Chinese piano sensation Li Yundi continues his world tour with a show in the Middle East. On Sunday night, his intimate recital at the 10th Abu Dhabi Festival received a standing ovation at the Emirates Palace.
Li Yundi opens with Chopin's Nocturne in B Flat Minor. As he begins, everyone holds their breath, lost in the melody.
That's followed by his interpretation of Beethoven's Sonata No. 8, "Apassionata".
His technically precise and passionate performance stuns these Middle Eastern lovers of piano music. At the end of the show, there is a standing ovation for this Piano Prince from China.
Li returns their enthusiasm by encoring two more pieces, ending the show with a traditional Peking Opera song.
Following the intimate recital, Li speaks with members of the audience about the challenges of interpretation, as well as his inspiration and musical journey.
Li Yundi said, "I want to thank everyone present tonight. It's great to be here to share my music in the Abu Dhabi Festival. It's a great event to gather the best artists from around the world."
This performance marks Li's debut at the Abu Dhabi Festival, one of the most important art festivals in the Gulf region. Li first came onto the international music scene at the age of 18, when he won the top prize at the 2000 Chopin International Piano Competition.
The award had been vacant for 15 years before Li arrived. He was also the first Chinese ever to win it. All in all, the pianist has released 12 albums, including "Beethoven", which came out earlier this month.
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