volume 2 - number 1 - may 2016
It was thanks to the generosity of a number of a few special Friends that the spectacular performance of Wagner’s opera Lohengrin was given at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in December 2015. The entire Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be travelling to the US to give concerts in 2016, a tour made possible in part by Friends.
The RCO is off to the US The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is
positions. In his Theatrum bestiarum,
reality, please contact Henriette Henny by
New York on 29 and 30 November 2016
dramatic narrative in orchestral sound.
nl or by calling +31 (0)20 305 1010.
making appearances in Washington and thanks to its Global Friends, who were
given a sneak preview back in May when
an ensemble made up of members of the orchestra gave a chamber music concert
house composer Detlev Glanert conveys a
And with Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, the orchestra takes listeners on an emotional journey full of ups and downs.
in New York.
Your support
The full orchestra will be juxtaposing
its 2016, 2018 and 2019 concerts in the US
familiar with lesser-known works in No-
vember under the direction of the popu-
lar guest conductor Semyon Bychkov. The programme features two very special com-
emailing h.henny@concertgebouworkest. We are organising special receptions for our Global Friends in connection with the concerts given on 29
and 30 November. Global Friends will be receiving an invitation.
The orchestra is currently preparing for – concerts which are possible only with your support. If you, too, would like to
help make the Royal Concertgebouw Or-
chestra’s appearances in 2018 and 2019 a
It gives us great pleasure to offer you, as a Global Friend of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, free top class seats.
Marijn Mijnders, Valentina Bernardone, Henk Rubingh, Sebastiaan van Halsema in New York, May 2016.
you can register via mail: h.henny@concertgebouworkest.nl
Belgian Friends facilitate the purchase of a violin The Belgian Friends have made a
The new German RCO Global Friends enjoy an orchestra
generous contribution towards the
rehearsal.
purchase of a very special violin built
RCO Global Friends group established in Germany
by Landolfi dating from about 1751.
The instrument has been entrusted to the young Belgian violinist Sylvia
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s
Friends during their visit to Amsterdam
a number of music lovers there to
Huang, who met up with the Belgian
visit to Frankfurt on 4 February inspired
in April to tell them just how happy she
become Global Friends. After London,
is with the violin. On this occasion, Syl-
Brussels, Lucerne, Paris and New York,
via was symbolically presented with the
Frankfurt is now the sixth city in which
instrument. ‘She was so sincerely grate-
an RCO Global Friends group has been
ful,’ says one Friend. ‘She told us how the
established.
violin has come to life, particularly now
that she’s been able to play it for a while.
During the orchestra’s visit, Global Friends
purchase of the violin was more a gift to
attend a Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Actually, our contribution towards the
and other music lovers were invited to
ourselves than anything,’ he smiles. ‘Af-
rehearsal and reception. At a Rotary Club
ter all, we get beautiful music in return.’
breakfast, double bassist Dominic Seldis and Global Friends contact Henriette
Henny also gave a presentation. All these activities made quite an impression on the attendees. Welcome to Global Friends!
RCO meets Europe/Side by Side
Will you give young talent a chance on the concert stage? course, be invited to the concert in your
country, and you may also attend the rehearsal. In addition, there will be a gath-
ering before and after the project where all the partners will have an opportunity to meet the musicians and one another.
Partners can also opt to have their names published on the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra website.
Would you like to learn more? You can reach us by emailing
h.henny@concertgebouworkest.nl Concerts in every country making up
also be giving lessons and masterclasses.
and a half years – that’s RCO meets Eu-
edge and experience with younger gener-
the European Union over a period of two
The orchestra is thus sharing its knowl-
or by phoning +31 (0)20 305 1010.
rope.
Orchestra to perform in Singapore and China in 2017
All the concerts on the tour kick off with a
Become a partner of Side by Side
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is
‘side by side’ with a youth orchestra in the
laboration possible: for €12,500, you can
rope. Never before in its history has the
orchestra undertaken such a tour. And you can help make it happen.
ations, creating sustainable partnerships with youth orchestras throughout Eu-
work which the orchestra will be playing
You can help make one such unique col-
relevant country. In preparation for the
underwrite the concert given in your own
concerts, musicians in the orchestra will
home country. As a partner, you will, of 2
once again travelling to Asia, giving a number of concerts in Singapore and
China in 2017. Watch this space for more details!
