Grains of… Sound | mosel musikfestival

Program: Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition Maurice Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit

Stories that arise from sand
These are paintings and drawings that Mussorgsky musically comments on in ten movements, and a collection of poems that inspired Ravel for his three-movement piano sonata.

At our concerts in Deinhard’s and the Campus Auditorium, we experience the viewing of the pictures and the poetry of the words in a very special way: Accompanied by the sounds of the piano, the works are brought to life through live sand art animations. A fascinating performance.

In the project "Grains of … Sound," the musical themes come alive through the captivating visual narrative art of sand art animation by Erica Abelardo. In Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition,” each of the lively movements of the suite represents a specific artwork by the Russian artist Viktor Hartmann, while Ravel's “Gaspard de la Nuit” is inspired by the poetry of Aloysius Bertrand. The references to the paintings and the narration of the poems form the basis for the live performance by the Italian artist. On a light table, she develops the artwork in real-time and underscores the virtuosic performance of pianist Jacopo Petrucci in a touching manner.

It is a blend of visual art and storytelling that the Italian sand artist from Abruzzo has been performing live since 2011. Erica Abelardo presents her complex sand illustrations at festivals and theaters both domestically and internationally. With her work, she combines craftsmanship with new media, creating a powerful medium for telling emotional and immersive stories.

Alongside her: The rising Italian pianist Jacopo Petrucci, who specializes in the repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries. He studied at the “Conservatorio A. Casella” in L'Aquila, the “Scuola di musica di Fiesole,” and the “Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia,” establishing himself as a soloist and chamber musician. In the 2024/2025 season, Petrucci will go on an international tour with the performance “Dancing Glass,” which will take him all the way to China.

Jacopo Petrucci – piano
Erica Abelardo – live sand art performance