On April 22, the Russian House in Brussels hosted, with great success, a concert by the outstanding pianist, Honored Artist of Russia Oleg Wainstein, titled “Music of the Bolshoi: Ballet, Opera, Romances,” dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the Bolshoi Theatre.
The evening became a true musical journey into the history of one of the main symbols of Russian culture. Founded in 1776 by decree of Empress Catherine II, the Bolshoi Theatre has for centuries remained a center of opera and ballet art, a stage where masterpieces of world classics were and continue to be created.
It was here that Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky first appeared as a conductor—at the premiere of his opera Cherevichki in 1887. The theatre also hosted the staging of his legendary Swan Lake, which has become a hallmark of world ballet.
The concert program featured piano works associated with the Bolshoi Theatre’s repertoire across different years:
- I. Tchaikovsky — M. Pletnev: 5 pieces from the ballet The Sleeping Beauty
- I. Tchaikovsky — P. Pabst: paraphrase on themes from the opera Eugene Onegin
- V. Rachmaninoff — E. Wild: 7 transcriptions of romances
Music familiar from the ballet and opera stage was presented to the audience in a new, virtuosic piano interpretation. Oleg Wainstein’s performance was distinguished by remarkable purity of sound, exquisite technique, and rare expressiveness. The music seemed to take on new life, unfolding with particular depth and emotional power. The audience received the concert with genuine enthusiasm: they would not let the musician leave the stage, rewarding him with prolonged applause and standing ovations.
Oleg Wainstein is a Honored Artist of Russia, one of the leading Russian pianists, Associate Professor at the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, and a laureate of international competitions. His artistry is marked by subtle musicality, depth of interpretation, and brilliant technique—all of which were fully evident during this unforgettable evening in Brussels.
