Hélène Grimaud – Piano Recital

About this event

The recital pairs Beethoven's Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 — his final piano sonata — with Schubert's Sonata in B-flat major, D. 960, the last work he completed before his death. Both pieces are towering farewells, intimately connected by an otherworldly stillness and a sense of summation. Beethoven's sonata moves from turbulent struggle to a transcendent set of variations that seem to dissolve into silence; Schubert's expansive, song-like sonata unfolds with a fragile beauty that is at once deeply personal and universal. Hélène Grimaud brings a quiet authority to this repertoire. Her playing avoids flashy display in favor of clear textures, long-breathed phrasing, and a poetic sensibility that lets the music speak for itself. For those who love the piano literature at its most introspective, this evening promises a rare chance to hear two cornerstones of the canon performed with thoughtfulness and grace. The surroundings of the Alte Oper’s Großer Saal, with its excellent acoustics and classic elegance, complement the mood of late-night contemplation.