Think about it. Would Liberace be just another pianist playing in the back room of a saloon if he didn't have his own gimmick...a Candlabra, and eventually his own eye-catching fashion wardrobe (not to mention the Rolls Royce on stage). Would Arnold Schwarzenegger ever have become a movie star or the governor of California if he didn't use HIS own gimmick (muscles) to get noticed? Whatever it takes to stand apart from the crowd is what you do. The only qualifier is you have to be selling a quality product! And, SHE certainly is!

Danny...thanks for posting this. I'm a great lover of Classical music and opera. This lady really impressed me, not with her appearance so much as her playing. Her interpretation and dynamism is incredible. She really added fire to that piece. If Chopin were around today, he would have awarded her a Nobel prize for piano playing talent. I watched the video more than a few times and then proceeded to watch her other videos. And then proceeded to read her biography. Very impressive!

Someone here mentioned a possible "edit." I picked up on something that made me wonder the same thing. Around the minute mark and at 01:42 (and at the end), she raised her pinky and ring finger unusually high. And her thumb goes up at 01:55. It's my understanding that a Classical pianist plays "runs" with EVERY finger laying on the keyboard i.e when using the 1st, 2nd, and third fingers, the 4 and 5 stay in position (lightly touching the keys...reason being that it takes less time to hit the note if the fingers are there already and NOT 2-3 inches in the air.

But....I'd have to go with "she's the real thing." She's all over the Internet. And her specialty is my three favorite composers: "noted for her interpretations of compositions by Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff, visual performance, and piano transcriptions"

Lola Astanova on Wikipedia

For me, I wouldn't care if she came out dressed as an astronaut, her music is haunting and mesmerizing. I could listen to her play that Fantaisie Impromtu all day and Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodie all night!

We all agree that she is a talented piano player. But because of our morals we do not all agree of how she has presented herself, and that is very normal for the world we now live in.

John C.

As far as her appearance, I'm on the fence about that. I mean like it doesn't even border on SOFT porn. Just a very sensual video. I fault the videographer for the way he put it together. What was the point in showing her legs and feet (unless you're mimicking Quentin Tarantino with his foot fetish)? The video becomes a caricature as he tried too hard to put the whole thing over with sexual overtones. As for me, I'm somewhat of a purist....don't even want to see scenes like that in a movie!

There is more to this video than what has already been discussed. She triggered a thought in me that I've known for years, but often forget to do....PLAY WITH EMOTION. By coincidence I did that at the hospital where I play. It's boring just sitting there playing songs. One day last week, I decided to extricate myself from the boredom by PLAYING WITH EMOTION. There was such a difference in my sound that the receptionist, after my session, remarked that I "sounded extremely good today."

Using emotion to quickly learn or enhance anything is a principle used by motivational practitioners.
Example: if you want to learn a foreign language, don't just mindlessly go through the words. Say things like "thats'a sommmmme a meat-a-ball" and color the words.

But back to the video. Something else. Concert pianists sit upright (as in the movie Green Book). She's leaning forward. And...I'm noticing throughout the video that both sides of her hand go up and down on her "runs." That's rather unconventional for a concert pianist.

The sound doesn't match her playing when she hits each note. And the overall sound is a little TOO perfect, almost like it was done on a sequencer.

I still think she's the real thing but..does anyone else think the video was an editing feat of great magnificence?

I bet everyones heard the phrase "Sex Sells" so why the surprise. Its all showmanship in a difdferent way. Is Classical music off limits ? The girl can play so like someone said so could Liberace but what got him famous was his over the top showmanship.
I wish I had a hot female vocalist to work with. Opens many doors.

This will upset some people but it still needs to be said . That’s the problem right there . It objectifies women . Sex sells is not a surprise . The “hot female vocalist “ you would love to have has just become an object to use to open doors for you . Not her talent , not her intelligence ,not her innate value as a person . Her sexuality and erotic provocativeness is the head turner-and that has nothing to do with showmanship .

I am not a feminist by any means , but I have women I respect and love that I work with , or that are in my family and I am a father of a self confident and self respecting daughter, so I am curious , if it would be ok for you to think about your daughters , wives and sisters selling their sexuality to open doors for you for your economic gain ? There is a name for that in my country and yours and it’s not a pleasant name .....

But it’s 2019 . ....maybe it does not have the same connotations today ?

Your statement would only be true if the women (Or other) was forced to dress sexually to achieve another person’s requirements, however in most cases it is the women’s choice of what she wears so unless you are one of those that try and deny women there freedom to do and wear what they want, then as I mentioned the statement is false. (I also suggest you get out over the weekend to the clubs and bars that youngsters (And older) frequent as you will see that this type of dressing is FREELY chosen by most of the women)
BTW: This is how it has been for decades, not just 2019.

Bill

....seems you guys from the UK are properly divided on this issue.....in other words BREXIT all over.....would not get my knickers in a twist over this dressing code here,regardless the question whether she is wearing any or not😊

regards
John

Holland is fairly unique as a lot of what goes on there (Legally) is illegal in many other countries in the world, (Including many in Europe) although haven’t there been some push to close down some of the famous Dutch areas by certain groups.
No comparison to Brexit (Which really does polarise people’s views) as while there are small parts of the country that are critical about dress etc. the vast majority of the country is liberal about it. (Let’s face it the Mini Skirt that the UK bought to market in the 60s was derided by a large number with slogans like This is immoral, Its exploitation, It shouldn’t be allowed, however the younger generation just gave them the finger (Actually it was 2 fingers in those days) and by the 70s was just an accepted norm. (Contrary to the stereotype Britain is not as reserved as made out)

Bill

Force has nothing to do with it bill . Harvey Weinstein did not force a single starry eyed young women to do anything but he is alleged to have taken advantage of willing participants and is not held up as one of America’s finest ....,but he did open some doors for women . Maybe he should be awarded something instead of vilified ?

I have been out on a Saturday night in Birmingham on broad street . I have seen how a lot of the women dress and the behaviour that often ( not always ) corresponds with their dress , in public right out there in the street ...the consequences the morning after etc.

In fact a lot of young and older men count on these young women’s style of dress and behaviour as indicators of what they are willing to do and that the men hope to get at the end of the night . Call it buying and selling signals .

And that’s the culture that you might be fine with it and we could discuss this all day .

But none of this has anything to do with how a professional female musician markets her music compared to her male counterpart.

Whether she objectifies herself voluntarily or feels it’s just another thing women need to do that men don’t have to , she is still objectifying herself and it follows legitimising the act which of course she is free to do but is that a good thing ?

I know I am out of step with a lot of folks on this discussion . But that’s just fine by me . Everyone has a right to their opinion .

Absolutely

Bill