Review of BBC Proms 2025 ‘Khatia Buniatishvili plays Tchaikovsky’: “Royal mess at the Albert Hall doesn’t stop a tour de force rendition”

The acclaimed pianist returned to the Royal Albert Hall for a performance of the No.1 Concerto, accompanied by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under Jaime Martin’s guidance. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show — to let us know if last Friday’s rendition was carried out without any light, dark, or ruby stains.

You know what happened. And that’s as much as I shall reference it. It’s not my place to elaborate on an opinion on the subject — at least, not here. But to say that audiences were displeased by the sudden interruption of Margaret Sutherland’s Haunted Hills would be an understatement — the f*ck offs were not scarce. Neither was the confusion in both the viewers and organisers, who suddenly changed the schedule after setting everything up for Buniatishvili’s performance — the piano comes, the piano goes, the piano returns.

But despite the palpable tension that, for a few minutes, took over the venue, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to note how the incident may have come across as a godsend to anyone involved in the event. Though there’s always an air of excitement floating in every Prom, the feeling of unity that towered through each rendition after the unwelcome situation was as rare as it was overwhelming — the endless curtain calls, with everyone in the house breaking into rapturous applause (stomping included), speak for themselves.

But it was more than that. There’s a special kind of energy that materialises when you must go against the odds. As the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra restarted their opening piece, another shout emerged from the balcony. They didn’t stop this time. The music continued to flow. And from then on, the longing and heartfulness that, up until that point, had only made a shy appearance, began to unravel with thunderous force, regaling the listeners with an extraordinary interpretation filled with deftness, command, and absolute impeccability.

We can’t bring the same praise to Sutherland’s compositional abilities, nonetheless. With a cinematic flavour that also feeds from the popular music of its time, it’s undeniable that Haunted Hills is an enjoyable piece. However, the lack of evolution in its principal motif, beyond the changes in orchestral colour, erodes its interest at a considerable pace — never coming off as dull, but incapable of building an entire path of emotions for audiences to immerse themselves in.

The opposite impression is made by Dvořák’s Symphony No. 6 in D Major, brilliantly carried out by Jaime Martin’s exquisite conducting. Bringing its creator’s signature epic melodiousness and crude sentimentality, Martin’s flawless phrasing, combined with the immaculate balance he provides to every layer of the piece, leads to an intricately concocted tapestry of sounds, where each note, section, and segment is explored and leveraged to its utmost potential.

With the anticipation running higher than ever following Buniatishvili’s unattendance during Act One, much to the stupefaction of everybody onstage, her final appearance during the second half was received with a cheerfully raucous greeting. The wait was partially justified, and in several ways, worth it. There’s a bright, impassioned quality in her rendition that evenly matches Tchaikovsky’s lush, nostalgic brand — blending virtuosism with an adequate sense of tunefulness and delicacy. Yet, while her technical proficiency is hardly debatable, her artistic instinct doesn’t always shine on the same level, with several excerpts, particularly those featuring the repetition of short musical ideas, still needing more sparkle, individuality, and swirl.

An evening to remember, with those rushed headlines having little to do with it, last Friday’s Prom brought as much rapture and delight through its programming as it brought rapport across and beyond the stage. With the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra coming off as the ultimate star of the night, their whole execution served as a crucible of performative excellence, where each element came together in a perfect cadence of craftsmanship, fervour, and mellifluousness. And that’s a chant no one can silence.

All pictures credit to Chris Christodoulou.

The BBC Proms 2025 play at London’s Royal Albert Hall until 13 September. Full programme and tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara