He may have been a long way from Russia but Yuri Bashmet was made to feel home when stepping on the Emirates Palace Auditorium stage last Wednesday.The Russian violist was given a hero's welcome with the well attended venue dominated by fellow countrymen. The Russian ambassador also made an appearance, warming the crowd by promising the concert was set to be "the most amazing" ever.
The expectation was further heightened when another MC introduced Bashmet on stage as "the world's greatest living musician."
Bashmet took all in his stride however, coming on stage with his 14 piece Moscow Soloists Orchestra for a night of string classics, albeit with a few curve balls.
While the Moscow Soloists were adept with a beautifully light touch, it was when Bashmet switched from his conductor's role to the viola the night really soared.
After easing in the crowd the crowd with an enjoyable take of Mozart's A Little Night Music, Bashmet's viola debuted in Paganini's Concerto for Viola and Strings before a stirring rendition of Rossini's Sonata for Strings No.3.
Both pieces illustrated the deeper textures and mournful tones that only viola can summon.
The second half of the evening saw Bashmet explore blues, waltz and polka, the latter a slightly witty take on Schittke's Polka for Viola and Strings.
The Russian crowd took kindly to Bashmet's rendering of Stravinsky's Russian Song from the opera Mavra and Shostakovic's Scherzo Op11.
It was a fine evening where Bashmet was more amongst friends than an audience.