The Pavilion Theatre in Dublin tonight premieres Chopin in Paris, a play by an award-winning novelist and screenwriter Miriam Gallagher.

The play is subtitled A Dramatic Portrait and is written to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth.

The theatre’s publicity material says that the play ‘brings an extra dimension to the story of Chopin’s life in the French capital, where he performed to international acclaim and gave highly-prized lessons to professional musicians, gifted friends and society pupils.

The play discovers afresh the unique Poet of the Piano, Frederic Chopin - composer, pianist and teacher through his copious correspondence and sensitive interaction with his students, and most particularly, through the sheer genius, originality and incomparable grace of his music.’

The part of Chopin is played by Sean McDonagh, whose credits include the internationally acclaimed feature film The Magdalene Sisters.

Chopin’s music is performed by the renowned pianist Una Hunt, who has appeared as soloist with leading Irish orchestras and has toured throughout Britain, Europe and the USA. (mk)