In 1958, Van Cliburn conquered millions...
The early stardom of this outstanding romantic pianist was followed by an uneven career in the increasingly demanding world of classical music recordings. Cliburn, who is now 75, still performs, although rarely, but his name will forever occupy a special place both in the history of the piano and that of Russian-American cultural relations. During a recent visit to Moscow, when he gave a master class as a part of the Slava Maestro Festival in memory of Mstislav Rostrapovich, RIA Novosti’s Irina Gordon talked to Cliburn.
Q. -- What role has the first Tchaikovsky Competition and Russia in general played in your life?
A. -- Everything. They were so wonderful to me. It was a dream coming here. When I was five years old I wanted to come here. Never dreaming that 18 years later I would be here. From the first moment I played before a Russian audience it was a revelation, a great inspiration, I’ll never forget that. So, all my life I carry with me Russia.