Martha Argerich Cancels Lucerne Festival Appearance Due to Illness

The 82-year-old Argentine pianist will be replaced by Igor Levit

Pianist Martha Argerich has had to withdraw from her scheduled August 15 appearance at the Lucerne Festival on account of ill health. The Russian-German pianist Igor Levit will step in as her cover and will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 — alongside Daniel Barenboim and the East-West Divan Orchestra.

Levit will also step in for the 82-year-old Argerich in Cologne on August 12, when she was due to appear with the Cologne Philharmonic. Neither organization offered any information regarding the nature of Argerich's illness.

Ill health also caused Argerich to withdraw from a number of performances in late 2022 and early 2023.

Born in Argentina to Jewish-Spanish parents, Martha Argerich is often considered to be one of the most notable pianists of our age. She made her concerto debut at just eight years old, and her career took off when she won the VII International Chopin Piano Competition in 1965.

She has an extensive discography, with a particular focus on the works of Ginastera, Rachmaninoff, and Schumann.

"Lucerne Festival would like to express its deep gratitude to Igor Levit for stepping in at such short notice, and we wish Martha Argerich a speedy recovery," the festival said in a statement.