Renowned pianist’s recital will help historic building
Victoria’s Architectural Heritage Museum launches new series
If you haven’t yet caught a glimpse of Wentworth Villa, one of Victoria’s oldest surviving homes, now’s your chance to do so while supporting the historic building’s fundraising campaign.
The Pacific North-West Heritage Homes Foundation, which plans to open the Architectural Heritage Museum in the 153-year-old building at 1156 Fort St. next year, is launching its new concert series at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday with a piano recital featuring classical pianist Sara Davis Buechner.
Buechner, who has performed in concert venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, has been described as a musician of “intelligence, integrity and allencompassing technical prowess” by the New York Times.
The internationally renowned pianist, with a repertoire of more than 100 concertos, is also a professor of piano at the University of British Columbia and honorary visiting professor of music at the University of Shanghai.
Buechner is particularly popular in Asia, where she tours annually.
Her program will include a Ferruccio Busoni arrangement of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Brahms’s Two Rhapsodies Op. 79 and Busoni’s arrangement of Liszt’s Six Grand Etudes after Paganini.
The intimate concert will be held in Wentworth Villa’s large multi-purpose room, a highceilinged architectural marvel with restored original floors and a temporary exhibit honouring Victoria’s architectural heritage.
The restoration of the space in an addition that was built in 1956 created the airy, spacious room, which is suitable for temporary exhibits, recitals, screenings and chamber music concerts.
“We got a grant from the Victoria Foundation to help us set up this room, so we are very grateful to them for that,” said Stefan Opalski, who owns Wentworth Villa with his wife, Magda.
The couple, working with executive director Ben Schweitzer and a local construction team, have spent the past two years meticulously restoring the building, which was once destined to become condominiums.
When it was built in 1863 for Capt. Henry Ella, the home was the capital’s largest residential building. It has had a colourful history, including its use for seven decades as Faith Grant’s antique store.
“We haven’t really started fundraising yet, so our next phase depends very much on fundraising,” Opalski said.
Tickets to Sunday’s fundraising concert are $40. They are available by calling 250-598-0760, or go to wentworthvilla.com. mreid@timescolonist.com