Interview with Pianist Hélène Grimaud

Hélène Grimaud, the pianist whom Le Figaro dubbed “perhaps the most fascinating artist of our age”, apologises that her overalls smell of deer meat. She has, she explains, been feeding her wolves. While she goes back into the fenced compound with them, she suggests I stay outside. “They’re actually not as dangerous as you might think. But they are socially ambitious, and might attack if they sense you are weak". I feel weak, suddenly.