Carnegie Hall - Isaac Stern Auditorium Flash News
Igor Levit's Endurance Performance of Satie's Vexations
On April 24, pianist Igor Levit will embark on an extraordinary 16-hour performance of Erik Satie's Vexations at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. This event, part of the Multitudes festival, will be unique not only for its duration but also for the presence of assistants to help Levit during the marathon concert. Levit, who previously streamed a 15-hour rendition of the piece during the pandemic, encourages the audience to embrace the experience without expectations, emphasizing the work's lack of inherent meaning. Vexations, originally composed in 1893, consists of a short motif meant to be repeated 840 times, a challenge seldom tackled by a single pianist. Levit's collaboration with performance artist Marina Abramovi? aims to create a meditative atmosphere, prompting both performer and audience to engage deeply with the concept of time and presence. As Levit prepares for this daunting task, he expresses his commitment to creating art as a vital form of emotional survival, declaring his intention to share the transcendent power of music with others.