Khatia Buniatishvili: “I Emphasize Eroticism—When the Music Calls for It
The moment Khatia Buniatishvili touched a piano key at the age of three, something extraordinary began. Raised in modest conditions in Tbilisi, Georgia—with no guarantee of electricity and often relying on candlelight—her childhood was steeped in both struggle and imagination. Today, she performs on the world’s most prestigious stages, dazzling audiences not only with her technical brilliance but also with her unapologetically sensual presence at the piano.
The Georgian-French pianist is known for pushing boundaries in the classical world, blending fiery expression with fierce musical discipline. As she prepares to perform in Linz and Vienna, Buniatishvili spoke with Austria’s Kronen Zeitungabout her childhood, her connection to passion and sensuality in music, and how she keeps audiences intrigued.
Discipline, Candlelight, and Secret Stories
“I had to practice with great discipline,” she recalls. “It didn’t matter if there was electricity or just candlelight—practice was a central part of my daily life.” But her childhood rehearsals weren’t only about structure. “While I practiced, I invented stories. I even hid books behind my sheet music—my little secret. Fantasies and stories were as essential to me as music itself.”
A Life Chosen Early
From her very first encounter with the piano, Buniatishvili says she knew it would shape her life. “It was always clear to me that the piano was inseparable from my identity. I was fortunate to receive full support from my family.” By the age of six, she had already given her first public performance—setting the course for a meteoric rise in the classical music world.
Eroticism in Music? Only When It Belongs
Buniatishvili has often sparked debate with her provocative and glamorous stage presence. Yet for her, sensuality is not a gimmick—it’s part of a deeper artistic truth. “Eroticism and passion are two different things,” she told the Kronen Zeitung. “I only emphasize either when the music calls for it.”
Take Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz, she explains. “There is eroticism in the moment Mephistopheles tries to seduce Gretchen. Those moments exist in music, but they’re rare. Passion, on the other hand, is something we encounter often in classical pieces. Music allows us to express what words sometimes cannot—because of modesty or shyness.”
