A San Francisco native, Leon Fleisher became a star of the piano only to discover that he lost movement in two of the fingers of his right hand. Slam. There goes the virtuoso career, right? But Fleisher never gave up. He started to teach, conduct, and even play whatever repertoire he could lay his crippled hand on. Until a miracle of science brought back the full range of motion thirty-some years later, and he could resume his career.

His recordings are still legendary. And so is the child prodigy’s story: the loss of the use of his right hand (from focal dystonia) in his prime to becoming a 2007 Kennedy Center Honoree.



Set aside the 80-something pianist’s tragic illness; his triumphant return to two-handed performance includes a Sunday afternoon concert at the Pantages. Fleisher’s 10 fingers of resume will elicit the beauty of Bach, Chopin, Albeniz and Debussy.

[Pantages Theater, Sunday, April 19, 3 p.m., $32.50-$62.50, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, 253.272.0809]