Maurizio Pollini Marks 50th Anniversary of Carnegie Hall Debut with Recital on April 29

A paragon of classical music, famed pianist Maurizio Pollini will perform in recital at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 p.m., marking the 50th anniversary year of his Carnegie Hall debut. The program features Chopin's Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45; Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60; and Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35, as well as the second book of Debussy's Préludes.

Throughout his storied career, Mr. Pollini has performed at Carnegie Hall a total of 92 times. He made his U.S. debut at the Hall on November 1, 1968 as soloist in Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He made his Carnegie Hall solo recital debut on January 20, 1975. Major Carnegie Hall projects over the decades have included a five-concert cycle of all the Beethoven piano concertos with Claudio Abbado and the Vienna Philharmonic in March 1987, as well as a two-season-longPerspectives series from 1999 through 2001. The series featured 25 concerts during which he examined pivotal musical works from the 14th century through the present day, including collaborations with many of the world's most distinguished soloists, conductors, chamber ensembles, and orchestras. Other Carnegie Hall highlights included a seven-concert series of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas in the 1995-96 season; an Opening Night performance in October 2000 as soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra; three all-Chopin recitals in Spring 2010 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth; and two recitals in October 2015, featuring works by Schumann, Chopin, Beethoven, and Schoenberg.

About the Artist
Maurizio Pollini occupies a special place among the ranks of today's great pianists. The Italian artist has been hailed by Gramophone magazine as "a towering musical presence," a description supported by six decades of critical and public acclaim for the power and beauty of his artistry. Pollini's nobility of expression and total technical command of the keyboard combine to create interpretations that reveal profound insight into works from past and present. While Maurizio Pollini is synonymous with the works of Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms, his repertoire choices have ranged widely to include everything from Bach and Mozart to Debussy, Bartók, and beyond. He has championed music by contemporary composers throughout his career, regularly performing works by Pierre Boulez, Luigi Nono, and Karlheinz Stockhausen in recitals at the world's leading concert halls.

Highlights of Pollini's 2017-2018 season include Schumann's Piano Concerto with the Berlin Staatskapelle and Daniel Barenboim, returns to La Scala, Milan, the Paris Philharmonie, Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Festival Hall, and Musikverein, all-Chopin recitals at Rome's Accademia di Santa Cecilia and at Carnegie Hall, and a recital of works by Brahms, Chopin, and Schumann at the Salzburg Festival. Last season, the pianist marked his 75th birthday by touring recital programs built from works by Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, and Schoenberg to leading concert halls in Europe and the United States, including Carnegie Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, London's Royal Festival Hall, the Paris Philharmonie, Vienna's Musikverein, and Berlin's Philharmonie.

His latest album for Deutsche Grammophon, released in February 2018, is a tribute to Debussy in the French composer's centenary year. Twenty years on from his recording of the first book of Préludes, Pollini has now recorded the complete second book, and is joined by his son Daniele for a performance of En blanc et noir for two pianos. Pollini's recording of Chopin's Nocturnes won the "Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra)" category at the 2006 Grammy Awards. His long list of prestigious recording prizes and awards includes the 2001 Diapason d'Or for Beethoven'sDiabelli Variations and membership of Gramophone's "Hall of Fame" (2012). In addition to his many recording awards, Pollini's honors include the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize (1996), the Premium Imperiale (2010) and the Royal Philharmonic Society's Instrumentalist Award (2011).

Program Information
Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
MAURIZIO POLLINI, Piano

FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 45
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Préludes, Book II

Bank of America is the Proud Season Sponsor of Carnegie Hall.

Ticket Information
Tickets, priced $50-$165, are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, or can be charged to major credit cards by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org.

For Carnegie Hall Corporation presentations taking place in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, a limited number of seats, priced at $10, will be available day-of-concert beginning at 11:00 a.m.Monday through Saturday and 12:00 noon on Sunday until one hour before the performance or until supply lasts. The exceptions are Carnegie Hall Family Concerts and gala events. These $10 tickets are available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis at the Carnegie Hall Box Office only. There is a two-ticket limit per customer.

In addition, for all Carnegie Hall presentations in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, a limited number of partial view (seats with obstructed or limited sight lines or restricted leg room) will be sold for 50% of the full price. For more information on this and other discount ticket programs, including those for students, Notables members, and Bank of America customers, visit carnegiehall.org/discounts. Artists, programs, and prices are subject to change.

Photo by Pete Checchia.