There on the stage, alone, sits a single, glorious, sparkling black grand piano.
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The strategically placed lights above shine down upon it as the audience waits in hushed whispers on a chilly night in a beautiful hall in NYC's Lincoln Center.
As magnificently crafted as that elegant Grand is, it is just a curvaceous box of wood, ivory, strings and metal….until she glides from the velvet curtain; stage left.
She is true elegance as she floats across the stage passing in front of the Mighty Steinw*ay that, in that moment it is clear is merely her accompaniment.
The anticipation is palpable as I hear the audience collectively catch their breath, along with me, as we take in just how beautiful she truly is.
She stands before us in her stunning silky,pale toffee-colored, sleeveless gown.
It perfectly showcases her glistening, flawless, alabaster skin and lithe frame.
The crystals embedded on the front and back of her gown sparkle and shine like diamonds beneath the lights.
In a moment, she greets her audience with a bow as she shyly parts her lips: showcasing that unbelieveably dazzling smile of hers.
Even before she begins it is clear; she is a one woman show.
She quickly positions herself in front of the piano and with ultimate concentration and grace she embarks on a magical journey as her fingers enchantingly begin to touch the keys.
The incredible sound has enveloped us all and within seconds we are helplessly and happily under her spell.
She summons Prokofiev, Liadov, Bortkiewicz, Vladigerov, Shubert (Liebermann) and Liszt.
She undoubtedly makes all of them beam with pride.
The strength, power, endurance and precision that emanates from her, alone, can only be described as mesmerizing.
Her fingers dance across the keys like delicate ballerinas then pounce like a tiger.
They are as playful as a couple of Jack Russell Terriers on an afternoon jaunt, hopping like a fluffy white rabbit on the new grass in Springtime, and then, without warning move furiously in a controlled blur; only to come to rest in a lingering slow motion as if to squeeze every minute detail from the notes beneath.
She delivers every emotion right at our feet…
A Sunrise
A Crashing Cymbal
A Waterfall
Black, White and the Rainbow of Colors between
A Moment in Time
Loss, Love, Hunger, Satisfaction
Unbridled Passion
Silent Snowfall
A Speeding Locomotive
Purpose, Whimsy
Waves relentlessly crashing against a jetty
Abandon, Devotion
A Dazzling Racehorse
A Delicate Music Box
Her statuesque beauty and elegance evokes a timelessness that is hard to deny.
She is in front of me, yet I am magically transported as I watch her playing a hundred years ago; perhaps two hundred.
She is a vision.
Her talent is undeniable and the intellect that goes hand in hand with that kind of talent
is beyond my comprehension.
There is not a stitch of music before her yet;
she executes a perfect performance for nearly two hours using merely the contents of her head.
Merely the contents of her head?!
I cannot imagine such a gift…just her and the piano.
With her sheer ability and the depths of her soul, working in absolute unison,
she captures the world.
My eyes well up as I imagine the foresight, allegiance and respect for her extraordinary gift that led her down the path of nurturing it and dedicating herself completely
to her craft since childhood.
She has worked tirelessly through the decades to perfect it, often under the scrutiny of others but always under the ever present and watchful eye of her harshest critic; herself.
She sits at the helm of the Steinw*ay, not on a bench,
but high upon a stack of cushions; an unlikely throne for such royalty.
As I watch her there, her slim and elegant silhouette reminds me of the fairy tale;
The Princess and the Pea.
I cannot take my eyes off of her as I hear her play the Christmas Waltz.
It is so incredibly beautiful and she brings it to life.
I feel the warmth of my own tears silently stream down my cheek.
My husband reaches for my hand and swallows hard, himself,
gently shaking his own head in acknowledgement.
How such beauty and talent can live in one person... I am lost in wonder.
The performance has ended but the audience will not allow her to leave.
She momentarily disappears behind the curtain and emerges
time and again after each of the 4 ovations.
Each time she appears she is, characteristically, shy and unassuming but the moment she sits before her piano (her familiar partner and friend); her fears are quickly abated
as she re-enters her zone.
Before each encore she whispers to the audience the name and composer of the piece in her soft, shy Bulgarian accent before she magnificently performs it...becomes it; from memory, for her insatiable audience.
The moment I hear her voice, I awaken from the trance the music has put me in.
I smile among the backdrop of the sounds emanating from the stage; from her.
I am remembering all the beautiful words I have heard from that very voice.
There she is, my darling friend;
the enviously thin, bubbly, joyful, ever appreciative girl
who always looks so chic even when clad in jeans and a t-shirt.
I know her and I adore her.
She’s ridiculously unassuming; a true lover of life.
I see her quietly asleep on my sofa;
picking crumbs from a giant cupcake
in the middle of the night that I have made her the evening before…
she’s like a little mouse!
She is being so silly and making our daughters
(our little virtual twins) laugh,
She’s rockin’ a hula hoop and cracking herself
(and us) up.
In those moments, she is just the sweetest girl I know.
She is adept at putting her alter ego, Pianist Extraordinaire…La Virtuosa, upon a shelf.
She is a wife.
(Handsome Prince Farhan)
She is a mother.
(Breathtakingly Beautiful Rosalia)
She is a friend.
She is slipping her arm into mine and walking together in the park as we chat and giggle like schoolgirls enjoying every moment of one another.
Ours is a friendship that we almost missed had the stars not been precisely aligned.
Her precious, genuine words and kind, gentle manner never cease to warm my heart.
She snuggles close to me and whispers “you are so real” and she means every word...
she thanks me for our friendship.
I remind her how extraordinary she is and how lucky I am to have her in my life.
She is and I am.
If you ever have the privilege to hear an exceptional, enchanting performance by my dear friend, don’t hesitate for a moment.
Her performance is as unforgettable as the woman is herself.
To learn more about her,you can visit her here
And watch a clip of some of her past performances
Here and Here.
