ROSSINA GRIECO AT THE ANTHENAEUM - A STAR IS BORN

"I remember the moment I saw her. She greeted guests with a radiant smile, blooming like a flower with each passerby. Her choice of outfit — the faintest, most ethereal shade of pale green that shimmered in the light — only enhanced her presence. She spoke to old friends, childhood neighbors, and incoming patrons with such grace and delight, her laughter weaving through the room like music itself.

 

As she bowed and the house lights dimmed, she slipped off her stunning heels and adjusted herself, locking in like a race car driver ready to astonish the crowd. She inhaled, a quiet signal of the unforgettable 57 minutes to come. The Beethoven roared with strength, resilience, and rhythmic perfection — sharp, precise, and executed with technique unparalleled. The sheer power emanating from such a petite figure was astounding. She shook the entire room. The psychological depth of her expression was staggering; it felt like watching a house on fire, blazing with an enigmatic and severe magnitude. My jaw remained dropped through the first movement, and as she finished, the audience sat utterly breathless, collectively in awe. Her Appassionata

 

Her second movement of the Appassionata was a complete transformation — delicate, structured, sweet. There was a rare quality to her sound, reminiscent of a young Uchida, a purity and sincerity that felt almost sacred. Then came the third movement: an eruption of speed and precision, each note sparkling with intent. The Beethoven statue behind her seemed to gleam with pleasure at her interpretation, as if he himself were reveling in the vitality she brought to his work. Listening to her made you feel everything at once — but most profoundly, alive.

 

She didn’t take a bow between pieces; she simply carried on, an unstoppable force of artistry.

 

The Chopin that followed made the Polish ladies beside me beam with patriotic pride. She played as if she were improvising, each phrase unfolding as naturally as breath, her fingers conjuring melodic poetry with effortless grace. Words fall short, especially during the technically demanding passages where she infused playful nuance against the weight of the Ballade’s darker moments. Her fingers danced and glided, like fairies in gossamer, captivating us all. It was a triumph — I only wished I’d heard her live sooner.

 

And then, the Liszt Sonata.

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I truly don’t think I’ve ever experienced such transcendence in a single concert, in this lifetime or the next — and I’ve heard Cliburn live. She began with those low, ominous notes, like dangerous questions punctuating the silence. As the piece unraveled, she morphed into something new: no longer the blossoming flower, the delicate fairy, or the fierce interpreter of Beethoven. She became an elemental force. The music spiraled through desperation, passion, romance, and the most intimate explorations of the soul. Yet nothing seemed difficult for her. Thundering octaves, blistering runs — she made it all look effortless, as if the piano were an extension of herself.

 

A couple in the audience, overwhelmed by the music’s romance, began to kiss. They were gently scolded, but truthfully, what else is music for? To elicit feeling, to seize the moment, to cherish the ones you’re with.

All in all, Rossina Grieco is a star — a bright, singular, impossibly talented star, blazing in the sky, impossible to ignore. Though I saw the concert already, I bought a ticket to the same concert again."

 

@THECLASSICALPULSE