Pianist Anna Shelest presents an album dedicated to her home city and the music of fellow Kharkiv-native Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952). Anchored in a deep sense of nostalgia, Bortkiewicz’s works evoke a world imbued with dreams and elegance—a stark contrast to the chaos of the early 20th century that surrounded him (the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the unrelenting horrors of the Second World War). The composer’s life and career reflect the multiethnic, multilingual, and politically complex tapestries of Ukraine during his time. Unabashedly Romantic in style, the program centers the Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra led by Neeme Järvi; and One Thousand and One Nights, Oriental Ballet Suite for solo piano. Two short works for solo piano round out the album: “Lamentation” and “Nocturne.”