Michael Feinstein & Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Two of today’s most celebrated artists—Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet—join forces for the first time in an all-embracing program for two pianos celebrating the music of George Gershwin and his world.

Born of a serendipitous encounter between the two artists at Festival Napa Valley 2021, “Two Pianos: Who Could Ask for Anything More?” showcases each artist’s unique gifts for creativity, virtuosity, and the sheer joy of music making. Feinstein is a renowned vocalist/pianist/conductor and the leading interpreter and curator of the Great American Songbook, while Thibaudet has built a 30-year reputation not only as one of today’s finest pianists, but also for imaginative partnerships in film, fashion, and visual art.

There is an extraordinary heritage of 20th-century music that straddles the worlds of concert and theater, and this presentation will resonantly connect the dots with rich anecdotes and rare musicality afforded the genre. A centerpiece of the program is lost and unknown Gershwin works, some originally conceived for two pianos, alongside widely loved music like Rhapsody in Blue. Other features include works from Alec Wilder and Cole Porter, suites of charming waltzes by Richard Rodgers and of beloved Latin melodies, and forays into jazz, ragtime, and stride.