at the xv international tchaikovsky competition, lucas debargue, a frenchman completely unknown beforehand and with a very different background and training from typical competitors, became the “audience’s favorite” and the “most talked-about” participant. in "the huffington post", critic olivier bellamy wrote, “there hasn’t been a foreign pianist who has caused such a stir since glenn gould’s arrival in moscow, or van cliburn’s victory at the tchaikovsky competition.” nonetheless, debargue finished in fourth place. the moscow music critics association, however, awarded him their prize for “the pianist whose incredible gift, artistic vision and creative freedom have impressed the critics as well as the audience.”