The Palau de la Música opened the season with a full house, thanks to two exceptional musicians: the Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov, considered by many to be the best violinist in the world, and Roustem Saitkoulov, an extraordinary pianist, born in the Republic of Tatarstan and trained in Moscow and Munich. Vengerov was born in 1974, started his career as a solo violinist at the age of five, recorded his first album at the age of ten and won the Wieniawski International Competition that same year. At fifteen he won another international competition, the prestigious Carl Flesch. He won a Grammy and was named artist of the year by Gramophone magazine. He has played all over the world, accompanied by important philharmonic orchestras, and continues to give concerts and collect awards.
Barcelona residents were lucky enough to see and hear him live, accompanied on the piano by the brilliant pianist Saitkoulov, thanks to BCN Clàssics and the Palau. A luxury we will not forget.
This makes me think that Barcelona is regaining its rhythm, that despite everything that is happening in the world and here, we are thinking about music again, perhaps as a way of escape, or simply as cultural leisure. The Palau, the Auditorium and the Liceu have programs that will be worth seeing and listening to, for our interest and so that they can continue to program world-class works and artists. Barcelona residents must continue to fill our theaters, if possible with children and grandchildren. There is no better heritage than cultural education.
And culture is not just classical music, it is also theater and cinema, musicals, concerts, art galleries and museums, reading... There is so much to see in our city! We go out and attend what we like the most, we enjoy ourselves and, with all certainty, we will return home more full of culture. And if we also read some good literature for a while, like what is done here or what is translated, we will have completed a full day of culture, which is what makes us more human.
