Chinese pianist performs with the Warsaw Philharmonic in Shanghai
The concert by Jacek Kaspszyk and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra on Wednesday evening officially opened the Shanghai Oriental Art Center's autumn-winter season, which comprises 61 stage productions in 101 performances through February.
The orchestra was founded in 1901 and is one of Poland's oldest musical institutions. They opened the concert with Penderecki's Adagietto from Paradise Lost.
Pianist Chen Sa joined them for Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor. The second part of the event featured Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World," which received overwhelming applause from the audience.
Chen is the first Chinese pianist to have received honors in all three major competitions: the International Chopin Piano Competition, the Leeds International Piano Competition and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
She was also the first Chinese pianist to be named a panel member of the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2020.
The International Chopin Piano Competition has been held at the Warsaw Philharmonic since the competition's inception in 1927.
It was Chen's third collaboration with the Polish orchestra.
"They (the orchestra) are simply too familiar with Chopin's compositions. The warm temperament of the concerto seems to flow in the blood of the performers," she said.
Chopin is Chen's favorite composer as well.
"Musicians are like containers," she said. "With their growth, they deal with musical compositions using a variety of emotions, intensities and approaches. Chopin is my favorite composer because his music has the power to touch anyone's heart, regardless of age."
The autumn-winter performance season at Shanghai Oriental Art Center will also feature performances by Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra on October 17, Vladimir Fedoseyev and the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra on September 21, Teodor Currentzis and the Musicaeterna Orchestra on October 24 and 25, and Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden on November 1 and 2.
Along with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra from Germany, the Eggner Trio from Austria, rising Japanese pianists Mao Fujita and Hayato Sumino, Italian pianist Alexander Romanovsky, Russian pianist Andrey Pisarev and Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov are also in the line-up.
Chinese pianist Wang Yujia will perform on December 5. Jin Chengzhi and his Shanghai Rainbow Chamber singers will perform in October and December.
World-renowned dance companies like Russia's Eifman Ballet of St Petersburg and Israel's Kamea Dance Company are also on the schedule, along with drama and traditional opera.
Shanghai Oriental Art Center now has a bookstore on the second floor, selling albums and other musical productions. Audiences will be allowed to bring the musical scores into the hall for related programs.