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Marc Haegeman

Marc Haegeman

Marc Haegeman graduated as a historian from the University of Ghent. He developed a keen interest in music, ballet, photography and nature. As a dance writer and photographer he contributed to leading dance magazines in the last 20 years, including The Dancing Times, Dance International and Ballet2000, and has been working with companies worldwide. His classical music reviews appeared in Classical Net and on his blog I used mostly my ears. He is particularly interested in Russian music and the piano. When free, he loves spending time in nature, photographing landscapes and wildlife.

Author:Marc Haegeman

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Brilliant Szymanowski from Christian Tetzlaff and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra

By Marc Haegeman, 09 January 2025

Christian Tetzlaff conjures brilliant colour and ecstatic passion from Szymanowski's First Violin concerto in Ghent.

***11

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Brilliant Szymanowski from Christian Tetzlaff and the Antwerp SO

By Marc Haegeman

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Magnifique! L'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France plays French music in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 21 October 2024

Franck conducts Franck! In Antwerp Mikko Franck and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France play the Symphony in D minor and are joined by Sol Gabetta for Lalo.

*****

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Magnifique! L'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

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The Czech Philharmonic thrills in an evening of Dvořák in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 21 March 2024

What better way is there to celebrate Czech music than with an all-Dvořák programme brought by the Czech Philharmonic under their chief conductor Semyon Bychkov?

*****

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The Czech Philharmonic thrills in an evening of Dvořák in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

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Rachmaninov to remember from the Bergen Philharmonic in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 16 February 2023

Víkingur Ólafsson's appearance may have been most anticipated, but it is Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances that impresses most as the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Edward Gardner make a welcome return to Antwerp.

***11

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Rachmaninov to remember from the Bergen Philharmonic in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Jakub Hrůša and the Czech Philharmonic bring magnificent all-Czech programme to Cologne

By Marc Haegeman, 04 March 2020

The Czech Philharmonic, in tremendous form, still play their core repertoire with unaffected naturalness.

*****

Hrůša and the Czech Phil bring magnificent programme to Cologne

By Marc Haegeman

All-Russian Sunday matinee double bill from Elim Chan and the Antwerp Symphony

By Marc Haegeman, 02 February 2020

Interrupted melody in Vondráček’s Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto, but magnificent playing from Chan and the Antwerp Symphony.

***11

All-Russian Sunday matinee double bill from Elim Chan in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Magnificent Beethoven tribute from Chailly and the Filarmonica della Scala in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 23 January 2020

"Beethoven 250" starts in grand form with thrilling performances of Egmont and Symphonies 5 and 8 in Antwerp.

*****

Magnificent Beethoven tribute from Chailly in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Russian troika bogged down in the quest for authenticity in Bruges

By Marc Haegeman, 29 November 2019

In an all-Russian programme, Jos van Immerseel and Anima Eterna Brugge show the nuts and bolts, but forget the music.

**111

Russian troika bogged down in the quest for authenticity in Bruges

By Marc Haegeman

Knockout Pathétique from Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic in Vienna

By Marc Haegeman, 19 November 2019

Bychkov and his sterling Czech forces are joined by Renaud Capuçon for a contrasting all-Tchaikovsky programme on their second day at the Vienna Musikverein.

****1

Knockout Pathétique from Bychkov and the Czech Phi in Vienna

By Marc Haegeman

Superb Tchaikovsky from Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic in Vienna

By Marc Haegeman, 18 November 2019

The distinctive sound of the orchestra that seems to encapsulate centuries of Central-European tradition – glowing violins, characterful winds and some of the most pregnant brass you can hear – bloomed in the marvellous acoustics of the Musikverein.

*****

Superb Tchaikovsky from Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic in Vienna

By Marc Haegeman

Alexandre Kantorow wows with the Mariinsky Orchestra in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 15 October 2019

Think of a poet irresistibly teasing your senses by his creative use of rhythm, his unpredictable style of speech and his unfailing imagination.

****1

Alexandre Kantorow wows with the Mariinsky Orchestra in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Russian delights with Lugansky and Kochanovsky in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman, 27 September 2019

Stanislav Kochanovsky, Nikolai Lugansky and the Belgian National Orchestra impress with an all-Russian triple bill.

****1

Russian delights with Lugansky and Kochanovsky in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman

The American Dream still lives in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 03 May 2019

Špaček subtly illuminated the tough and serious first movement with shafts of light, convincingly sweetened his tone for the lyricism of the intermezzo-like Andante moderato, and gave a dazzling display in the exhilarating finale.

