Inaugural Concert of Piano Club at Nostalgia,1911 Brasserie, The Imperial

“The piano keys are black and white
but they sound like a million colours in your mind.” 
― Maria Cristina Mena

Bored of the overtly Punjabi and boisterously 'Balle Balle' food and entertainment one gets to have in Delhi? There are times when you want to get away from the cliched and the catastrophic culture curry. There is a lover of classical music hiding inside all of us. One just has to expose one's sensibilities to the finest influences from the world. As far as refinement goes, perhaps nothing in the world can beat the sound of the piano playing classic symphonies. It is a sound rich and evocative, that envelops you in sweet sentimentality and rich reverie. Fluid and frolicky, one moment, pensive and full of pathos, the next, the piano is an instrument of sheer poetry and passion.

Marouan Benebdallah - Hungarian Moroccon Pianist playing mesmerising audience with his recital

Nostalgia at 1911 Brasserie- Classic European restaurant at The Imperial orchestrated the launch of Piano club on Steinway on 10 Mar 2014, to initiate extravagant live concerts with unique artists and mega performances each time, promoting the live music heritage of the hotel. The evening commenced with an astounding experience filled with the notes of unmatched piano music, recited by the magical fingers of the undisputed maestro, Moroccan Hungarian Pianist Marouan Benabdallah in association with Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre. Possessing a deep musical interest that transcends the confines of the instrument, Marouan’s performance was  superbly evocative leading to overwhelming response by the crème de la crème present, to share the joy of fine music on the finest musical instrument.

Vijay Wanchoo- Sr. Executive VP and GM The Imperial addressing the audeince at the piano club launch at Nostalgia, 1911 Brasserie

Vijay Wanchoo, Sr. Executive Vice President and GM expressed his views on the proud occasion: “Progressing towards luxe and unique live concerts on Steinway, post its launch at Nostalgia in 2013, this evening embarks our sojourn towards creating a Piano Club which puts into form sit-down live concerts lending an ecstatic aura and matching the repertoire as well as the legacy of the hotel.” He further said “ We thank our partners – Hungarian Information and Cultural centre for making this true and bringing in an exceptional artist like Marouan. We plan to organize many such great events in the months to come, sweeping the enthusiastic music lovers with unique performance and brand new melodies each time. Since the restaurant serves classic European recipes and is filled with the old world ambience these one-of its-kind live concerts will surely make the experience larger than life.”

Tibor Kovacs- Director Cultural Counsellor Hungarian Information and Cutural Centre

Marouan Benabdallah, the renowned concert Hungarian –Moroccan pianist  enthralled the audience with his dynamic recitals and numerous sequences inspired the gathering, whilst he drew audiences into the very heart of the music, during his live performance for the evening. 

An arresting artist who brought tenderness to the lyrical musings and vigour to the touch of chords as expressed by his fans, left the audience speechless and spellbound with his smashing recitals each time he touched the piano. No wonder, New York Times praised him for his “Resourceful pianism, lyrical instincts and thoughtfulness”.

The evening concluded with a lavish spread of traditional European recipes from Nostalgia teasing the taste  buds in the midst of praises for the musical maestro while few were found raising a toast.

About Nostalgia, 1911 Brasserie

1911 Brasserie at The Imperial, embraced with etchings of Delhi Durbar, takes one back to yester years with ‘NOSTALGIA’. Bringing back all time western favourites, it offers a selection of traditional European fare with typically old world continental cuisine carefully put together for creating delightful evenings. Ushering in a host of elegant changes, rich and colourful history combined with old world reflections comes alive with the evergreen specialties from the western cuisine. These exquisite specialties are paired with the new and old age wines, against the background of unmatched live music experience of Steinway Piano from Sunday to Thursday and live Saxophone music on weekends, recreating the golden era of Jim Reeves, Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley. In this picturesque, satiating setting , one can indulge in the brand new yet ‘old’ dinner menu and even dance with one’s partner in a candle lit ambience bejeweled with exquisite flower arrangements, paving way for an unforgettable romantic night. The setting is sure to compliment the overall grandeur! Whatever your mood is, you would be spoilt with signature dishes such as Vegetable Terrine with Goat cheese, Salad Lyonnaise, Scottish Smoked Salmon, Traditional Roast Spring chicken, Traditional Pepper Steak, Lobster Thermidor, French Duck breast “A L’orange”, French Lemon Tarte, flambéed on your table side in a resplendent setting. The fine selection of wines from The Imperial’s wine list adds to the ecstasy, offering a sheer delight.

From L t o R- Marouan's mother with Tobor Kovacs- Director cultural Counsellor HICC with his wife and 2 more guests

Note from the Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre:

It's not just by chance that Hungary's only Cultural Centre in Asia has been established in Delhi.  Hungarians have always turned with great respect and appreciation to India, to its vast and ancient culture, to its depth of philosophy and religions and its post-Independence democracy. India, with its rapidly developing, dynamic economy, and being a regional superpower in Asia, has been playing a strategic role in Hungary's foreign policy. The Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, founded in 1978 and working continuously for the last 36 years, is located on 'Janpath', one of the posh localities of the capital. The building of the Hungarian Centre, also known as Baikunth, contemporary and of the same style as the other major public buildings, is one of the most attractive mansions of the capital. This advantageous location has always given a kind of prestige to our Centre. During the 36 years of its existence the Hungarian Centre has become a prestigious institute and has been regarded as one of the best and most frequented cultural institutes in Delhi. No doubt that it has become a favourite meeting point for the Indian intellectual circles since it offers a variety of interesting programmes almost every day, be it a concert, a filmshow, a scientific lecture, Hungarian language classes or an art exhibition. It is not only Indian visitors who, over the years, formed a very positive image of the Hungarian Centre, but the cultural diplomats of the former and the newly joined member countries of the European Union also keep it in a very high esteem.Delhi's audience has a daily choice of world-class cultural programmes. The Hungarian Centre competes successfully with the cultural repertoire of such countries like Germany, Great-Britain, Japan, France or Russia. Our Centre's activities, besides Delhi, take place in 15 other cities of India.