Glinka can justifiably be described as the fertile acorn from which grew the mighty oak of 19th century Russian national music. The graceful “Variations on...

Glinka can justifiably be described as the fertile acorn from which grew the mighty oak of 19th century Russian national music. The graceful “Variations on a Theme by Mozart,” based on material from “The Magic Flute,” is remodeled so skillfully that it has effectively become an original theme. Fashionable salon pieces include the “Variations on Benadetta sia la madre,” an Italian romance, and “Variations on a Theme from Cherubini’s Faniska,” an opera greatly admired by Glinka. In Milan he became famous for his ability to reproduce on the piano the nuances of the voices of the great singers of the day, giving rise to two entertaining sets of operatic variations on themes by Donizetti and Bellini. The “Variations on The Nightingale” represent his return to the Russian style. A multiple prizewinner of international competitions and described in the international press as a “poet on the piano with remarkable maturity,” Georgian-born pianist Inga Fiolia has a bright future. Since giving her first performance with an orchestra at the age of seven, she has shown outstanding ability as a soloist, accompanist, and interpreter of a wide variety of styles, from Baroque to 21st century compositions.