French pianist Michel Dalberto plays with passion and purpose

Some 47 years ago, French pianist Michel Dalberto was awarded First Prize at the 1978 Leeds International Piano Competition.

- Chang Tou Liang

Now at the age of 70, he rolls back the decades to perform a 105-minute piano recital without a break. Never have so many notes been packed within a showing that would not look out of place at the Singapore International Piano Festival.

Not to be typecast as a French music specialist, he opened with Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata No. 23 In F Minor (Op. 57), also known as the Appassionata.

Dalberto played with fire, purpose and projection, yet was careful to differentiate between quieter sections and those with barnstorming. There was little to no banging, yet every note was made to count. He was in perfect control throughout and defined what passion was all about.