I discovered the magic of Ludovico Einaudi at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham

The Resorts World Arena show started like any other, with excited chatter, last minute snack dashes and seat shuffling. But once the lights were lowered and the man from Turin walked onto the stage, a hush descended.

Ludovico Einaudi is a composer who you may not have heard of, but you will have most certainly heard his work featured on commercials and film scores alike.

He has a knack for creating modern, minimal classical music pieces which resonate with audiences globally, emerging as Best Classical Artist at the Global Awards 2023.

With over 30 releases to his name, he is best known for ‘Nightbook’, ‘I Giorni’ and ‘In a Time Lapse’. However, Einaudi is here at Resorts World Arena touring with Underwater, his first solo piano album in 20 years with 12 newly composed solo piano tracks. Waiting for the right time and environment to commit to such a project, the pandemic and the ensuing isolation afforded him the opportunity to write the album which he has described as “very pure”.

Back to the hall itself, with its capacity to accommodate over 15,000 people. Appearing on stage with just his piano to accompany him, Einaudi may be just one man, but here he is a legend. The rapt silence in which he kept his audience was profound, with every note being heard as crisp and clear as a pin dropping on a hardwood floor in a school assembly.

Playing every piece from the album including ‘Luminous’, ‘Swordfish’ and ‘Flora’, the evening began with the sound of water droplets falling, before he launched into title track ‘Underwater’ illuminated by blue lights.

There is a raw intimacy to his performance, felt most keenly during ‘Underwater’, before ‘Swordfish’ gives us a glimpse of the build up, rise and fall we expect to hear. ‘Rolling Like a Ball’ is a gentle caress, like a whisper between a butterfly and a flower and is elemental in its feel. ‘Almost June’ feels similar, before the melancholy of ‘Flora’ takes us back into the depth of our emotions.  ‘Nobody Knows’ takes us on a journey, as though we’re travelling with Einaudi through fields far away.

Joined now by a violinist/violist and cellist for ‘Atoms’, ‘Luminous’, ‘Temple White’ and ‘Natural Light’, the background is lit in golden yellow to change the look and feel of the stage. The addition of the two musicians as well as later, a percussionist, adds depth of course, and brings us to this segment which feels like classic Einaudi.

To rapturous applause, the concert ends, but not before a generous encore of some of his previous pieces. The works from this album are calmer, more fluid and more organic than his previous works, coming through naturally but as full of emotion as you would expect. There are not the same crashing crescendos, but instead a gentle rhythmic exploration of thoughts and emotions. Einaudi paints pictures of sunrises, sunsets and stars in the sky.

It is easy to see why he has such wide stream appeal. He may be accused of being too simplistic, but I would argue that his popularity comes from his ability to connect with his audience by evoking and exploring the depth of human experience and emotion. There is magic in his music; and long may it continue.