When the pianist Francesco Piemontesi hears an unreleased recording of the pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, it comes as a shock to him. This freedom of playing, these colors and nuances, this virtuosity, which is always presented with a smile, overwhelms him. He decides to explore what he believes he is hearing here: the alchemy of the piano.

Perfomance 24.06.2014 in ROH. In June 2014, London’s Royal Opera House presented Jonathan Kent’s new production of Manon Lescaut. With a stellar cast, including Kristīne Opolais and Jonas Kaufmann in the roles of the young lovers Manon Lescaut and Chevalier des Grieux, Jonathan Kent brings this 19th century classic to a 2014 setting, both non-naturalistic and theatrical. Supporting the action on stage is the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with their venerable Music Director Antonio Pappano.