team at the Royal Festival Hall ……..the golden eagle of Petrenko swooping in with such elegance as he hovered over the Royal Philharmonic .Teamed with the refined playing of a young star Bruce Liu winner of the last Chopin Competition and shining now ever more brightly.
Korngold played with the swooping and swooning style of Hollywood as the film star good looks and masterly baton technique of Petrenko delved deep into the very soul of this magnificent ensemble.
Recreating the great era of Cinema when all the greatest composers were sheltering in California and providing funds for the inhumane suffering that was being handed out just the other side of the pond .
Bruce Liu with refined phrasing of exquisite delicacy delved deep into Rachmaninov’s score and revealed many gems that often go unnoticed by less sensitive artists.
Korngold and Rachmaninov were neighbours in Los Angeles and they have much in common with masterly orchestration and heart on sleeve sentiments.
Surrounded by fans at the end of a near perfect performance of the Paganini Rhapsody, Bruce did not need much persuasion to show us what he really could do!
Have Liszt’s bells ever sounded so luminous or perfect as they sparkled and shone in this young virtuoso’s delicate hands? Little did we expect the demonic roar of a Lion of the keyboard at the end of Campanella and an astonished audience, which by now included the players of the RPO, gave him a well earned standing ovation .
In the Green Room with Yisha Xue to thank Bruce before he flies off early tomorrow morning to delight of audiences in every part of the world.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 