Pianist Paul Lewis performs Mozart+ at UKARIA Cultural Centre on 17-18 October 2026, placing Mozart's piano sonatas alongside works by Schubert, Chopin, Weber and Poulenc to argue for their equal standing with the concertos. A second matinee was added due to demand, with this Program Two of Lewis's four-part global series followed by Programs Three and Four exclusively at UKARIA in 2027.

Paul Lewis has built his reputation on Beethoven and Schubert, cycles that established him as one of the more thoughtful pianists working today. So it's notable that his latest touring project, Mozart+, puts Mozart's piano sonatas at the centre rather than the concertos that usually dominate discussion of his keyboard writing. Lewis makes the case that the sonatas have been undersold, treated as lesser cousins to the concertos when they deserve equal attention.

This is Program Two of a four-part series Lewis has devised for his 2026/2027 global season, and UKARIA has picked it up for two Adelaide Hills performances on 17 and 18 October 2026. A second matinee was added after strong demand for the first, which says something about how this venue's audience has responded to Lewis's previous visits. Programs Three and Four will follow exclusively at UKARIA in 2027, so this is the start of a longer relationship rather than a one-off.

The program itself is built around contrast and connection. Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 17 in B flat and No. 13 in B flat sit alongside Schubert's Three Piano Pieces and Chopin's Polonaise and two Nocturnes. Lewis has said he wants to trace a thread running from Poulenc's transparency and wit through the operatic drama of Chopin and Weber to the more forceful language of Beethoven, and to show how all of that is already present in Mozart's writing. It's an ambitious framing for a single afternoon, but Lewis has never been a pianist who plays it safe with programming.

The concert runs around two hours, with a 25-minute interval that includes complimentary afternoon tea, a nice touch for a venue that treats the whole visit as an occasion rather than just a concert. A pre-concert light lunch is also available for $17, useful for those making the trip out to the Adelaide Hills an afternoon event.

Tickets are $80 for adults, $75 concession, and $40 for under 40s, reasonably priced given the calibre of the performer and the intimacy of the UKARIA space, which rewards this kind of close, detailed piano playing better than most venues in the state. For anyone who has followed Lewis's recorded cycles, this is a chance to hear him make an argument for Mozart in real time, sonata by sonata.

Details are correct at the time of publishing. Events can change or be cancelled, so please confirm dates, times and prices with the venue or ticket seller before booking.