Julia Lezhneva & Alexander Melnikov

A Baroque star taking on Rachmaninov? Julia Lezhneva made her name with Georg Friedrich Händel and Antonio Vivaldi – so an evening of Rachmaninov might come as a surprise. But that’s exactly the point. His Romances are among the most passionate vocal music in the Russian repertoire, full of sweeping emotion and rich melody. In between, pianist Alexander Melnikov plays solo Préludes that are just as intense. It’s a real conversation between voice and piano, with two exceptional musicians pushing each other into new territory.