Jin Liwei and his group led the welcoming applause as Iris reached centre stage to greet Maestro Ludovico De Luca.
Her fiery dress made her stick out like a lone bright flame among the musicians who were all wearing black and white. She looked radiant with just the right combination of modest and fierceness.
She faced the audience after greeting the maestro. Her eyes swept across the more than 2,000 people before zeroing in on Jin Liwei. The corners of her lips lifted into a slow smile, giving her man a deep look. She didn't realize that her expression made her look extremely seductive especially while wearing such an eye-catching red dress.
Right then and there, a number of men and even women fell in love with her.
Maintaining eye contact with her man, she gave the audience an elegant curtsy bow. Then she took a seat in front of the grand piano. Her eyes closed, waiting a few moments for the applause to die down.
Pin-drop silence.
Her eyes opened and she raised her delicate-looking hands over the keys. The modest part of her aura disappeared, completely engulfed by fierceness.
She moved and the first chords of Schumann's "Toccata in C Major, Op. 7" began playing. Everyone sat up straighter in their seats as they recognized the showpiece famous for its legendary difficulty.
It felt like every note was jumping, skipping and grabbing hold of the audience's full attention, never letting them go until the end. With her fiery red dress smouldering and blazing under the light and her fierce aura to match it, Iris looked like a sorceress spellbinding them with her manic music.
Her fluid movements made the difficult piece look easy and effortless. Her interpretation was energetic and charming, fierce and slightly crazed. The music didn't drag, engaging the audience throughout the entire performance.
Perhaps it was a trick of the mind but as the music became more feverish, Iris' red dress seemed to blaze even more brightly under the light.
"She must have sold her soul to the devil. How can someone play like that? This isn't normal," was the thought of several of the audience members.
Iris threw her head back and her hands up when she finished playing the piece. It was such a perfect and beautiful exclamation of a powerful performance that people wished they had cameras to capture the moment. They already couldn't wait to order the full recording of the concert just so they could watch and relive this moment again.
There was a beat of silence before thunderous applause and whistles reverberated throughout the entire concert hall. Everyone stood up, including Maestro De Luca and the orchestra musicians, to give her a well-deserved standing ovation.
Standing up and facing the audience, Iris smiled and gestured her thanks. She gave a deep curtsy bow.
Schumann's "Toccata" was a short piece. But in the short period of time playing it, Iris managed to showcase her prowess on the piano, gaining the acknowledgement of the musicians, music critics and the audience.
Maestro De Luca nodded in satisfaction. He intentionally didn't introduce her as his student because he wanted the people to acknowledge her own talents, skills and capabilities and not her connection to him.
It was the correct decision. Now everyone wanted to know more about her.
"Bravo!"
"Best 'Toccata' I've heard in a long time. It's already on par with Maestro De Luca's 'Toccata', even though their interpretations are different from each other. Now I know why the maestro changed the programme to include her."
"Her name is Iris Long, right? Why do I think that her name sounds familiar?"
"Wait. I bought this album called 'Rebirth Melodies'. If I remember correctly, the pianist and composer is called Iris Long."
"Oh, you're right! I think they're the same person! I love that album! Makes me cry every time I listen to it."
Some people already started recognizing her name from her piano album "Rebirth Melodies". It did well on the German music charts, peaking at number 6. Germany was one of the countries who sent a request to JJ's record label to invite Iris to perform.
The applause and chatter died down when Maestro De Luca motioned for the audience to settle down. It was now time for the next performance.
He looked at Iris and then at his musicians, checking to see if they were all ready. He waved his baton and the powerful opening of Schumann's "Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54" resounded. Then the melodious duet of the clarinet and the piano transported the audience into a romantic fantasy.
This time, Iris' aura of playing was slightly different from when she played "Toccata" earlier. She still made the piano concerto look easy and electrifying, but her movements were more graceful…more romantic.
The blazing energy she had earlier in "Tocatta" became sweeter and passionate without being too melodramatic. She harmonized perfectly with the orchestra, touching and captivating everyone.
Jin Liwei's eyes never left her. It was as if everyone else disappeared, leaving only the two of them in that moment. The music was like an invisible bridge connecting the two of them.
Half an hour to finish all movements of the piano concerto, yet nobody felt bored. They savoured everything from the music itself to the impressive musicians and the emotions evoked from within them.
Maestro De Luca gave a final wave of his baton while Iris held the notes down before releasing them, signalling the end of the performance.
There was no hesitation this time. The audience rose from their seats and gave a roaring standing ovation. Many of them even had tears in their eyes, still feeling the music even after it ended.
Iris stood up with a big smile. She and the maestro walked hand-in-hand together to the front of the stage. They raised their held hands high up in the air. She gave a curtsy bow while he bowed like a gentleman to the audience. Then they turned around and acknowledged the orchestra musicians.
"Well done. You were magnificent," Maestro De Luca told Iris.
"Thank you very much, Maestro, for giving me this opportunity."
"We'll have more opportunities to perform together. I know that what you showed tonight is nowhere near your limit."
A staff member from backstage appeared and gave a bouquet of flowers to Iris. She thanked everyone again before heading down the stage. She became the centre of everyone's attention as she walked back to her seat.
Back in her seat beside Jin Liwei, she received congratulations and compliments from the people around her, including Grandpa Lu, the teary-eyed Professor Schwarz, and her other music instructor Enrique Valdez.
"Next will be my turn. Our collaboration will be grander than this," Enrique Valdez told her.
"I'm looking forward to it, Teacher."
Afterwards, she rested her head on Jin Liwei's shoulder, feeling him kiss the top of her head. She wanted to relax and enjoy the rest of the concert with her man now that her own performance was over.
"You were amazing, baby. I'm so proud of you," he whispered.
"I was playing for you during my second performance."
"I know. I felt it."
"Shush! Stop flirting. The concert hasn't ended yet. Hai, kids these days don't know how to control themselves," Grandpa Lu grumbled in a low voice, complaining yet the playful glint in his eyes made it obvious that he was teasing them.
Finally, the entire concert ended. It was a huge success.
The sky was already dark when Iris and Jin Liwei returned to their hotel suite. The elders chose to remain and socialize at the after-party.
Iris felt drained, so Jin Liwei carried her princess-style. He looked like a cold demon lord kidnapping a goddess of fire. People stopped in their tracks to gape at the sight of such a beautiful couple.
The night drew to a close.
Iris slept peacefully that night in the arms of Jin Liwei, not knowing that when she woke up the next day, her face would be splashed all over the European news.