Radu Lupu

On Tuesday night I heard Radu Lupu's recital at Herbst Theatre. Just him, a piano, works by Schumann & Schubert, & an attentive sold-out audience.

He's become a very weird performer. He's almost disdainful of the audience, like he doesn't even want us to be here while he plays. He just sits down, leans back & starts playing. He plays the pieces with no breaks between movements. He hums audibly while he plays. He sits leaning back in a chair instead of on a piano bench, with his arms extended. At times his arms barely seems to be moving. He occasionally sits up to do a fortissimo.

His playing is so beautiful, controlled & refined. For the Schumann Wawldszenen he created many different colors & moods, some of them supernatural & eerie. He's a Rasputin of the piano for me. I was in a trance for 2 hours. I didn't want to leave the hall after the concert & go back to listening to the sounds of traffic & noise in the outside world.