Invitation: chamber music concert in Luxembourg RCO Global Friends are most welcome to attend
a concert given by an ensemble made up of RCO
musicians at the residence of the Dutch ambassador to Luxembourg on 25 June.
Would you like to attend? If so, please inform Henriette Henny no later than
14 June by email at h.henny@concertgebouworkest.nl.
Film about Daniele Gatti premiered The first showing in the Netherlands of the documentary DANIELE GATTI – Overture to a Conductor, a compelling portrait of the orchestra’s chief conductor designate, was given at Amsterdam’s Eye Film Museum on 30 March.
The film shows how Maestro Gatti ‘plays’ all 100 members of the Royal Concertge-
bouw Orchestra like a single instrument and with supreme verve, and portrays
him as something of a nonconformist whose only care is for the composer.
Indeed, he deeply believes that the closer
you stay to the score, the greater justice you do to the composer. The film focuses on Gatti’s youth and subsequent musical development. We meet Gatti, the idio-
syncratic conductor and artist, during
rehearsals with the orchestra for the opening of the new season at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
3
Semyon Bychkov
Concerts for RCO Global Friends No matter what the concert, the doors are always open for Friends. What’s more, for a number of concerts specially selected for you, you need not purchase tickets
at the box office, but can order them directly from Henriette Henny at h.henny@ concertgebouworkest.nl. 25 June 2016
24 October 2016 at 8.00 p.m.
RCO Global Friends
The Dutch ambassador to Luxembourg
Daniele Gatti, conductor
you, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has
Concert for Global Friends, Luxembourg cordially invites you to attend a chamber music concert. Interested? If so, please contact Henriette Henny.
9 September 2016, RCO Opening Night Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
See front page; you can register via mail: h.henny@concertgebouworkest.nl
Philharmonie, Luxembourg Young musicians from the Benelux region
Music lovers are everywhere. Just for founded the Global Friends. Global Friends will receive two tickets to the exclusive annual
Richard Wagner
RCO Opening Night at the Concertgebouw
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Prelude) Götterdämmerung (excerpts) Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 10 (Adagio)
Alban Berg: Drei Orchesterstücke
in Amsterdam : 9-9-2016. You are also given priority when booking tickets to performances of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in your country, you may attend rehearsals and are eligible for discounts on RCO Live CDs and DVDs. Your contribution (of at least €1,500
9 October 2016 at 2.15 p.m.
29 November 2016 at 8.00 p.m.
annually) allows the orchestra to undertake
Stéphane Denève, conductor
30 November 2016 at 8.00 p.m.
musicians to acquire top quality instruments
Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Arthur and Lucas Jussen, piano Leo Smit Silhouetten
Francis Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Albert Roussel Symphony No. 3
Kennedy Center, Washington Carnegie Hall, New York
Semyon Bychkov, conductor Detlev Glanert Theatrum bestiarum Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 5
Maurice Ravel La valse
25 December 2016, Christmas Matinee
14 October 2016 at 8.30 p.m.
Trevor Pinnock, conductor
Philharmonie, Paris
Andris Nelsons, conductor Richard Wagner
Lohengrin (Prelude to Act I)
Parsifal (Prelude and Karfreitagszauber) Richard Strauss Tod und Verklärung Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche
Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Ursula Eittinger, contralto Michael Nagy, bass
Marlis Petersen, soprano Daniel Behle, tenor
Netherlands Chamber Choir Johann Sebastian Bach
Christmas Oratorio (parts IV, V and VI) 4
international concert tours, enables the and supports the Academy, the orchestra’s international young talent programme. Please check our website for information about tax deduction in your country: www.rcofriends.com
Acknowledgements Global Friends News is published by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Global Friends designated contact: Henriette Henny / +31 (0)20 305 1010 rcofriends@concertgebouworkest.nl
Text and editing Irene Bloemink / Translation Josh Dillon
Photos Mladen Pikulic´(cover) Renske Vrolijk (p2 young talent, p4 Bychkov), Christina Chouchena (p3 Gatti,
p4 Global Friends), Sanet van Rooyen (p3 chamber music) Anne Dokter (p4 Opening Night)
Graphic design Atelier Rene Knip & Rens Martens