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 Khatia Buniatishvili and Academy of St Martin in the Fields grace Barbican’s Hall with a captivating performance of Mozart 

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Pianist Khatia Buniatishvili is no stranger to the Barbican. A frequent face on their stage, she returns as an Artist Spotlight performing two Mozart pieces that make an appearance on her recent album, accompanied by the always impressive Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Buniatishvili frequently graces the Barbican stage, and performing in London is said to hold a deep significance for her. She says, “I love performing at The Barbican. I find the public is so relaxed… there’s always a new wave of people coming. England always feels like a surprise to me, and I love that. It’s refreshing, and I feel that energy when I play there.” 

This energy, the playful comfort, was profoundly noticeable in Buniatishvili’s performance. She walks onto the stage in glittering dress, drawing the audience closely in. She seems to shimmer, not purely by means of her literally shining dress, but by her confident and joyful spirit. She commands the stage and the orchestra, playing front and centre, leading the musicians in a profoundly enjoyable piece of music. Starting with Don Giovanni Overture (7’), the sombre yet quirky tone offers a grand and intriguing entry point to the work. Buniatishvili couples this with Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major K488 (26’), a multifaceted experience that moves from elation to unabating pain with shocking seamlessness, reflecting the similar experience we are all bound to have as people, highlighting the core human values that transcend time. This is followed by Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture (10’) and Haydn: Symphony 104 (29’), in which the Academy of St Martin in the Fields truly shines. 

Like many people in their twenties, I do not frequent classical performances. They seem inaccessible, an artform that circumvents my breadth of understanding. If I were to envision an evening watching two of Mozart’s concertos, not to mention Mendelssohn and Haydn, I would picture an older, wealthier, pretentious crowd and a performance that I might enjoy but would probably not understand. What was so exciting about this performance was that I was proven wrong. Khatia Buniatishvili’s talent and adoration for what she does speaks volumes. She truly embodied the music, almost dancing while she played, literally putting-her-hands-in-the-air-like-she-just didn’t-care during the short bursts in which her hands weren’t occupied by the piano. The organic nature with which she truly felt what she played was reflected by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, who bounded behind her with abundant passion. This evening highlighted the need to democratise classical music culturally, allowing for a younger audience to have the chance to enjoy this transcendent artform, particularly if someone as talented and excited as Khatia Buniatishvili is gracing the stage.