BORDEAUX BARBARIANS

...no not a foorball team!

I have a major passion in my life 
- an older man.
Fred.
Chopin.


Bordeaux was fortunate enough to have one of the top Chopin pianists in town last week...Yundi Li.
He won the Chopin piano comps in 2000 so really pulls in the Chopin crowd...moi included.


The concert, at Bordeaux's magnificent Grand Theatre ( where the seats were never intended for anglosaxon bottoms!!) was preceeded by an announcement that there would be a slight change to the programme. The second half mazurkas and sonata were to be replaced by  The Peking Melodies.


Although I am the first to admit that I was disappointed, I was really horrifed when people started to jeer and whistle. 
My greatest concern was for the sensitive pianist backstage.
Imagine coming out on stage to that for a welcome!


The crowd was quickly won over by 5 beautifully interpreted nocturnes etc etc.
This desperate anglo housewife was moved to tears.


On with the second half. 
Artist walks on stage and about 50 people start yelling , Chopin, Chopin Chopin...
Ah the well-bred Bordelais!! I was mortified.
He played one Peking Melody and after judging the wrath of the audience flew into a sonata and other Chopin pieces. He maintained his poise and god only knows how.


There were 4 encores but the best bit was after the first encore...Yundi walked back on stage, turned to the audience and said in english, "Chinese folksong"..before playing yet another Peking Melody.I love his audacity and sense of humour...


I doubt whether Yundi Li will be visiting Bordeaux again.
Our loss but definitely not his.









Comments

  1. the fly in the web16 March 2012 at 19:49

    I'd have been rather ratty about an unannounced change to the programme too - but not to the point of jeering and hooting!

    What were the organisers thinking of...could they not have just asked the artist to add some of the Peking Melodies as encores?

    But the audience takes the biscuit....so much for the respect for culture....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeaux16 March 2012 at 19:58

    @ the Fly. Yes programme changes like that are disappointing but for the audience to carry on like hoodlums is really shocking.As you say flagrant lack of respect.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Fiona16 March 2012 at 20:08

    What disgusting behaviour. Poor artist.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Victoria Corby22 March 2012 at 11:38

    I was telling my book group about this and they all said that they'd have been furious about an unscheduled change to the programme. It's arrogant in the extreme and while I do feel sorry for the performer I wonder what made him think that it was all right not to play what his audience had paid to hear.

    No, I wouldn't have jeered and booed but perhaps he should think himself lucky he wasn't in Italy. They throw things too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeaux26 March 2012 at 16:28

    @ Victoria- yes I understand their opinion and I myself was disappointed. However when dealing with artists I do feel that a certain polite reaction can work better. Why destabilise someone before they sit down to play the Chopin you paid to hear too..?
    Perhaps it was the fault of the Grand Theatre which sold the wrong programme...?

    ReplyDelete

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