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Pianist Maria João Pires panics as she realises the orchestra has started the wrong concerto

This is quite extraordinary. The wonderful Maria João Pires is ready to play a Mozart piano concerto with the Amsterdam Concertgebouw conducted by Riccardo Chailly, only to hear the orchestra begin playing another Mozart concerto – no 20 in D minor, K466, not what she was expecting or had prepared for. Can you imagine her horror? You'll have to watch the film below to find out what happened next.

Oh, I don´t know if it´s true or not, but there´s an anecdote of Sir Thomas Beecham arriving at an opera house with the score of Nozze di Figaro. When the concertmaster realized that he had the wrong score since that night they were performing Die Entführung aus dem Serail, he told him: Maestro, tonight it´s Seraglio. Sir Thomas just said: "Oh Lord". He closed the score and went on to conduct from memory.

Of course with a pianist it´s more difficult, because they have to have the work in their fingers, it´s also a physical thing.

There´s also an anecdote of Renata Scotto just returning from her honeymoon and going to Covent Garden with her husband to that night´s performance. They took a seat in the auditorium when someone spotted her there and said: But Renata, you are singing TONIGHT!!!! She ran to the dressing rooms and in a few minutes was ready to sing Mimí in La Bohéme.

Jose Echenique wrote:Oh, I don´t know if it´s true or not, but there´s an anecdote of Sir Thomas Beecham arriving at an opera house with the score of Nozze di Figaro. When the concertmaster realized that he had the wrong score since that night they were performing Die Entführung aus dem Serail, he told him: Maestro, tonight it´s Seraglio. Sir Thomas just said: "Oh Lord". He closed the score and went on to conduct from memory.

Of course with a pianist it´s more difficult, because they have to have the work in their fingers, it´s also a physical thing.

I thing it strange that she had not rehearsed with the orchestra before the concert, yet she managed to remember the entire concerto, that is some achievement. I have her box set of the entire Mozart piano sonatas, it is a lovely collection, I wouldn't be without it.

I read elsewhere that it was actually an open rehearsal, not the concert itself. Haven't actually got around to watching this video yet myself...

A wonderful feat to be able to carry something like that off.
I am sure that our Simon would be equally up to a similiar task!

I finally watched it, utterly amazing I have to say. I actually got goosebumps as she started playing.

Fergus, I will live my entire life without being able to play one Mozart concerto, no matter how much preparation time I'm given!!

Diapason wrote:
Fergus, I will live my entire life without being able to play one Mozart concerto, no matter how much preparation time I'm given!!

Not at all Simon....I have every faith in you!

Diapason wrote:I read elsewhere that it was actually an open rehearsal, not the concert itself. Haven't actually got around to watching this video yet myself...

That would make sense.

Seán wrote:

Diapason wrote:I read elsewhere that it was actually an open rehearsal, not the concert itself. Haven't actually got around to watching this video yet myself...

That would make sense.

It is indeed a rehearsal. Chailly has a towel around his neck LOL!!!!

Jose Echenique wrote:

Seán wrote:

Diapason wrote:I read elsewhere that it was actually an open rehearsal, not the concert itself. Haven't actually got around to watching this video yet myself...

That would make sense.

It is indeed a rehearsal. Chailly has a towel around his neck LOL!!!!

and yet she is a true professional: she is very upset as she had not prepared for the performance.