★★★★★ The superstar pianist dazzles Brisbane in an unforgettable concert.

Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane
June 5, 2016

Lang Lang performances these days come with some heavy expectations. This is a pianist who has become one of the most visible classical music performers in the world, and who is routinely referred to as a classical superstar. He’s performed as part of the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, not to mention a truly astonishing list of collaborations ranging from jazz pianist Herbie Hancock to the band Metallica. This is, of course, without mentioning the list of orchestras and conductors he’s worked with, which can be essentially summed up with two words – “almost everyone”. Reading the biography included with the programme notes for the concert was head-spinning – performing for four American presidents as well as the Queen is a decent thing to have on your resume. With such impressive credentials, a concert featuring Lang Lang in little ol’ Brisbane is something to get excited about.

In the lead-up to the performance, the entire concert was brought forward by a week for unspecified reasons. Originally, QSO was going to play Manuel de Falla’s Three-Cornered Hat Suite and feature...