(To continue my series of interviews with my favorite French pianists).
I had already listened to Naïri Badal and Adélaïde Panaget during a performance in 2016 and was enchanted by one of their latest albums, Sorcières. After hearing this program in recital, I invited them for this interview.
Beginnings
What motivated us to create this duo was, above all, the pleasure of being together and playing together. We completed our chamber music master’s degree together in the four-hand piano format, in Claire Désert’s class. We had wanted to participate in a four-hand piano competition that offered a first prize of €10,000! We made it to the finals, but unfortunately, the first prize was not awarded… However, we built up a lot of repertoire and chose the name Játékok (“games” in Hungarian) because we had to present a contemporary piece, and Claire Désert recommended György Kurtág’s eponymous work.
We then both went on Erasmus, and when we returned, we entered competitions and won several. Opportunities opened up for us, and since we still got along well and loved the repertoire, we took the plunge. We didn’t really plan it – it just happened naturally, one step at a time.
Musical Practice
We are both a four-hand piano duo and a two-piano duo. The repertoire is more or less dedicated to each format; one thing is certain: playing a two-piano piece on a single four-hand piano is nearly impossible, whereas the reverse can be quite interesting. Some pieces transcribed by their composers, such as Rhapsodie espagnole, The Rite of Spring, or Petrushka, actually sound great in both configurations. However, Night on Bald Mountain was truly written for four hands and doesn’t work well on two pianos.
Managing the pedal with two pianos is much easier than doing so on a single four-hand piano. On the other hand, when we play four-hand piano, we share a certain common energy, which is harder to achieve with two pianos. However, in the two-piano format, we have greater expressive possibilities and a wider sound palette.
We take turns being prima or seconda. It’s hard to say who is better in each role – you’d have to listen to us in both configurations and across many pieces to get an idea! Sometimes, certain musical writings suit one of us better than the other.
We enjoy playing solo piano works, but only for ourselves—we don’t have the desire to perform solo on stage. As for organization, one of us is in Nîmes, juggling her husband’s schedule to take care of her two daughters, while the other is in the Oise region. After practicing our respective piano parts individually, we meet about every two weeks to rehearse together for two to three hours.
Repertoire
Our focus is mainly on late 19th and 20th-century music, though we also play Bach and Mozart. We perform a lot of French music—Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky—but also Gershwin, Bernstein, and Poulenc. However, we are not overly specialized; we also explore Brahms, Mendelssohn, and many others. There are still so many works to discover and study, such as Rachmaninoff’s suites.
It has been a long time since we last performed Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion – it’s a difficult piece to prepare. Finding a space to rehearse and renting two pianos is already a challenge, and the piece itself remains difficult for some audiences. However, for example, the Rachmaninoff Conservatory in Paris, where we recently gave a recital, had two grand pianos available.
We make a living from concerts, so we have to adapt to the wishes of concert organizers and audiences.
Pianist Duo Inspirations
For us, the Labèque sisters are the ultimate reference: two women, two French pianists who are always contemporary, constantly imagining new projects, and surrounding themselves with fascinating people.
Our second album was a tribute to the American duo Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale, a truly original duo. We are drawn to originality – piano duos are already somewhat atypical, and we don’t want to be confined to a routine. We have more freedom to break away from tradition than solo pianists do.
Concerts and projects
We give around thirty concerts per year, supported by an agency in France. We don’t perform abroad very often. We used to teach for a while, but due to lack of time, we now focus on giving a few masterclasses.
Right now, we are more focused on concerts than recordings—our next CD will be in two or three years; we’re still thinking about it.
We have various stage projects. We performed Muse in Limoges, a show blending hip-hop and classical piano, which was very well received. The director of the Limoges Opera particularly liked it, as it fit well with his approach to programming. As a result, we are artists-in-residence at the Limoges Opera from 2023 to 2027. It’s a kind of artistic partnership—he invites us once or twice per season, and we are always delighted to return to the Limoges audience.
Our Sorcellerie (Witchcraft) project has two aspects—one is the program we recently recorded, and the other is a show incorporating magicians. This production is better suited for theaters due to the lighting and special effects involved.
We also have a production created about three years ago that is still touring: The Carnival of the Animals with Alex Vizorek. It’s a humorous show where additional music pieces intertwine with Saint-Saëns’ work.
Another upcoming project, set to premiere in October 2026, will feature American minimalist music—Glass, Adams, Monk—alongside the metal band Rammstein. This project will be performed in hybrid or alternative venues.
Additionally, we have a project called Les Liaisons Dangereuses with a Bulgarian singer—it’s a mono-opera written for two pianos and a soprano, set to premiere in spring 2027.
We also have an upcoming recital at the Philharmonie focusing on women composers, as well as projects involving concertos for two pianos. We have already worked with composers like Baptiste Trotignon and are considering commissioning a new concerto for two pianos.