Smolina’s Grace at the keys: A night of classical elegance in Nairobi

Svetlana Smolina giving a few remarks before playing piano during a concert at Alliance Francaise on October 30, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDY 

The Alliance Française auditorium in Nairobi was filled with anticipation on Thursday evening as the renowned pianist Svetlana Smolina, who is one of the best pianists of the 21st century, graced the stage for a one-night-only performance.

The auditorium was full of electric and enthusiastic fans, who had attended one of the city’s most memorable musical evenings.

Alliance Française de Nairobi director Olive Deroint took the stage to give a warm introduction of the main act, "It's a real gift for us to have her (Svetlana Smolina) to be playing her tonight, because she has played on the greatest scenes worldwide," she continued "she has always played with elegance emotions and ecridible she will be able to share with us tonight. " Deroint ended.

As soon as the claps and applause settled, Svetlana Smolina opened her introduction saying, "It's my absolute pleasure and honour to play here tonight in Nairobi, and I am going to start my program with the sacred Nocturne, which was composed for Madame Pleyel, who was a very famous pianist in Belgium."

She continued, "I am delighted and excited that I am playing a couple of Chopin pieces for you. Chopin's first and last concerts of his life were at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, so enjoy the sound of the favourite Chopin piano."

Svetlana Smolina playing piano at Alliance Francaise on October 30, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDY 

As soon as she sat down and began to play the piano, her first notes floated softly through the auditorium, elegant, accurate, and heartwarming. And what followed was a masterful journey through classical and contemporary piano works, lyrical melodies blending with deep emotions, with an unmistakable sense of soul.

Her collection of Chopin's Nocturne pieces was as smooth as it was moving, as she seamlessly transitioned to French composers Claude Debussy and Georges Bizet, with each piece unfolding like a conversation between her and the piano, emotional, accurate, and admiring the art.

The audience, a mix of classical music enthusiasts, students, and Nairobi’s growing creative community, was fascinated, with some moments when the hall was silent, as little movements seemed to echo a whisper until a storm of cheering and clapping broke the quiet after each performance.

Her control of dynamics and tempo revealed not just technical mastery but also a rare emotional intelligence.

At one point, she performed an unforgettable rendition of Liszt's “Dreams of Love”, her touch so light it felt like the music floated in the air. In between her performances, Smolina gave remarks to the audience, highlighting her journey as a performer.

Svetlana Smolina thanking the audience after her concert at Alliance Francaise on October 30, 2025./DOUGLAS OKIDDY

Smolina, is regarded as one of the best pianists of the 21st century. She has performed all over the world as a soloist with major orchestras like the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, the Mariinsky Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, L’Orchestre National de France, and at the Salzburg Festival Mozarteum, among many others.

Her playing style is defined by deep emotional sensitivity, whereby she tells a story through tone, phrasing. She described Nairobi as “a city alive with vibrant, lively warmth,” an opinion that was met with cheerful applause.

The concert’s highlight came in her closing piece, where she performed "Islamey," a piece that was composed by Miley Balakirev, and she described it as "it's considered to be the most difficult piano repertoire ever written."

The audience was left awed with an impassioned, fast-tempo performance.

When the final note hit, the audience rose for a standing ovation that lasted several minutes as Smolina was receiving her flowers as smiled, bowed gracefully, as the lights came on.

Beyond her technical prowess, Smolina’s performance stood out for its authenticity. She played not to impress but to connect and to remind the audience of music’s universal language.

The Alliance Française, long a hub for Nairobi’s cultural exchange, provided the perfect setting for such an intimate and emotional.