Performer: Jan Willem de Vriend

The Concertgebouw has been celebrating its 125th anniversary throughout 2013. On the darkest, rainiest Sunday evening in months, the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam defied the oncoming winter with a joyous, exuberant performance, one of a series of special celebratory concerts for this jubilee year.

Giving its concert on April 9th the subtitle “Sing Mozart Sing” and promoting it with a tongue-in-cheek portrait of the mischievous genius with his mouth half open in a wry smile, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra probably intended the audience to expect an evening of cheerful and light entertainment. The programming suited this intention down to a tee.

Die Zürcher Sing-Akademie und das Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich stimmten mit Händels beliebtestem Oratorium auf Weihnachten ein. Dank der Leitung des Barockspezialisten Willem de Vriend war dem Unterfangen Erfolg beschieden.