The oppresive plot and Puccini's heartbreaking and dramatic music have made 'Tosca' one of the most beloved operas ever. Love, lust and political intrigue tumble over each other in the life of the temperamental singer Floria Tosca. When her beloved Mario Cavaradossi is captured by the sadistic police chief Scarpia, she bravely takes her fate into her own hands, with a dramatic outcome. An exceptionally beautiful arrangement of this opera, created and performed by violinist Mathieu van Bellen and Norwegian pianist Mathias Halvorsen.  Read more

The Chimaera Trio, founded in 2012, presents itself as an ambassador for the interesting and unusual combination of a wind instrument (clarinet), a string player (cello) and a keyboard instrument (piano). The fusion of the sounds of these three completely different instruments creates a special color palette, with which the trio knows how to distinguish itself. By studying famous clarinet trios (e.g. Brahms, Beethoven) and unknown original works, as well as arranging music themselves, this trio broadens the repertoire and thus the possibilities of this line-up.  Read more

Pianist Marcel Worms will bring a wonderful program tonight: the French composer Francis Poulenc has a very personal and therefore recognizable style. This does not alter the fact that this style was partly shaped by music by other composers. For example, Poulenc has always admired his compatriot Emmanuel Chabrier, about whom he even wrote a biography.  Read more

We are pleased that the Hulst-born violinist Mathieu van Bellen, now for the 8th time, will give this recital on Boxing Day!
This time he is accompanied by the Milstein sisters; Maria Milstein violin and Nathalia Milstein piano. You will hear beautiful sonatas by Grieg, Debussy and Franck. Don't hesitate, this concert sells out fast!  Read more

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The gifted cellist Lidy Blijdorp and the Romanian master on the cimbalom, Vasile Nedea, will bring an exciting mix of folk and classical music from the Balkans this afternoon. You will hear dazzling solos on cimbalom from the rich Roma tradition, but also a beautiful adaptation of the Hungarian dances of Johannes Brahms. Between the Romanian and Hungarian sounds, Lidy makes trips to Bach and plays works by the famous Catalan cellist Pablo Casals. Last summer the duo enacted this concert in the series' Open air concerts on the water 'at the Muziekgebouw aan' t IJ in Amsterdam. The performance received four **** in Trouw! Read more

L'Armonia Sonora, consisting of toppers from the ranks of the Netherlands Bach Society, will present a fascinating baroque program this afternoon with one of the most prominent baroque singers, the bass Peter Kooij. The whole is led by the gambist Mieneke van der Velden.

The cantata 'Der Friede sei mit dir' (BWV 158) is one of the highlights of the work of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750); this solo cantata by Bach with an obbligato violin part and basso continuo seems simple in instrumentation, but it is a very complete cantata with arias, recitatives and a beautiful closing chorale.  Read more

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