Piano players do it with their eyes closed

The last pianist I saw in action was Burt Bacharach, crooning away to songs I grew up on, indeed molded my morals on in the Royal Albert Hall.

More handsome in real life than depicted by his publicity materials, Roberto Cominati, thrilled a crowd at the Manoel Theatre on Tuesday evening with his recital of Schumann’s Op 9, Giovanni Sgambati’s piano transcription of the Dance of the Blessed Spirits from  Orfeo ed Euridice and Liszt’s transcription of the Sarabande and Chaconne from Almira and climaxed with Moszkowski’s Chanson Bohème from Bizet’s Carmen.

It was as if he were possessed by the music, his whole body immersed in each piece. This was obviously rehearsed but not effortless, you could see his emotion, feel his passion. I closed my eyes to listen, he closed his eyes to play.