Richard Clayderman plays for endangered species

7 February 2013, 11:12 | Updated: 7 February 2013, 12:54

Pianist Richard Clayderman has performed at London Zoo to encourage the rarer species to mate in time for Valentine's Day.

Richard Clayderman has made zoological history this morning by playing the piano especially for the animals at London Zoo. The pianist, renowned for his romantic style and repertoire, was drafted in to try and encourage the rarer species of animal to mate in time for Valentine's Day.

Before performing a range or romantic music, Clayderman commented: "Music is a powerful thing, and I would like to believe it has a positive effect on animals as well as us! It certainly is an experience to play in such an iconic and romantic place as London Zoo."

A grand piano was transported to the zoo especially for the occasion - the first time that Clayderman had visited London Zoo. He performed excerpts from romantic works including Bernstein's West Side Story and Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet. Let's hope he didn't tinkle the ivories at close range.

Clayderman's first major album for over a decade, Romantique, has just been released, and features a range of operatic, romantic and show tunes arranged for piano.