Alica Sara Ott and Fransesco Tristano first met when Alice was a teenager. They’re now touring the world with their duo and have released a CD, Scandale.
Althought the two artists are relatively young, their accomplishments are impressive. Twenty-four year old German-Japanese pianist Alice has played with Münchner Philharmoniker, NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and performed at Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series in London as well as the Chicago Symphony Center, New York’s Le Poisson Rouge, Hamburg’s Laeiszhalle and Berlin Kammermusiksaal.
Francesco started playing piano at age five, performed in his first concert (performing his own compositions) at 13 and has toured both as a virtuosic soloist and with renowned orchestras including the Russian National Orchestra, the French National Orchestra of Lille and the Philharmonie Luxembourg.
“I think I read the about Francesco when I was about 15 or 16 years old,” shares Alice, “It was an article in a German music magazine and after reading it I found a recording of Bach’s Goldberg variations by him in a shop. I just loved the way he played Bach. Then we met three, four years ago playing at the event organised by Universal Music in London. We became friends and started to go to listen to each other’s concerts whenever we were in the same town.”
The friendship has brought about collaboration, and due has recently released a CD, Scandale. “Though Alice and I are very different, we complement each other very well, which makes for a unique project in its own way,” says Francesco. “Alice has undoubtedly learned patience, as I sometimes push it to the limits. I have in turn learned how to deal with a great musical personality. The life of a pianist is a solitary one. The tour of Scandale isn’t!”
The name of the CD doesn’t refer to the frisson between the two though – more so the sentiments towards two of the pieces on the CD. “La Valse and The Rite of Spring were “scandal” pieces when both pieces were premiered,” explains Francesco. “The composers wanted to give people in a middle-class bourgeois a shock. When The Rite of Spring was premiered, Sergei Diaghilev, a founder of the Ballet Russes knew that the piece would have been scandal. However, the top dancer and the choreographer of the piece, Saslav Niijinsky did not. He was actually in shock by how the audience reacted to this piece.
“These pieces were not well received by the audience when they were premiered. However, they are very popular today and one of the reasons is the attention the piece received from being scandal at that time.”
When the pair aren’t on stage, they like to test out their skills in the kitchen. “Alice and I like to cook together. Ingredients in cuisine are like ingredients in music. In this sense we are trying with ‘Scandale’ to bring across the full palette of tastes, perfumes and flavours,” says Francesco.
Alice Sara Ott & Francesco Tristano (piano duo)
Wednesday 2 July 7.30pm
Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre
Part of Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Performers series.
Tickets:
Premium $105
A reserve $92 ($50 Concession)
B reserve $78 ($50 Concession)
C reserve $50
For more information and tickets, visit melbournerecital.com.au/greatperformers or call Melbourne Recital
Centre’s Box Office during business hours on 03 9699 3333.
