On the 19th at Lotte Concert Hall... Performance of Ravel's 'Gaspard de la nuit' and more
[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] Pianist Ivo Pogorelich, who receives both praise and criticism, is holding a concert in Korea for the first time in 15 years.
Pogorelich will perform Bach's "English Suite No. 3," Beethoven's "Piano Sonata No. 11," Chopin's "Barcarolle & Prelude," and Ravel's "Gaspard de la nuit" at a solo recital on the 19th at Lotte Concert Hall.
His performance, characterized by a unique interpretation that no one can imitate, sparks controversy with extreme evaluations. A famous anecdote occurred at the 10th International Chopin Piano Competition held in Warsaw, Poland, in 1980. Pogorelich was considered a strong favorite to win with his outstanding skills but failed to advance to the finals and was eliminated. Martha Argerich, the "Piano Empress" and a judge at the time, strongly protested, calling it a "highly biased result," and even resigned from the judging panel.
Due to this incident, Pogorelich became known worldwide as the "famous dropout more famous than the winner (Dang Thai Son)." With his unparalleled distinctive performance, he captivated not only music enthusiasts but also world-renowned orchestras and conductors such as the Berlin Philharmonic and Claudio Abbado, growing into an icon of boldness.
Pogorelich was born in 1958 in Belgrade, then the capital of Yugoslavia. Raised in a musical family, he first encountered the piano at age seven and later moved to Moscow, where he studied at the Moscow Central Music School and the Tchaikovsky Conservatory at age twelve. Despite receiving both praise and criticism, Pogorelich has firmly established his own path for over 40 years, revitalizing the classical music world. Since his recital debut at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1981, he has performed internationally to enthusiastic responses at major venues worldwide and collaborated with leading orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, LA Philharmonic, and New York Philharmonic. Today, Pogorelich is also well known as the "Poet of the Piano."
Pogorelich attracted attention by marrying his teacher Aliza Kezeradze. He studied under Kezeradze from 1976 and married her in 1980, who was 21 years his senior. After Kezeradze passed away in 1996, Pogorelich suffered from deep depression and temporarily ceased all activities.
After 24 years, Pogorelich resumed recording activities and signed a new exclusive contract with Sony last year. In August of last year, he debuted at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and released a new album featuring Rachmaninoff's Sonata No. 2 and Beethoven's Sonatas Nos. 22, 24, and 78. To commemorate the album release, he performed in major European cities including Rome, Paris, Munich, and Monte Carlo in December, and an Asia tour including Tokyo, Nara, Seoul, and China is scheduled for February this year.
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