The Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires, 80 today, became a global legend when, at a lunchtime concert in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw in 1998, she heard the orchestra start up a different Mozart concerto from the one she was expecting to play.
Her face is a picture of panic and depression.
The conductor, Riccardo Chailly, tells her she can make the switch from memory. He said: ‘You’re going to do well.’
She replied: ‘I am going to try.’
Amazingly, she did.
The video went viral on Youtube in 2013.
Happy birthday, Maria.
The post The nightmare moment of a mighty pianist appeared first on Slippedisc.
%20Sasha%20Gusov.JPG.jpg?w=160&resize=160,160&ssl=1 "Le Piano Symphonique, Lucerne: pianist Alexandre Kantorow in a marathon from Prokofiev to Alkan & Medtner with an Anders Hillborg premiere")
