Lady Annabelle Weidenfeld, born Annabelle Whitestone in England, is a former classical music concert manager. She has worked with various music agencies and festivals including Ingpen & Williams, Ibbs and Tillett, Wilfrid Van Wyck, the English Bach Festival and Conciertos Daniel in Madrid. Her career as a concert manager has taken her into the world of classical music, where she has worked closely with various prominent artists.
Polish-American pianist Artur Rubinstein had great respect for Whitestone and offered her a significant role in the careers of two of his protégés, François-René Duchâble and Janina Fialkowska. Whitestone also played a key role in introducing Rubinstein to the chamber music of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. This helped to broaden his musical horizons, as Rubinstein was not familiar with certain combinations of string and wind instruments at the time.
In 1977, when Rubinstein was already 90 years old, he left his wife Nela Młynarska after 45 years of marriage and began a relationship with Whitestone. The two moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where they lived until Rubinstein’s death in 1982. During this time together, Whitestone helped Rubinstein write the second volume of his autobiography My Many Years, which he dedicated to her. Rubinstein had originally met another collaborator, Tony Madigan, who helped him transcribe the first part of the book.
Annabelle Whitestone organized a special event in 2008, Remembering Rubinstein, which took place at the Royal Academy of Music on 22 January 2008. This event consisted of a series of talks and concerts to honor the famous pianist who once sold as many records as rock stars and was at home in the White House as well as in the company of celebrities such as Picasso and Charlie Chaplin. This event highlighted Rubinstein’s extraordinary life and music and honored his lasting influence on the music world.
In addition to her work in the field of music, Lady Weidenfeld is also active in various cultural and philanthropic organizations. She is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Jerusalem Music Center and the Jerusalem Foundation. She is also a member of the Board of the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society and serves on the Honorary Advisory Board of the Jewish Music Institute SOAS.
Lady Weidenfeld was married to the British publisher Lord George Weidenfeld from 1992 until her husband’s death in 2016. After his death, she continued her work and began a relationship with the legendary pianist Menahem Pressler, whom she had known since 1966. Her partnership with Pressler lasted until his death in 2023.
