Australia has a slippery relationship with hero status. As a nation, our pantheon of champions is reserved for those who kick footballs and adorn glossy trading cards, with the occasional Surry Hills thespian earning some national pride once they win an Oscar.

To crown an Australian hero outside the sacred arenas of the AFL or the Hollywood studio system is a fraught endeavour, perhaps, but I would like to invite concert pianist David Helfgott an overdue and much-deserved admission.

David Helfgott. Photo supplied

Best known as the subject of Oscar-winning biopic Shine, Helfgott undertook the opening performance of his Australian farewell tour in triumphant form. The entrance hall of the Melbourne Recital Centre was packed to capacity, with a thrum of cheerful excitement reflecting the pervasive good will reserved for this figurehead of Australian arts and humanity.

Such was the opinion shared between myself and Andrew Kay, the tour’s promoter, who affirmed that David’s power as a performer lay in his capacity for love and the willingness with which he shares that love.

And it can safely be said that, last night, none were disappointed.

Not to labour a point, but Helfgott’s entrance onstage was indeed...