When two formidable artistic personalities join forces to devote themselves to the Lied genre, we can certainly expect a series of fascinating musical moments. “This was the truly magical encounter of two strong individualists who collaborated congenially and intuitively”: that is how the weekly magazine Der Spiegel described the meeting of minds between Matthias Goerne and Daniil Trifonov. The Ruhr Piano Festival audience is familiar with Matthias Goerne as a highly expressive, versatile vocalist: this occasion will mark his sixth appearance at our event. The prodigious Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov, winner of the Arthur Rubinstein and Tchaikovsky Competitions, is an international star on the classical music scene. At his fifth performance at the Festival we will hear him for the first time as a vocal accompanist, a role he has meticulously prepared. The two outstanding musicians have chosen art songs by five different composers, combined to form an exciting recital programme full of surprises.