The foundation of the play is rooted in a single day—one July in 2014—spent by Savva in deep réflexion with the ingenious contemporary composer Oleg Karavaichuk. Two years later, Karavaichuk passed away. In February 2018, at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Savva gathered all the individuals mentioned by the composer during that luminous summer day. Among them were renowned artists, street-market vendors, a personal chauffeur, old friends, neighbors, and devoted fans.
Over the course of one evening, fifteen voices shared the remarkable story of Karavaichuk’s extraordinary life. The choice of the Hermitage as the setting was no coincidence, as it was here that only Karavaichuk was permitted to play the emperor’s piano—an instrument imbued with history and silent grandeur.
The online version of this performance resonated far beyond its physical space, attracting over 10,000 viewers worldwide, each drawn into the captivating narrative of a truly exceptional artist’s life.