On the air of the new season of the show "Ukraine Has Talent" (2026), 41-year-old Kyiv resident Alexey Begletsov, performing under the stage name MAESTROPIANO, stunned the judges and the audience. The musician presented an immortal classic — a composition by Ludwig van Beethoven in his own unique arrangement. However, the real shock was not just the level of virtuosity. The pianist performed the complex piece with his eyes tightly bandaged, demonstrating phenomenal muscle memory and a complete fusion with the instrument. According to judge Artem Pivovarov, who addressed the artist, "you are barely holding back your tears."

The First "Golden Button" of the 2026 Season

Alexey Begletsov became the first contestant fortunate enough to win the "Golden Button" in the new season of the show. This decision by the jury guarantees him a place directly in the finals of "Ukraine Has Talent," skipping the further qualifying stages. As the publication Styler (a project of RBC-Ukraine) notes, the blind performance of a complex classical score became one of the key moments of the 2026 premiere episode.

Family as the Main Fan Club

After his spectacular performance, Alexey introduced the jury to his main fan club — his grandfather and grandmother. Their personal story, according to Styler, is no less striking than the musical number: the couple has been happily married for 67 years, setting an example of devotion. A true revelation of the broadcast was the pianist's grandmother, Lyubov Alekseevna — it turned out that she was the one who opened the world of art to her grandson and instilled in him a love for the grand piano. The woman, according to the publication, has an enormous teaching experience and has "raised an entire constellation of stars."

Why the Artist Took the Stage

The pianist himself explained his motivation on social media: "First of all — it's a mega-challenge and a crazy experience. In one performance, you have to show the maximum of what you are capable of. Second — media exposure. And for an artist today, that is very necessary. Third — great connections, emotions, communication, and an atmosphere that cannot be put into words." He added that he had loved the show long before he found himself "on the other side of the screen," and that "a small youthful dream came true."

Contradictory Data

Fact-checking revealed a discrepancy in emphasis between sources. The main Styler material focuses on the blind performance and the first "Golden Button" of the 2026 season, whereas the publication fakty.com.ua, describing the same 2026 premiere, records "two records at once and the first golden button" — yet the second record is not elaborated in the Styler text. In addition, open sources (including unian.net) contain information about a "first golden button" awarded to a different contestant — a mind-reading girl; this relates to a different season of the show and does not contradict the fact that in the 2026 season it was Begletsov who was marked by the first such button. Details about the 67-year marriage of the grandparents and about the "constellation of stars" raised by Lyubov Alekseevna, at the time of publication, are confirmed by only one source (Styler) and have not been verified by independent publications.