Each competitor played an etude, a nocturne, a waltz and an additional work chosen from Chopin’s ballades, the Barcarolle or the Fantasy in F minor.
Among Monday’s performers was Russian pianist Philipp Lynov, competing under a neutral flag.
Several pianists with major international successes returned to Warsaw seeking its top honours.
They included American Eric Lu, who placed fourth in Warsaw in 2015 at age 17 before winning the Leeds Piano Competition, and South Korea’s Huyk Lee, a 2021 Warsaw finalist and winner of the 2022 Long-Thibaud Competition. His younger brother, Hyo, also performed on Monday.
The Lee brothers, who have lived in Poland for three years, surprised reporters by answering questions in fluent Polish.
Huyk said he studied the language partly by reading Chopin’s letters, and named the Fantasy in F minor as his favourite competition piece.
Tuesday will feature four Polish contestants, part of a 13-member national contingent that includes only one woman, Zuzanna Sejbuk.
In all, 84 pianists from 19 countries are competing this year, including 28 from China and 13 from Japan.
The competition's winners will be announced on October 20. The first-place prize is EUR 60,000, along with concert engagements and recording opportunities.
Special awards will also be given for the best performances of Chopin’s mazurkas, sonatas and concertos, along with an audience prize.
Held every five years, the competition is one of the world’s most prestigious music contests. Since its launch in 1927, it has shaped the careers of many leading pianists.
Past winners include Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Garrick Ohlsson, Krystian Zimerman, Rafał Blechacz, Seong-Jin Cho and Bruce Liu.
(mk/gs)