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As I made my way to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, a mass of photographers and guests dressed in their evening best waited eagerly by the front doors. Alas, this reception was not for me, but rather for the Prince and Princess of Belgium, the evening’s guests and the very reason behind the concert.

The theme of tonight was La Douce France, with a line-up of French and Belgian musicians and composers. Starting off with the subtle tones of Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, a symphonic poem inspired by Mallarmé’s poem “L’Après-midi d’un Faune”.

Après Quatre derniers lieder de Strauss bien trop terre à terre, Gergely Madaras et l'Orchestre de Liège ne sauvent la Quatrième symphonie de Mahler que dans ses dernières minutes, avec l'arrivée de Chen Reiss.