Pierre-Laurent Aimard opens Aldeburgh Festival

Presenting many of the Festival's themes, as well as Aimard’s musical passions and artistic collaborations, the first weekend saw Aimard himself leading the Britten Sinfonia, directing a complex programme from the piano with music by Bach, Boulez, Benjamin and Berio.

In his 50th birthday year, George Benjamin is this year’s composer in residence and his music features prominently throughout the Festival.

In the last weekend of the festival, Pierre Boulez will make his long-awaited Aldeburgh debut with the Ensemble intercontemporain, presenting his own works alongside those of Ligeti and Varèse as well as a world premiere by Elliott Carter, commissioned by the Aldeburgh Festival and dedicated to Aimard. Leon Fleisher also made his debut at Aldeburgh in a rare European appearance presenting a recital with his wife and features in masterclasses, talks and film. 

Aimard will also appear in a solo recital called “Collage-Montage”, presenting a variety of musical ideas in a fresh and stimulating format, as well as recitals with violinist Thomas Zehetmair and soprano Christiane Oelze. The festival runs in the small town on the Suffolk coast until Sunday 27 June 2010.

Aimard will be back in the UK this summer for a BBC Proms concert on 2 August at London’s Royal Albert Hall, appearing alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jonathan Nott. The programme features Mozart Piano Concerto No. 27, K595, Ligeti’s Musica ricercata – No.2 and George Benjamin’s Duet.