Concertgebouw replaces Russian artists with breakthrough Dutch talent
NewsThe Amsterdam concert hall has published a memo on ‘programme changes due to war in Ukraine’.
In line with the policy of the Dutch government, all formal collaborations with the Russian government and associated cultural institutions are suspended. The Concertgebouw’s seasonal brochure had already been printed before the Russian invasion, which means that various concerts included in the series brochure cannot take place. Examples of this are the concert of the Munich Philharmonic (change of conductor) and the concert of the Russian National Orchestra that has been cancelled.
In the new season, the emphasis is on Hemelbestormers (heven stormers), young musicians who break through classical conventions and conquer their place at the top of the music world. Pianist Thomas Beijer, singer Karsu and mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron adorn three different covers of the series brochure. The seasonal theme stems from the new Hemelbestormers Fund that was set up from the Concertgebouw Fund during the pandemic. Thomas Beijer: ‘I always want to make a difference with my work. It doesn’t matter whether it’s emotion or giggles. If only something happens. In that sense, artists are Hemelbestormers.’
World-famous orchestras are returning to Amsterdam – the Vienna Philharmonic and Symphoniker, Cleveland Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks – as well as such stars as Janine Jansen, Mitsuko Uchida, Maria João Pires, Lang Lang, Angélique Kidjo, rock band The Zombies, the Sitkovetsky Trio and the Borodin Quartet. The series Great Pianists is entering its second season with, among others, Beatrice Rana, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Kirill Gerstein. Ian Bostridge and Mark Padmore are in the Small Hall in the Vocal Series and Renée Fleming sings in the Great Hall with none other than Evgeny Kissin at the piano.
Rachmaninoff 150 and Beethoven 250
2023 commemorates the 150th anniversary of Serge Rachmaninoff’s birth. Nikolai Lugansky gives a recital with preludes and a sonata, and Sergei Babayan and Daniil Trifonov form an occasional duo for the four-hand version of the Symphonic dances. For the orchestral version, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra comes over with conductor Stéphane Denève. Beethoven’s 250th birthday could not be celebrated as intended in 2020. In order to do justice to the crowning year of this groundbreaking jubilee, there will be a three-day tribute in May 2023, in collaboration with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, with the Violin Concerto, a piano concerto, the Triple Concerto and three symphonies.
Tickets are on sale from today.
Tickets are not on sale from today, but from June 1. Some subscriptions are on sale from today. But not single tickets.
So, the Concertgebouw seems better off to me.
Nice to see local talent too on a big stage.
Also, an orchestra of this high level doesn’t seem to even need a permanent conductor/music director. May this be a lesson for others.
I think that around one half of the orchestra stays dutch.
The most inclusive of all inclusive Western societies has spoken: “In line with the policy of the Dutch government, all formal collaborations with the Russian government and associated cultural institutions are suspended.” Beyond that, Russian musicians welcome, Russian music welcome. It’s not rocket science, you know.
In short, good. Russian exceptionalism has dominated classical music for way too long. It’s all smoke and mirrors
The next saeson will mark also the return of one of the Mahler’s symphony for the Christmas afternoon with Chung. A thing Haitink did in the 80’s. The event for me is Chailly in March and Kirill Petrenko in June. I’am not sure but it’s maye the first time that he’s guest conductor since the moment he’s in Berlin. It’s so rare to see a MD of Berlin with the RCO. When it’s happenned it was for few concerts one month for Karajan Abbado and Rattle. Interesting also in March, Rouvali and Mäkelä will work the one after the other.
Has Daniil Trifonov taken US citizenship?
‘Dutch talent’ is such an oxymoron.
Good to know that the Dutch take orders from the United States and NATO.