Masaaki Suzuki leads Radio Kamer Philharmonic through Sturm und Drang

By Kristen Huebner, 04 December 2012

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Concertgebouw: Main Hall, Amsterdam on 1 December 2012

Kraus, Sinfonia per la Chiesa in D major

Mozart, Symphony no. 25 in G minor, K183 (K173dB)

Haydn, Mass no. 13 in B flat major, "Creation Mass”, Hob XXII:13

Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic

Netherlands Radio Choir (Groot Omroepkoor)

Masaaki Suzuki, Conductor

Lenneke Ruiten, Soprano

Ingeborg Danz, Mezzo-soprano

Topi Lehtipuu, Tenor

Christian Immler, Bass

Tanja Obalski, Soprano

Matthew Minter, Tenor

Thrilling singing in Simon Boccanegra at the Concertgebouw

Jenny Camilleri, 16th September

Verdi voices that make one sit up and listen made this a memorable matinee.

****1

Dusting down Il viaggio a Reims

Nicolas Nguyen, 20th January

Director Michieletto’s playful staging, Stefano Montanari’s expressive conducting and stylish singing from a cast of seasoned Rossinian singers make for a thoroughly enjoyable new production of the too rare Il viaggio a Reims at the Dutch National Opera.

****1

Plenty of surprises: Three world premières in Amsterdam

Kristen Huebner, 18th May

It was a surprising afternoon of world premières at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw this weekend. With promises of young talent, such as the rising Dutch recorder player Erik Bosgraaf, and daring new compositions by Peter Adriaansz and Louis Andriessen, the event shed some light on the state of modern music today.

***11

Five majestic apocalypses in the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

Rutger Muller, 22nd December

Many a dark tone roamed inside the Muziekgebouw as lovers of daring, opinionated orchestral music gathered there one day after the Mayan calendar ended. Diverse interpretations of apocalyptic fantasies and prophecies unfolded during this night. Apocalyptic, in its literal Greek meaning: revealing, disclosing.

****1

James MacMillan's Violin Concerto in the Concertgebouw

Renée Reitsma, 28th April

James MacMillan’s Violin Concerto was first performed in 2010, but this afternoon, at the Dutch premiere, was the first time he conducted it. It’s quite an extraordinary piece, so full of ideas that you might wonder if he couldn’t have written two concertos instead of just the one. But when it comes to MacMillan, this potential overload of ideas actually works really well.

****1

Death in the light of eternity

Renée Reitsma, 15th April

Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ is a venue known for its adventurous programs and patronage of contemporary music. Tonight’s concert was had the theme “Rust z8”, or “Rest in Peace” (literally “Rest softly”). The evening boasted two premieres: a Dutch premiere of James MacMillan’s Nunc dimittis and the world premiere of Alexander Raskatov’s Alphabet of Death, with the composer present.

****1

More reviews...

Kristen Huebner

Originally from the USA, Kristen Huebner now bases her musical life in the Netherlands and Europe. She currently tours with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir under the direction of Ton Koopman and has collaborated alongside members of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century under Frans Brüggen. Her work with the Paris-based Ensemble Diderot, has led to numerous appearances at festivals such as Musikfest Erzgebirge and the Bach Biennale Weimar. Kristen’s research on Empfindsamkeit in the chamber music of C.P.E. Bach has been adapted into an article for Music & Practice, published in 2015. Kristen joined the teaching team at the 2022 Zomer Academie Zutphen, where she led the traverso masterclass.