Ludovico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall review by Ryan Beardsley
Could there be a more fitting venue than the Royal Albert Hall for the Maestro himself, Ludovico Einaudi? It’s the final night of a record breaking 6 night run and he and his orchestra pull out all the stops on what must be the classical music highlight of the year.
He is joined by an ensemble of intensely talented musicians from the Rimini Classica String Ensemble, as well as standouts Redi Hasa on the cello and Francesco Arcuri on percussions for the first segment of the night as he showcases his most recent album; The Summer Portraits.
The music is typically emotionally evocative, harking back to summer breaks from the great man’s childhood, resonating with all of those in the audience, creating at once immersive externally and internally meditative soundscapes.
It’s a visually stunning show this evening also, particularly on Eros from his release Nightbook; the intense red lights thrown all over the historic venue in time with the beating of the drum creates an unforgettable experience for all 6 thousand fans in attendance.
There’s a gentle session of the elegant silver haired composer, don in signature fedora, alone with a single spotlight bathing him in light and adoration in equal parts for some of his more well known compositions, which feels so intimate even in this vast arena. The subtle movements that gently build and build in scale and intensity for which he is known and loved are bringing many to tears in London this evening, the resonance is tangible.
There is time for some conversation, as the 69 year old kindly states that “London is the best crowd”, though I’m not entirely sure how an audience quality is gauged for a classical concert, the least amount of coughing? But I can’t help but mention that in a strict no photos/phones show, I still witnessed flashes of picture taking from people who really should know better.
The final act was an all timer, Divenire, Experience and an encore of The Tower. With the latter seeing the orchestra joined by the Grand Organ, the second largest in the UK according to Wikipedia and it’s an extraordinary spectacle from a visual perspective.
What next for Ludovico Einaudi? Possibly the only musician out there who ably straddles the fine line between classical and popular music who has his naysayers from the former, but billions of hits on YouTube, Spotify and even Tiktok from fans of the latter. Even at 69 he shows no signs of slowing down and you would be mad to miss out on seeing this extraordinary performer at the very peak of his powers, I promise you will not regret it.
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