A midnight call from Joseph Stalin throws Radio Moscow into chaos. The ageing dictator has requested a recording of a piano sonata to be delivered to the Kremlin the following morning. There’s one problem: the recording does not exist and the pianist was arrested years ago. But you cannot say no to Stalin. Radio Moscow make a desperate attempt to satisfy the dictator’s request in time.
Inspired by the life of the controversial pianist Maria Yudina, this thriller explores the role of music in people’s lives during one of the darkest periods of Soviet history.
The legend surrounding Yudina’s recording for Stalin made an appearance in Armando Iannucci’s film The Death of Stalin.
“This lively British composer writes jumbled, sometimes crazy pieces produced by hurling many kinds of music into the pot and giving them a quizzical stir”.–The Times
By downloading this libretto you are supporting the further development of Sonata for Broken Fingers.
You can also make a donation.
