Everyone loves diva stories, and in the world of classical music Cristina Ortiz’s name is a familiar one. Madame Ortiz has a notorious love/hate relationship with her audience and has been known to storm off stage when interrupted by a jarring cell phone ring from the depths of the auditorium. Needless to say, there was a distinctly loud rummaging and shuffling in the audience as we were politely asked to check that our cell phones were switched off. I was not alone in checking mine more than twice.
This Brazilian pianist started with formal lessons at the age of four, made her concerto debut at 11, and was the first female pianist (age just 19) to win the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. And she was the first of some fantastic classical performers lining up to visit Cape Town in 2012.
The Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium was packed to the brim yet Ortiz, with her charismatic and grandiose personality, made it feel like the most intimate of concerts. She managed to connect with the audience on a personal level, not only sharing with us her artistic interpretation of some of Chopin’s most loved works, but also sharing of herself, her passion and her vulnerability. I can honestly say that she gave the most honest performance that I have ever had the pleasure to attend.
The programme was unconventional and ambitious; a cycle of Chopin’s four Ballades and four Scherzi. Chopin’s Ballades are said to mark the highest level of maturity of his musical development and are very difficult in terms of both musicality and technicality. His Scherzi, in comparison, are exceptionally delicate and sensitive, marked by a mood-of-the-moment spontaneity. At first I was disappointed. Ortiz’s performance of the first two works on the programme, Chopin’s first Scherzo in B minor and his second Ballade in F major, was reserved, lacking in dynamic contrast and bravura.
But her whole demeanour came to life when the applause of the audience beckoned her to continue from where she was drinking a quick sip of water behind the black wing of the grand piano. She playfully acknowledged the audience’s enthusiasm and with the opening octaves of Chopin’s third Scherzo in C sharp minor the audience knew why Ortiz was once described as the unpredictable lioness of the piano. She utterly immersed herself in her playing and the audience could just not get enough.
The fast passages were clean and crisp with effortless balance and control between the varying sections and inner voices. In the final work, the fourth Scherzo in E major, she had an unfortunate memory lapse which she acknowledged to the audience with a brief nod of the head. But she recovered beautifully to deliver the most exhilarating, passionate interpretation of this work. It was evident during the extended and warm applause from the audience that the memory lapse still bothered her but she lapped up the audience’s appreciation and gave us the luxury of selecting from which composer she should play for her encore.
And so the 2012 Hugo Concert Series was launched in fine style with a very successful and world class performance by Cristina Ortiz. And based on the reports about the other performers scheduled for this 2012 Concert Series, the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium may very well be one of the most popular venues on the classical music scene this year.
Andra le Roux-Kemp
Hugo Concert Series featuring Brazilian pianist Cristina Ortiz, Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium, Parow Cape Town on 5 February 2012.
