Reliving the past is Golabek herself who
gives an up close and personal account of the most intimate details of her
family’s traumatic and shocking life.
The writer and musician takes us into her personal space, speaking
heroically about her mother Lisa Jura, whilst playing various piano pieces
effortlessly including Scriabin’s Etude in D Minor, Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’
Sonata and Debussy’s Clair de Lune.
Lisa is a young Jewish girl who loves to
play the piano; even in silence she loves to place her fingers over the piano
keys. One day, as she made her usual way to visit her piano teacher in Vienna, in
preparation of playing Grieg’s Piano Concert in A Minor at the Musikverein
Concert Call in the future, her life changed as soon as she arrived at his
door.
This change came from the regime's decision to make it illegal to
teach Jewish children, so he told her it was best to leave immediately, and that was the last time she ever saw her teacher.
Towards the end of 1938, the Nazi’s military power grew stronger and enforced
the slaughter and persecution of the Jewish population – Kristalnacht – which was
prevalent throughout the Third Reich. Yet by luck, Lisa's father managed to get a
golden ticket for her to take the Kindertransport to England.
Golabek gives a remarkable rendition of her courageous mother through touching and tender moments. These segments included Lisa saying
goodbye to her family before boarding the train, to finding a place to sleep
during the London’s Blitz and, by chance, getting a scholarship to the Royal Academy of
Music.
Adapted by Hershey Felder, this visceral
play steals the hearts of the audience including those new to classical music.
The production has black and white footage, which provide visual context and
emotional language to Golabek’s voice. These visual projections are formed by
Andrew Wilder’s gold edged frames that act as a way into Lisa’s world,
alongside a large Steinway grand piano for Golabek to play breathtaking variations
by the great composers.
In light of current affairs, where today’s UK government is considering taking 3000
unaccompanied children from Syria, this 90 minute play is not only a history lesson but a musical story filled with love, pathos and sweeping tension.
Excellent programme &exquisite performances by Mona Golabek on the keys #ThePianistOfWillesdenLane @St_JamesTheatre pic.twitter.com/MMQ42JeXRz— Mary Grace Nguyen (@MaryGNguyen) January 22, 2016
 |
| Coverage: Music into Words |
 |
| Swing by Around 8 Review |
 |
| Review: Met Opera's Live in HD: Pearl Fishers |
No comments:
Post a Comment