June 22, 2016 at 1:42 pm

Musician Plays Piano in the Middle of the Arctic as Calving Glaciers Crash Behind Him

by twistedsifter

Musician Plays Piano in the Middle of the Arctic as Calving Glaciers Crash Behind Him (3)

 

Acclaimed Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi performs one of his own compositions on a floating platform in the Arctic Ocean, in front of the Wahlenbergbreen glacier in Svalbard, Norway.

The composition, Elegy for the Arctic, was inspired by eight million voices from around the world calling for Arctic protection. You can watch the stirring performance in the embedded video below.

 

Elegy for the Arctic by Ludovico Einaudi

 

 

The musician, known for his composition for the film, “Black Swan” and the television serial, “Doctor Zhivago”, travelled onboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise on the eve of the week-long meeting of the OSPAR Commission (June 20-24), which could secure the first protected area in Arctic international waters.

The 2.6 x 10 meter artificial iceberg platform was made from more than 300 triangles of wood attached together and weighed a total of nearly two tonnes. A grand piano was then placed on top of the platform for Einaudi’s incredible performance.

 

Musician Plays Piano in the Middle of the Arctic as Calving Glaciers Crash Behind Him (1)

 

“Being here has been a great experience. I could see the purity and fragility of this area with my own eyes and interpret a song I wrote to be played upon the best stage in the world. It is important that we understand the importance of the Arctic, stop the process of destruction and protect it.” – Ludovico Einaudi

 

Musician Plays Piano in the Middle of the Arctic as Calving Glaciers Crash Behind Him (2)

 

For more information on the Greenpeace initiative, visit greenpeace.org. You can also read the official press release here.