On 16 July, the Russian House in Brussels hosted its season-closing concert, the piano recital Where Paintings Come to Life, presented as a musical gift to the Belgian public on the occasion of Belgium’s National Day. The audience was treated to a performance by Alexey Dimitriadis, an award-winning pianist and one of the outstanding representatives of the new generation of performers. The concert became a true celebration of Russian classical music, bringing together lovers of great art and leaving the audience with unforgettable impressions.

The evening’s programme featured two masterpieces of the Russian piano repertoire: Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux and Modest Mussorgsky’s celebrated Pictures at an Exhibition.

The first half of the concert was devoted to Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux. Alexey Dimitriadis subtly conveyed the full range of the composer’s emotional world—from reflective lyricism and inner contemplation to dramatic intensity and profound feeling. Every piece in the cycle was performed with exceptional attention to detail, expressive depth, and artistic conviction.

In the second half, the audience embarked on a fascinating journey through Mussorgsky’s musical gallery. Under the pianist’s hands, the images of Pictures at an Exhibition came vividly to life: the mysterious Gnome, the romantic Old Castle, the bustling Market at Limoges, the haunting Catacombs, and the impetuous Baba Yaga. Thanks to the performer’s artistry, these musical pictures seemed to unfold before the listeners’ eyes with remarkable colour and imagination.

Alexey Dimitriadis’s performance proved to be one of the highlights of the concert season. His virtuoso technique, refined musicality, and deep understanding of the Russian performing tradition revealed the richness and beauty of the works by Rachmaninoff and Mussorgsky. Every piece on the programme was performed at an outstanding artistic level, earning the audience’s sincere admiration.

The audience followed the musical narrative with great attention and, after the recital had ended, was reluctant to let the pianist leave the stage. Each half of the concert was warmly received, while the final chords were greeted with prolonged applause and numerous cries of “Bravo!” The atmosphere of the evening testified to the profound emotional impact the music had made on everyone present.