"A huge honor": world-renowned musicians for tribute concerts at the Heures Musicales de Biot starting this Monday

"It's very moving to think that when we play on Monday [read, today] in the church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, Liliane Valsecchi will not be there to welcome us with her customary enthusiasm, tenderness and spontaneity," confides the great violinist Renaud Capuçon.

The man who is invited to the greatest stages around the world, like his brother, cellist Gautier Capuçon, retains a deep affection for the Heures musicales de Biot festival, and for the woman who embodied it for more than forty years and who is no more. "These moments in Biot, to which we are deeply attached, are for me and for my brother, for so many years of love and loyalty, like an essential breath in our journey, and it is with her in mind that we will play," continues the virtuoso.

"A huge honor"

This unique "family" atmosphere that was created around music and the late president led the two musicians she called her "darlings" to accept the request of the new president of the festival Olivier Augé-Laribé and his team and the mayor of Biot Jean-Pierre Dermit to become the patrons of the festival. "It is an immense honor that has been bestowed upon us and I am all the more moved as we had prepared the program for this evening together," says Renaud Capuçon. With his young, high-flying musician friends, cellist Julia Hagen, violist Paul Zientara and pianist Guillaume Bellom, the violinist will perform this Monday, June 9 at 9 p.m., a Mozart duet, the single movement of a rare early quartet written by Gustav Mahler - "music of rare depth" - and the "quartet in C minor opus 13" by Strauss, a moving work offered in his youth by the composer.

One of the most eminent pianists of the moment

A tribute that the deceased would have appreciated and for which emotion will be present, as three days later on Thursday, June 12, with the arrival of one of the most eminent pianists of the moment , Nelson Goerner.

"I'm delighted to be playing in this unique venue with its magnificent acoustics, the church of Biot," says the pianist. "Because I'm sensitive to atmospheres imbued with emotion in which music can flourish freely and transfigure our innermost feelings."

One could not dream of a better tribute to the passionate pianist Liliane Valsecchi than the melodies created by the fingers of this virtuoso whose mastery, sensitivity, and musical and imaginative capacity constantly serve musical color and nuance.

He will perform Beethoven's "Sonata No. 28 Opus 101", Schumann's "Carnival Opus 9" and Rachmaninov's "Ten Preludes Opus 23" and will conclude his recital with the original "Concert Arabesques on the Beautiful Blue Danube" by Polish composer Andrei Schulz-Evler.

Musical Hours, tonight at 9 p.m., then this Thursday, June 12, at Sainte-Marie-Madeleine Church (2 Place de l'Église), €15 to €40. Reservations at biot.fr and on site, subject to availability.