Pianist Vanessa Wagner, a student of Fleisher, Fou Ts’ong, Perahia, and Weissenberg, is known for her innovative approaches that bridge traditional repertoire with contemporary and cross-disciplinary projects.
Vanessa Wagner & Friends
Wagner is particularly known for her interpretations of minimalist works, especially Philip Glass‘s Piano Etudes. Her 2025 release of the complete Glass piano Etudes on the Franco-German label “InFiné” has received highly favourable reviews.
In this 2025 ARTE production, she joins forces with circus artist Chloé Moglia, choreographer Kader Attou, dancers from the hip-hop Accrorap company, and set designers from Collectif Scale, who created the lighting and scenographic installation.
Vanessa Wagner & Friends
Paris Sur Mesure
Available until 05/07/2028
Glass in Motion
Vanessa Wagner © Laura Bonnefous
Vanessa Wagner was born in Rennes, France, and started playing the piano at the age of seven. She earned First Prize at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, and in 1999 was named “Instrumental Solo Revelation” at the Victoires de la Musique Classique.
Described as “the most singular pianist of her generation,” Wagner has established herself as a major influence on the classical music scene. With a personality that is as bold as it is inquisitive, she has carved a highly personal path by being deeply invested in the music of her time.
In a number of exciting projects, Wagner has collaborated with choreographers, visual artists, and musicians from different backgrounds. Her recording of Philip Glass’s Complete Etudes has received unanimous, resounding international acclaim and forms the basis of this 2025 ARTE feature.
Lifetime Portrait
Vanessa Wagner & Friends
Philip Glass composed his 20 etudes for piano between 1991 and 2012. They originated as a series of special projects and commissions and represent an evocative and innovative self-portrait of the composer.
The first Book of Etudes (Etudes Nos. 1-10) had a twofold objective: the exploration of a variety of tempi, textures, and piano techniques. As the name implies, it also serves as a pedagogical tool to improve piano playing.
With new projects interrupting work on the etudes for several years, Book 2 took an entirely new path, featuring fresh adventures in harmony and structure. According to the composer, Books 1 and 2, taken together, suggest a real trajectory that includes a broad range of musical and technical ideas.
Vanessa Wagner has described Glass’s music as immersive and transformative. “My relationship to these Etudes is continuously evolving, shaped by the ebb and flow of my personal life, my shifting moods, and my accumulated experience performing them over the years. These pieces become lifelong companions, growing, maturing, and resonating ever more deeply within me.”
Redefining the Recital
Vanessa Wagner performing Glass
Vanessa Wagner, after early training pressures, has gradually found her own voice. And that voice embraces openness and encounters with other disciplines. She has repeatedly highlighted her desire to associate her pianism with bodies in motion.
In this programme, the collaboration seems like a natural extension of the hypnotic and emotional qualities of the Glass Etudes. By creating immersive experiences that blend music with the physicality of dance, Wagner captures what she calls “a redefinition of the recital format.”
Instead of rigid and mechanical interpretations, all too often associated with minimalism, Wagner embraces the expressive etude traditions of Chopin and Debussy. Essentially, she adopts the lyrical and emotional essence of the music, creating countless romantic visions and atmospheres.
The overall impression has been highly positive and enthusiastic. For instance, reviewers have praised Wagner’s playing as creating a nuanced “Glassian carpet,” and have commended the project for elevating the music into a “trance-like or ecstatic experience.”
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