Review: Kirill Richter: The Sands of Time (London Coliseum)

Review by Beth Bowden

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Marking musician and composer Kirill Richter’s debut at the London Coliseum was the one-night-only UK premiere of his multimedia spectacle Sands of Time. Taking my seat, I was excited to listen and discover his work - Kirill is described as an award nominated musician virtuoso, so I knew I was in for a treat.

In the first half, I was utterly transfixed by the Richter Trio - with Kirill Richter on piano, Alena Zinovieva playing violin, and Avgust Krepak on cello. The music is vivid, consuming, moving and a masterclass in musicianship. Bodies and instruments meld into one - moving in an effortless dance together. The trio are so in tune with each other - it almost feels like they could be telepathic. I felt mesmerized by each of them, and by the craft of seeing their bodies at work in the act of creating music. The copy for Sands of Time describes Kirill as ‘charismatic’, and I can’t help but agree. The music and performers absorb the energy in the room, and the pieces are powerful, and oftentimes moving. 

The music alone is gorgeous - but there is also multimedia involved. Videos, which mirror the themes of each piece of music, are projected onto panels onstage. It shows us everything from drifting specks of dust, to stormy crashing water, to foggy, gloomy woodland. At times, the projection merges into the musicians, creating a tapestry of images, sound and movement. It is a really unique way of experiencing the work, that cleverly involves more of the senses. 

I got immersed in the images of falling droplets of water, wisps of smoke and the violent gusts of wind. Don’t get me wrong - I’d quite happily have just listened to the (gorgeous) music on its own - but the projection adds another layer of experience. It sent me into a kind of hypnotic state…and felt more like performance art than a concert. Though, there are some slightly strange voice overs in this section, that feel a bit removed from the music, and need development. 

In the second half, the Trio joined together with the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan (conductor: Alibek Kabdurakhmanov). I couldn't stop watching the conductor Alibek, who lives and breathes the music - and it’s a full body workout for him! There is a particularly gorgeous piece in this section, which has a projection image of streaming, burning light and reminds me of the glow of summer and starlight. I enjoyed the first half more - only because it’s more intimate, more delicate, and we can see Kirill, Alena and Avgust up close. I also personally prefer the music in the first half, as the second half is a bit more epic with percussion and brass, and Kirill on piano gets a bit more lost in the fray - but that's subjective. 

All in all, Sands of Time feels like a really unique experience - that celebrates Kirills clear talent, love for music, and acclaimed, award-winning compositions. I think that you can tell when you are in a room where the audience has recognised they are watching a raw talent, and I felt lucky to be there (and in the pretty gorgeous London Coliseum, which is no bad place either). I’d never heard Kirill’s compositions before, but I am now a firm fan. 

The Sands of Time played a one-off performance at the London Coliseum on 11th September 2024

To keep up with Kirill Richter’s future work follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kirillrichter/feed/ or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/KirillRichter?cbrd=1 

Photos by Elliott Franks