Introductions are no longer necessary for Nikolai Lugansky: audiences at the Auditorium have often had the opportunity of enjoying the performances, recitals as well as concertos, of this talented Russian pianist who is often compared to his great elder Sviatoslav Richter: same majestic sound, same technical ease, same total control of sound, phrasing, tempo, with the sole desire of glorifying the musical narrative. Rachmaninov’s Second Concerto is a merciless justice of the peace. Not everyone can master the formidable technical difficulty and convey the unbounded passion of this work. And rare are those who go beyond pure demonstration and serve the music instead of serving themselves. Lugansky is one of this rare breed. The rest of the concert will lead us into a world of magic, the world of Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale, for which Joby Talbot (he collaborated with Paul McCartney and The Divine Comedy) has composed this “Dance of Spring”, given here in its world premiere; and the world of Prokofiev’s ballet Cinderella, the most beautiful excerpts of which Leonard Slatkin has chosen for this special event.