Nelson Freire is not loud enough

[demented cow]

I just heard Nelson Freire in Leipzig Gewandhaus playing Brahms 1st concerto (conductor Riccardo Chailly). He did some nice phrasing and was usually pretty good technically, but it was a flop in my book because every time the orchestra got louder than mp, you couldn't hear the piano. I was just wondering:
-Is it common that pianists of world renown get totally drowned out like this in live concerts?
-Whose fault is it when something like this happens? Should the conductor get blamed for letting/making the orchestra play too loud? Or should the pianist be forced to acknowledge that he doesn't have enough power for a work like this and stick to things with lighter textures like Mozart?

[montiverdirocks]

I would start the blame game with the conductor, but allow him to explain his case. Any number of things could be wrong- the hall, the piano, the orchestra, or even the editing. Of course, and I haven't heard this recording so I don't know- maybe Freire is just not loud enough.

[will]

-Is it common that pianists of world renown get totally drowned out like this in live concerts?

Not that I am aware. How well do you know the work, have you heard others play it? Perhaps the way it has been orchestrated means the piano doesn't cut through the orchestra.

-Whose fault is it when something like this happens? Should the conductor get blamed for letting/making the orchestra play too loud? Or should the pianist be forced to acknowledge that he doesn't have enough power for a work like this and stick to things with lighter textures like Mozart?

No, I would look for other reasons first.
Adding to montiverdirocks comment it could be that the acoustics of the hall and where you were sitting didn't mix. Exactly where did you sit?