“The Playing Area” of the contemporary pianist

Statement of the problem. The article addresses the underexplored phenomenon of professional pianists appearing on screen in narrative films. While actors often portray musicians in biopics, actual pianists rarely assume cinematic roles. The study focuses on the unique case of Alexandre Tharaud, a French pianist who appears in two films – “Amour” (2012) by Michael Haneke and “Boléro” (2024) by Anne Fontaine. The analysis interrogates the function and implications of his dual presence: both as soundtrack performer and as a visible character – even when his screen role contradicts his musical persona. Objectives, methods, and novelty of the research. The article aims to construct a systematic understanding of the pianist’s function in film by analyzing Tharaud’s screen and off-screen roles. It explores how the presence of a real pianist in narrative cinema contributes to authenticity, narrative complexity, and intermedial dialogue between performance and character identity. The research introduces the concept of the “playing area” into the context of a performer’s dual presence in film – both visually (as actor) and aurally (as musician). It reveals the polysemous nature of Tharaud’s roles: embodying himself in Amour, and a critical antagonist in Boléro, while sonically representing the composer Maurice Ravel. This duality prompts a novel interpretation of musician-character interaction in biographical cinema. An interdisciplinary approach is employed, combining audiovisual, semiotic, narrative, and musicological analysis. The study conducts a functional examination of the soundtrack’s role in emotional shaping, rhythm, and dramaturgy. Results and conclusions. The participation of Alexandre Tharaud in “Amour” and “Boléro” exemplifies an expanded interpretive field for musicians in cinema. In “Amour”, Tharaud appears as himself, enhancing emotional resonance and biographical authenticity. In “Boléro”, he portrays Pierre Lalo, a historical critic of Ravel, while simultaneously performing Ravel’s works off-screen. This paradox – where the performer embodies the voice of critique while musically channeling the composer – unveils a complex dialogue between biography, interpretation, and cinematic space. Tharaud’s screen presence becomes not mere illustration but a performative act that enriches the film’s semantic structure. The article sets a precedent for rethinking the cinematic role of professional musicians, proposing a new framework for evaluating their dramaturgical and symbolic contributions.