On 15 October 2023, the Gran Teatre del Liceu paid tribute to Alicia de Larrocha on the centenary of her birth. The concert brought together pianist Javier Perianes, the Gran Teatre del Liceu Symphony Orchestra and Josep Pons in an all-Beethoven programme.
The programme paired the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, “Emperor”, with Javier Perianes as soloist, and the Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92. The choice of Beethoven reflected an essential aspect of Alicia de Larrocha’s artistic life: she maintained a profound relationship with his music and frequently performed both his piano concertos and solo repertoire. During the presentation of the tribute, Josep Pons described her as an “absolute Beethovenian.”
Regarded as one of the outstanding pianists of the twentieth century, Alicia de Larrocha enjoyed an exceptional international career and played a decisive role in bringing the music of Isaac Albéniz, Enrique Granados, Manuel de Falla, Frederic Mompou and Xavier Montsalvatge to audiences around the world. The Liceu concert formed part of the events held throughout 2023 to preserve her legacy and introduce it to new generations.
The participation of Javier Perianes, one of Spain’s leading international pianists, also established a dialogue between generations of performers. His account of the “Emperor” Concerto was followed by Edvard Grieg’s Nocturne, Op. 54 No. 4 as an encore, before Josep Pons and the Liceu Orchestra completed the tribute with the rhythmic vitality and energy of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
Through this concert, the Gran Teatre del Liceu honoured not only an exceptional pianist, but also a central figure in Catalan musical culture and an artist who carried its repertoire to the world’s leading stages.