****1

The American Dream still lives in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Magnificent Rachmaninov tribute from Lugansky and Denève in Ghent

By Marc Haegeman, 04 April 2019

Nocturne may not be your dreamlike, moonlit summer night stroll, but quite a grim-visaged journey, threateningly dark with the occasional shaft of light piercing through in powerful, sonorous tutti.

*****

Magnificent Rachmaninov tribute from Lugansky and Denève in Ghent

By Marc Haegeman

Mischa Maisky shines in Tchaikovsky in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman, 22 March 2019

Think of an exhilarating journey animated by an expert guide who lives and enjoys every moment, yet makes you believe he is discovering it with you and isn’t afraid to tease you with some daredevil steps off the beaten track.

***11

Mischa Maisky shines in Tchaikovsky in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman

Luminous Beethoven and impetuous Connesson in Bruges

By Marc Haegeman, 01 March 2019

Denève and the Brussels Philharmonic launched into Guillaume Connesson’s Flammenschrift with enough excitement and energy to illuminate the whole city.

***11

Luminous Beethoven and impetuous Connesson in Bruges

By Marc Haegeman

Electrifying Rach 3 from Giltburg in Rotterdam

By Marc Haegeman, 10 February 2019

A Russian double bill from the Rotterdam Philharmonic in their own turf under Stanislav Kochanovsky.

****1

Electrifying Rach 3 from Giltburg in Rotterdam

By Marc Haegeman

Isabelle Faust shines in German early romantics programme from Gardiner and the LSO

By Marc Haegeman, 30 January 2019

A memorable evening: LSO horns on tremendous form with Sir John Eliot Gardiner on the podium and Isabelle Faust in stellar performance.

****1

Isabelle Faust shines with Gardiner and the LSO

By Marc Haegeman

Magnificent Mendelssohn and Brahms from Blomstedt and the Concertgebouw

By Marc Haegeman, 11 January 2019

Expert conductor Herbert Blomstedt and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra bring impeccable Mendelssohn, Brahms and Stenhammar to Brussels.

*****

Magnificent performance from Blomstedt and the Concertgebouw

By Marc Haegeman

A manifesto against war: Dubugnon première impresses in Brussels, but Beethoven disappoints

By Marc Haegeman, 25 November 2018

Some 15 minutes long, in a slow-fast-slow form, Le Tombeau de Napoléon wraps a taxing solo part for tenor trombone in a dramatically compelling and sonically thrilling orchestral canvas.

***11

A manifesto against war: Dubugnon première impresses in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman

Devastating and dark Pathétique from Gergiev and the Mariinsky on tour in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman, 18 November 2018

Deeply moving and often terrifyingly dark, Gergiev and the Mariinsky took us on a devastating ride towards the abyss which eventually left me grabbing for a rope.

*****

Devastating and dark Pathétique from Gergiev and the Mariinsky

By Marc Haegeman

Beguiling Tchaikovsky from Alban Gerhardt and Klaus Mäkelä in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 28 October 2018

The Rococo Variations show Pyotr Ilyich at his most beguiling and Gerhardt’s cello made the Andante sostenuto variation sing from every bar.

****1

Beguiling Tchaikovsky from Gerhardt and Mäkelä in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Superb Dvořák 7 from Blomstedt and Vienna Philharmonic in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman, 25 September 2018

Blomstedt, in splendid form at 91, also paid tribute to his largely forgotten compatriot Franz Berwald, who died 150 years ago.

***11

Superb Dvořák 7 from Blomstedt and Vienna Phil

By Marc Haegeman

Radiant Vilde Frang opens Antwerp season

By Marc Haegeman, 09 September 2018

Attentive to the dynamics and tempi, Frang meshed her violin with the orchestra, naturally coming into the footlights or receding into an accompanying role when required. In effect, the performance had a feel of an improvisation.

****1

Radiant Vilde Frang opens Antwerp season

By Marc Haegeman

Alice Sara Ott and Edo de Waart bring magnificent Mozart and Dvořák to Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 19 May 2018

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra make Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony sound like new, while Alice Sara Ott’s joy in playing Mozart is palpable.

*****

Ott and de Waart bring magnificent Mozart and Dvořák to Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman

Leipzig Gewandhaus dazzles but fail to move in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman, 27 April 2018

The Allegro assai fared best of all with feverishly energetic strings and an astonishingly violent fugato development.

***11

Leipzig Gewandhaus dazzles but fail to move in Brussels

By Marc Haegeman

Thrilling Beethoven and Mahler from Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman, 18 April 2018

A night to remember in Antwerp as Salonen and the Philharmonia demonstrated once again that, in the right hands, familiar repertory can still prove compelling and even surprising.

*****

Thrilling Beethoven and Mahler in Antwerp

By Marc Haegeman