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10 • March 22, 2008 Following a recital by Canadian pianist Louis Lortie of Chopin Etudes in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Financial Times wrote: “Better Chopin playing than this is not to be heard, not anywhere.”
Following a recital by Canadian pianist Louis Lortie of Chopin Etudes in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Financial Times wrote: “Better Chopin playing than this is not to be heard, not anywhere.” Lortie’s recording of Chopin Etudes, opp. 10 and 25, was cited by BBC Music Magazine’s special Piano Issue as one of “50 Recordings by Superlative Pianists”. Now the stellar Canadian pianist will perform the complete Chopin Etudes for Ottawa audiences on his return to the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall on Monday, March 31 at 20:00 as part of the Bombardier Great Performers Series. Piano etudes were normally written as study pieces to be practiced at home. But Chopin elevated the etude to high art, subtly uniting technical command with poetic expressiveness. “In writing my etudes,” he said, “I tried to put not only science but also art into them. Since a virtuoso must practice for a long time, he should be given exercises in which he will find proper food for his ears and his soul, lest he be bored.” Chopin’s complete etudes are made up of the Twelve Etudes, Op. 10; the Trois nouvelles Études and the Twelve Etudes, Op. 25. Louis Lortie, praised for the fresh perspective and individuality he brings to a deliberately broad spectrum of the keyboard canon, was born in Montreal, and made his debut with the Montreal Symphony at the age of thirteen and the Toronto Symphony three years later, which as a result engaged him for an historic tour of the People’s Republic of China and Japan. In 1984, he won First Prize in the Busoni Competition and was a prize-winner at the Leeds Competition. In 1992 he was named Officer of the Order of Canada. Mr. Lortie has made over 30 recordings on the Chandos label, ranging from Mozart to Stravinsky. This season he performs with the San Francisco Symphony, the City of Birmingham Symphony, the Orchestre National de Paris, the Sydney Symphony, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, and the National Symphony among others, with recital stops, in addition to Ottawa, including Philadelphia, Florence, Toronto, Milan, San Francisco and London. Tickets for this Bombardier Great Performers recital on Monday, March 31 at 20:00 are on sale now at $19.00, $29.00, $39.00, $45.00, $49.00, and $59.00 with box seats at $69.00 (GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster (with surcharges) at Half-price tickets for students in all sections of the hall are on sale in person at the NAC Box Office upon presentation of a valid student ID card. Same-day Live Rush tickets (subject to availability) for full-time students (aged 13 to 29) are $10 at the NAC Box Office between 14:00 and 18:00 on the day of performance only, upon presentation of a valid Live Rush card. Groups of 10 and more save 15% to 20% off the regular price of tickets to NAC Music, Theatre and Dance performances. To reserve your seats call
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