The BNDES International Piano Festival opens in Rio’s Opera House; the authors of “Guiomar Novaes of Brazil” sign the book

Nov 29, 2011

Pianista Daniil Trifonov plays at the Rio Opera House

At 11 a.m. on Sunday, December 27, 2011, from the stage of Rio’s opera house,   Julio Ramundo, Director of BNDES, officially inaugurated the BNDES International Piano Festival, the precursor of the Piano Competition which has returned to Rio de Janeiro its place on the world stage among cities recognized as centres of music.

The next speaker was the Vice President of the Bank, Armando Mariante, who recalled the birth of the project during his administration – he was the key figure in obtaining the support of the bank for the Competition – coordinated then, as now, by  Lilian Barretto. “The book that we are launching has a special characteristic; through careful research it has brought us valuable previously unpublished information on the life and career of Guiomar Novaes in New York (…) and is accompanied by two CDs of Guiomar playing with the New York Philharmonic in the 1950s and 60s.”

The authors of “Guiomar Novaes of Brazil” sign the book at the opening of the Festival

Joined by the authors of  ‘Guiomar Novaes of Brazil’’ – Luciana Medeiros and João Luiz Sampaio, the festival coordinator Lilian Barretto and Guiomar Novaes’ grandson, Luiz Felipe Camargo Pinto (who was accompanied by his son Luiz Eduardo), Julio Ramundo and Armando Mariante also presented the Steinway concert piano acquired by the BNDES International Competition.

Next the Steinway was inaugurated by the twenty-year-old Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov, outright winner of the Tchaikovsky Competition of 2011. He played Chopin, Liszt and Liszt transcriptions of Schubert and Paganini. In the words of José Schiller, who presents the programme A Grande Música on TV Brasil and is also a musician: “A phenomenon, a talent that is still maturing, but with extraordinary dynamics and incredible musicality. Very expressive”. The lawyer Alexandre Martins, an amateur music lover, applauded the concert to which entrance was free: “This festival opening does more than credit to Guiomar Novaes’ instrument; it was a beautiful concert”.

After Trifonov’s recital the authors signed the book in the theatre foyer.

Photos of the opening of BNDES International Piano Festival – 2011