Pianist Marino Formenti in concert December 5, 2009

San Francisco Performances brings back innovative pianist Marino Formenti in a recital performance of Messiaen's profound work "Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus" in a program he's entitled "Twenty Glances." This event is the first of two monumental meditations of the spirit - concerts in sacred spaces entitled "Aspects of the Divine" - in early December.

Formenti's career continues to rise. In early November he joined Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for Lou Harrison's Piano Concerto (he made his debut with the orchestra last year, playing Messiaen's "From the Canyons to the Stars" with Esa-Pekka Salonen). He is currently Artist-in-Residence at the Weimar Festival and has reunited with Maurizio Pollini to conduct the "Pollini Prospettive" in Paris and Milan.

Messiaen composed "Vingt regards sur l'enfant Jesus" in 1943 for his favorite student, the pianist Yvonne Loriod. Nineteen years later, after the death of his first wife, Messiaen and Loriod were wed. These 20 meditations - the French word "regard" has no direct English translation - have such titles as "Meditation on the Father" and "Meditation on the Angels." In this collection, the composer strove to develop a musical language of mystical love, "at times varied, powerful and tender, sometimes brutal."

"Aspects of the Divine" continues with "Seven Last Words: Works by Haydn and Bernhard Lang" at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 11 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in San Francisco. In addition, at 2 p.m. Sunday, December 6 at the Herbst Theatre, Formenti will perform a Family Matinee, focused on Messiaen's compositions inspired by bird songs.

San Francisco Performances presented Formenti's Bay Area debut in April 2007. His mini-series, "The San Francisco Piano Trips," drew sold-out crowds to the newly opened Koret Auditorium at the De Young Museum.

Official Website: http://www.performances.org