Vadym Kholodenko: Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique

The celebrated pianist performs Schumann’s deeply personal Fantasie in C and Liszt’s audacious solo-piano version of Berlioz’ study of passion and obsession. Gold medallist at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Kyiv-born Vadym Kholodenko is known worldwide for performances combining power with precision and poetic insight. Schumann’s Fantasie in C stands among the composer’s most personal works. Written during a separation from his beloved Clara Wieck, it moves between restless longing and inward reflection. Dedicated to Liszt, the work unfolds on a symphonic scale while retaining an unmistakably intimate, confessional voice. After the interval comes Liszt’s own piano reimagining of Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique, which traces a fevered story of love and obsession, from a glittering ballroom to a march to the scaffold and a demonic witches’ sabbath. In Liszt’s hands, Berlioz’ vivid storytelling and unforgettable images emerge boldly through piano writing that pushes a performer to the edge of their abilities. Together, these two works explore the Romantic imagination at its most expansive and emotionally charged.