The Croatian pianist with an unusual love story

I had to share these beautiful words by  Ivo Pogorelich, a genius Croatian pianist who at 22 married Aliza Kezeradze, 21 years his senior and a Georgian pianist. Their love story once again proves that love knows of no age, colour, race or religion. These words are too beautiful.

“I had to reinvent myself. She was so demanding. She clothed herself in art, she absorbed it, devoured it. She was so universal. She had everything, class, education, beauty, talent and affection. She outshone everything like a comet. You could never stand still with her, that’s true, she was always on the go. Even in death she was still the princess she was born as. She had cancer of the liver. When she died her liver exploded, and in her last kiss she showered me with black blood. I looked like the Phantom of the Opera. My hair was completely clotted. I didn’t want to wash it off. When they condoled us with champagne I was still covered in her blood. But everyone understood. It was like with Jackie Kennedy who didn’t want to change the dress that was spattered with her husband’s brain. I was happy so early in my life, I knew now I would have to stand on my own two feet. It just took a long time. “I couldn’t touch the piano because my memories flooded out like Niagara Falls. It took time before I could be creative again. Before, proposals and solutions had been offered to me like jewels on a silver tray. Aliza knew I could do that myself too. But I needed time, because she had shaped me the way you sharpen a knife every day. When Aliza came into my life I was 17 and at a dead end with my piano studies. I wasn’t getting anywhere, I wanted to dance but wasn’t even able to walk.”