Piano Nocturnes

"Piano Nocturnes"
, at the Cum

Piano Nocturnes at the Mediterranean University Center in Nice!

Christine Gastaud

2026–2027 Season:
Les Nocturnes du Piano in Nice.
Nour Ayadi and Philippe Bianconi

For this new season, we are delighted to invite you to the prestigious setting of the Centre Universitaire Méditerranéen (CUM) in Nice for a series of exceptional recitals.

To kick off this series of musical events, we are deeply honored to welcome pianistNour Ayadi, followed by the great French maestro, Philippe Bianconi.

Two recitals, two artistic sensibilities, one celebration of the Romantic piano—an invitation to explore the passionate world of Brahms, Liszt, and Chopin.

With intimate lyricism, dazzling virtuosity, and expressive depth, the two artists will reveal the full richness of a repertoire in which the piano takes on the roles of confidant, poet, and orchestra in turn.

Two exceptional events filled with emotion and romance.

We look forward to seeing you at the first recital on Saturday, October 17, at 6:00 p.m.

Nour Ayadi.

Chopin, Liszt, Brahms: The Romantic Piano

Saturday, October 17

6:00 p.m. Recital
7:30 p.m. Panel Discussion

Nour Ayadi, the brilliance of the romantic piano…

Over the course of this recital, Nour Ayadi invites the audience on a journey to the heart of Romanticism through four masterful works by Chopin, Liszt, and Brahms. A program of rare intensity, it will highlight every facet of her talent: expressive depth, a delicate touch, dramatic power, and virtuosity.
Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61, opens up a world of freedom and poetry. In this visionary work, the nobility of the Polish dance blends with dreams, intimacy, and heroic fervor. Here, Nour Ayadi will be able to showcase her art of musical storytelling, evoking everything from the most subtle atmospheres to the most ardent outbursts.
With the famous Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31, Chopin takes contrast to its peak. From its very first measures—mysterious and questioning—the music captivates. Light and shadow, tenderness and passion interplay in a dazzling structure. This piece demands as much sensitivity as it does mastery: a balance that finds an inspired interpreter in Nour Ayadi’s performance.
Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1 then sweeps the listener into a fascinating whirlwind. Incandescent virtuosity, bewitching rhythms, and passionate lyricism create an almost theatrical scene, in which the piano seems to transform into an orchestra. Here, Nour Ayadi reveals a magnetic presence and irresistible energy, in the service of music that is as spectacular as it is spellbinding.
Finally, Brahms’s Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24, majestically crown this program. Starting from a theme of great simplicity, Brahms builds a musical monument of prodigious richness. Each variation possesses its own color and character, right up to the final fugue, which is majestic and luminous. It is a work that demands the performer’s intelligence, stamina, and imagination all at once.

With this rich program, Nour Ayadi promises much more than a display of virtuosity: a true musical experience, where technique takes a back seat to emotion. Combining Chopin’s poetry, Liszt’s vertigo, and Brahms’s grandeur, this recital promises to be an exceptional encounter with a pianist of dazzling talent and some of the most beautiful works in the repertoire.

Join us for this rare musical moment…

Program :

Chopin – Polonaise-Fantasy
Chopin – Scherzo No. 2
Liszt – Mephisto Waltz

– Intermission –

Brahms – Handel Variations

Philippe Bianconi.

Brahms,Liszt, Debussy, and Chopin: The Romantic Piano

Saturday, December 5

6:00 p.m. Recital
7:30 p.m. Panel Discussion

Philippe Bianconi: Poetry, Colors, and Virtuosity

On December 5, 2026, the stage of the Mediterranean University Center will welcome one of our greatest poets of the keyboard, Philippe Bianconi. Internationally recognized for his refined elegance, his luminous tone, and the precision of his musical structures, the pianist invites us on a grand musical journey, exploring the heights of Romanticism and the enchantment of Impressionism.

The recital will open with the twilight intimacy of Johannes Brahms’s Fantasies, Op. 116. A veritable diary of the composer in his twilight years, this collection alternates between fiery, tormented Capriccios and Intermezzos of deeply moving tenderness and melancholy. The first part will then shift to the theatricality of Franz Liszt. Philippe Bianconi will first showcase the passionate lyricism of “Sonetto 104 del Petrarca,” from *Years of Pilgrimage*, before ringing out the majestic and tragic bells of the Funerals.

After intermission, the horizon brightens with Claude Debussy’s *Estampes* . A leading interpreter of French music, Philippe Bianconi will sculpt light and space to present us with three scenes of fascinating exoticism: the distant echoes of *Les Pagodes*, the sultry, heady heat of *La soirée dans Grenade*, and finally the virtuosic effervescence of *Les Jardins sous la pluie*.

To cap off the evening, the pianist will revisit the genius of Frédéric Chopin through two of his most epic masterpieces. Ballade No. 1, Op. 23, will unfold its dramatic and chivalric narrative, before Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39—with its dazzling cascades of chords and crystal-clear chorales—brings the recital to a close with a veritable fireworks display of piano virtuosity.

An event you really won't want to miss…

Program :

Brahms
—Fantaisies, Op. 116 (Capriccio in D minor, Intermezzo in A minor, Capriccio in G minor, Intermezzo in E major, Intermezzo in E minor, Intermezzo in E major, Capriccio in D minor)

Liszt
– Petrarch's Sonnet 104 (excerpt from *Years of Pilgrimage*)
– *Funeral* (excerpt from *Poetic and Religious Harmonies*)

– Intermission –

Debussy
—*Estampes* (Pagodes, La soirée dans Grenade, Jardins sous la pluie)
Chopin
– Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
– Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Op. 39

Info.

position

Directions to the Mediterranean University Center

By tram:

Mediterranean University Center tram stop: 3-minute walk. Cross the tracks, take the
heading northeast on Rue de France toward Rue Paul Valéry, then turn right onto Rue Paul Valéry. Turn left onto Promenade des Anglais.