At the Biarritz Piano Festival, enchanting concerts with a view of the lighthouse and the ocean

The 15th edition of the piano festival continues in Biarritz until August 9 with a series of concerts that highlight the pianists of the new generation in often exceptional panoramas.

Created in 2010 by pianist Thomas Valverde, the Biarritz Piano Festival has found its focus and its audience. The ambition: to introduce artists from all over the world, from the new generation of piano, but also more recognized pianists. All with affordable prices ranging from 10 to 65 euros. A choice that allowed the festival to find its audience. No less than 10,000 spectators attended the 2023 edition.

The concerts take place at five different locations: the rotunda of the Bellevue space and its immense glass roof; the Salon Diane of the municipal casino; the Biarritz lighthouse located at Pointe Saint-Martin, a rocky escarpment overlooking the city; Place Bellevue facing the ocean and the steps of the Côte des Basques, “a beach with an exceptional setting framed by cliffs, with a view of the coast Spanish and the mountains” (according to the tourist office). Common point of all these sites:From their place, each spectator can admire the sea and the artists too. Enough to give a special atmosphere and breath to each concert.

The proof was on Monday, August 5, with two very different artists who offered a concert at the foot of the lighthouse: the swing jazz pianist (who is also a surgeon) Alain Valverde, and the Gauthier Toux Trio. The first came out “still all shaken up and stars in my eyes.”

While playing in front of the ocean in the open air is often very pleasant, even magical, “It’s also difficult,” by the admission of Thomas Valverde, the creator of the festival. “This requires being clearer, more concrete”But for the pianist trained at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris, it proved very stimulating. “It was while playing outdoors, during the concert at Bellevue in 2022, that I rediscovered the freedom of a solo piano”he confided to the Classicagenda website. A freedom that led to the creation of his third album, Polkacritically acclaimed.

The festival continues until August 9 with some great events in store: 24-year-old Moroccan pianist Nour Ayadi, nominated in the Revelation category, instrumental soloist of the Victoires de la musique classique 2024 on Tuesday, August 6; the one who is considered to be “Lthe phenomenon of Ukrainian piano”, Anastasia Rizikov on Wednesday, August 7; composer, arranger, conductor and director Christophe Chassol who will offer on August 8 a musical creation designed around the work of the American painter Basquiat. Finally, the 9 August is Franco-Sri Lankan pianist and poet Shani Diluka who will close the festival with the closing concert.