The Valkyrie of the Piano

The Valkyrie of The Piano

Teresa Carreño was perhaps the greatest pianist of her time. She was known by many of her followers as the Valkyrie of the Piano- a testament to her indefatigable energy. A towering musical genius, she was lauded by Liszt, Rossini, Rubinstein, Brahms, and Grieg. Carreño found time also to become a composer of note, a singer, conductor, and impresario. Yet her fiery temperament- that served her so well at the instrument- did not go over very well in the polite society circles of her time. That, coupled with her stormy relationships, made Carreño an outcast in her own country.

The one-person play “The Valkyrie of the Piano”, brings to the fore in gripping confessional style the contradictions of Carreño’s indomitable spirit, the turmoil surrounding her four marriages, and tragic episodes, such as her decision to give her first daughter in adoption. Faced with her own frailty, Teresa, more human than ever, reminisces, broods, wrestles with, and finally comes to terms with the characters and circumstances inhabiting her private and professional universe.

During the play, the performance style of Carreño will live again through the recordings she left us, some of which will be reproduced as part of the play and will serve to inform the pianists’ own live performances.