As if it’s not hard enough playing a concerto in the make-or-break final of a huge competition with live TV cameras trained on your every move, just imagine how perturbing it would be if there were to be some sort of technical hitch. This was exactly the scenario for the first two of the three finalists last night. The Philharmonic Hall’s lighting rig flickered and flashed and twice we were plunged into almost-darkness. The Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and Antoni Wit kept going like the consummate professionals they are, as did the brave young Russians Nikolay Khozyainov and Yulianna Avdeeva; if being confronted by what looked like a candlelit keyboard put them off, they didn’t let it show.

All three competitors chose the E minor Concerto. Far from it being a chore to listen to three times over, it’s actually fascinating to compare each performance directly. First to play, Nikolay Khozyianov – only 18, full of youthful promise and plenty of potential to grow yet. Then Yulianna Avdeeva gave us a thrilling, slightly dangerous performance, full of her own willful, creative ideas. Exciting stuff, but was it authentic Chopin?

After the interval, there seemed to be a weight of expectation resting on Ingolf Wunder’s shoulders, especially after the surprisingly unsubtle performance of the other competition favourite, Evgeni Bozhanov, on Monday. I had the feeling that people were willing Wunder to indeed work wonders.

Were we ever in any doubt? From the start the Austrian was in control, consistent, confident and professional. Most important of all, he had that subtle extra magic, and, even before the last chord had finished sounding, the audience erupted. Could he be the one? Unless something miraculous and unexpected happens tonight, I think perhaps so.