We have just been informed that Mr. Bartoli’s forthcoming Tokyo appearance at the Agnelli Auditorium is sold out.

Beginning on Wednesday night, Mr. Bartoli will engage in a series of world premiere performances in two continents. On August 16th, for the last concert of his Bianchi e Neri Piano Fest Tuscany, Bartoli will feature in his own theatrical adaptation of Giacomo Puccini’s culinary letters. “At dinner with Puccini” is a monologue extracted from Giacomo Puccini’s original correspondence: “every word is by the Maestro himself – says Bartoli – and it shows a lesser-known facet of this opera giant, that is to say his love for good food and fine wines”. Actor Iacopo Bertoni will recite the text, while Bartoli will provide the musical context with transcriptions of Puccini’s operas by Carlo Carignani, a hefty portion of which are represented in Bartoli’s last CD release for Solaire Records (Puccini: Compete piano works and selected opera transcriptions).

In September, on the occasion of his Japan tour, Mr. Bartoli will include in his programmes David Plylar’s transcription for the left hand alone of Chopin’s Etude in c sharp minor Op.25 N0.7, which will receive its world premiere performance in Tokyo on September 15th. “It is a fantastic work – says the pianist – in some ways reminiscent of Godowski’s magical efforts in the same direction. Despite the loss of five fingers, the Etude in Plylar’s transcription loses none of its original beauty and fluency, a sure sign of masterful piano writing. I find it wonderful that a composer such as David Plylar can deliver a concert piece of this caliber: it is a rare occurence these days, and I am honoured to be the first to play it”. In the same concert, Bartoli will give the world premiere of Luciano Damarati’s Fantasy for violin and piano “Memories of Japan” with Canadian violinist Debra Fast: “When we got the invitation to go to Japan, Debra had the idea of asking Luciano Damarati for a new piece. The Maestro gladly agreed to write a peice for us, and since March we have been working on it together. It is an important composition, very well written and articulated in several sections. The style is friendly, and I am sure that the Japanese audience will appreciate it”. Both works by Plylar and Damarati will feature also in Mr. Bartoli’s other Japan dates, in Yugawara on September 17th and in Mishima on September 18th.

Sandro Ivo Bartoli talked at langht with Fulvio Venturi about his forthcoming Puccini recital and recording.

SPECIALE FESTIVAL PUCCINI / 16. Il pianista Sandro Ivo Bartoli intervistato dal critico Fulvio Venturi. Puccini, le riduzioni di Carignani, la ricerca e il nonno “sciupamusica”