Chopin’s Piano is a hybrid theatre/musical performance work written by Paul Kildea and Richard Pyros, based on the novel of the same name by Kildea examining the provenance of Chopin’s piano and the instrument they were composed on. This unique touring production/concert was directed by Richard Pyros and produced by the national chamber music company Musica Viva. After a singular streamed broadcast in 2021 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic live performance restrictions), this production finally toured to 6 Australian capital cities in 2023. The pairing of actor and pianist was atypical and innovative for the concert format, as both performers weighted equally in both the visual design and spoken word performance that punctuated each of Chopin’s 24 preludes. With a time frame spanning several decades and touching on several historic figures, the costume and prop design allowed for the two performers to swiftly inhabit several characters through the use of period costuming elements, whilst also accommodating the physical demands of the concert pianist during the performance.
NTRO Output Category
- Original Creative Work : Design / architectural Work
Place
Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane/Canberra/Perth/Adelaide, AustraliaVenue
Recital Centre Melbourne plus 5 other capital city venuesNTRO Publisher
Musica VivaMedium
Design for Live PerformanceResearch Statement
Chopin’s Piano is a hybrid theatre/musical performance work written by Paul Kildea and Richard Pyros, based on the novel of the same name by Kildea examining the provenance of Chopin’s piano and the instrument they were composed on. This unique touring production/concert was directed by Richard Pyros and produced by the national chamber music company Musica Viva. After a singular streamed broadcast in 2021 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic live performance restrictions), this production finally toured to 6 Australian capital cities in 2023.
The pairing of actor and pianist was atypical and innovative for the concert format, as both performers weighted equally in both the visual design and spoken word performance that punctuated each of Chopin’s 24 preludes. With a time frame spanning several decades and touching on several historic figures, the costume and prop design allowed for the two performers to swiftly inhabit several characters through the use of period costuming elements, whilst also accommodating the physical demands of the concert pianist during the performance.
The excellence of this work is evidenced by:
• Musica Viva is a major national performing arts company, receiving both federal and state arts funding.
• This production toured to six major Australian cities in concert venues such as the Recital Centre in Melbourne, Concert Hall QPAC in Brisbane, City Recital Hall in Sydney, Perth Concert Hall, Adelaide Town Hall and the ANU School of Music for a total of 7 performances.
• The production received a broad range of critical reviews from national publications, including The Daily Telegraph by Steve Moffatt and ArtsHub by Gemma Betros.Size or Duration of Work
1hr 40 min, 7 performances
