Mahler Festival Amsterdam 2025 Blog by Amsterdam’s well-informed circles.
Posts in 2024
27-10-2024 Opening Festival Year Amsterdam 750 (until 27-10-2025)
On October 27 2025, Amsterdam will celebrate its 750th birthday. This will be celebrated grandly from October 27 2024, until the actual birthday a year later. Here you’ll find a sneak peek of the highlights of the jubilee year.
09-05-2024 Only 1 year left until the start of the festival
Only 1 year left until the start of the festival (09-05-2024)!
10-04-2024 Edo de Waart stops conducting
On April 10 conductor Edo de Waart announced his retirement from the stage of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Although he is 82 and has been conducting for 60 years, his retirement came as a surprise.
De Waart is an international music figure, having led such orchestras as Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Sante Fe Opera and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
His career began as an Assistant Conductor to Leonard Bernstein at the New York Philharmonic. He then returned to Holland where he was appointed Assistant Conductor to Bernard Haitink at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
05-04-2024 Spring on Museumplein
02-04-2024 Klaus Mäkelä in Amsterdam and Chicago (2027)
On 2 April 2024, Klaus Mäkelä was appointed as the next Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a commitment that begins in September 2027, coinciding with his inauguration as chief conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Until then he will remain chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre de Paris, as well as artistic partner of the Concertgebouw Orchestra.
30-03-2024 Concertgebouw Orchestra 100 years radio broadcast
The majority of the concert programs of the Concertgebouw Orchestra, namely 25 per season, can be heard via radio station NPO Klassiek in AVROTROS’ Sunday afternoon concert. The concert has usually been recorded before, but you can also enjoy it live on a regular basis. This month marks exactly 100 years since this close collaboration was established: the orchestra’s first radio broadcast took place on March 30, 1924 (30-03-1924).
21-03-2024 Three extra concerts announced
- Day 2 Saturday 10-05-2025
13:30 Main Hall
Symphony No.1
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam (RCO)
Conductor: Klaus Mäkelä - Day 3 Sunday 11-05-2025
11:00 Main Hall
Symphony No. 2
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Conductor: Iván Fischer - Day 5 Tuesday 13-05-2025
17:00 Main Hall
Symphony No. 5
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Conductor: Iván Fischer
Ticket sales 26-03-2024
18-03-2024 An Evening with Mahler
Just before the start of the Mahler Festival, an evening to get to know Gustav Mahler even better. Lorenzo Viotti leads the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra in work by the master himself, and works that Mahler loved and enjoyed conducting, including Tchaikovsky, Weber and Wagner.
The precise program will be announced shortly.
- An evening with Mahler
- Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor: Lorenzo Viotti
- Thursday 08-05-2024, Main hall, 20:15 – 22:35
16-03-2024 Mahler’s Life in Song: The Early Works
The Mahler Hour by Mahler Foundation.
Explore Mahlers output in Lieder and the ways in which his life was reflected in his creativity. An informal talk between two passionate Mahlerites who have dedicated years to thinking about and presenting on this topic.
14-03-2024 Thomas Beijer (piano) added to the Festival Program (18-05-2025)
Especially for the Mahler Festival, pianist Thomas Beijer made his own version of the beloved slow movement from Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. He performs it alongside pieces by Brahms and Zemlinsky.
- Janáček – 1.X.1905 ‘Sonate’
- Mahler – Ruhevoll, poco adagio (uit Symfonie nr. 4 in G (arr. T.A. Beijer))
- Zemlinsky – Fantasien über Gedichte von Richard Dehmel, op. 9
- Brahms – Vier Klavierstücke, op. 119
Sunday 18-05-2025, 11:00 Thomas Beijer (piano solo), main hall, no break. Start ticket sales start 14-03-2024.
07-03-2024 Mahler Symphony No. 1 by Kirill Kondrashin
110 years ago, on 06-03-1914, Kirill Kondrashin was born in Moscow. As one of the great conductors from the Soviet Union, he encountered a lot of opposition from the authorities. In 1978 he applied for political asylum in the Netherlands, where the Concertgebouw Orchestra appointed him as permanent conductor alongside Bernard Haitink. On 07-03-1981, one day after his 67th birthday and just hours after a historic performance of Symphomy No. 1 by Gustav Mahler in the Great Hall, he died of a heart attack.
07-03-1981 Amsterdam (Royal Concertgebouw): Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 1. NDR Sinfonieorchester, Kyrill Kondrashin (1914 Moscow – 1981 Amsterdam). Kondrashin replaced Klaus Tennstedt who had canceled from Hannover at the very last moment due to a disagreement between him and the orchestra. Kondrashin first refused because he was tired. The day before be returned from a tour in America. Eventually he decided to conduct after the break, following a rehearsal of just 20 minutes of Gustav Mahlers – Symphony No. 1.
He died at home the same evening at 23:10 from a heart attack and was buried in the cemetery Westerveld in Driehuis, the Netherlands. Conductor Kirill Kondrashin made his debut with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1968. He returned often and from mid-70s for four weeks per season. Until 1979 he was guest conductor, then he was appointed Permanent Conductor with Bernard Haitink (1929) as Chief conductor. From this last concert with maestro Kondrashin are audio recordings available. Attended in 1981 by Bert van der Waal van Dijk (Mahler Foundation).
Documentary: “Het testament van Kirill Petrovitsj” (1989) by Hans Heg.
29-02-2024 Dream debut Dinis Sousa in Amsterdam
Dinis Sousa (35) makes a dream debut in Amsterdam. The anti-maestro guided the Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Monteverdi Choir through “Ein deutsches Requiem” (Brahms) with great panache. Until last August, hardly anyone had heard of Sousa. His career was catapulted when he had to replace conductor Eliot Gardiner on a tour with the opera “Les Troyens” (Berlioz).
Dinis Sousa is Principal Conductor of the Royal Northern Sinfonia.
Royal Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, founded in Newcastle upon Tyne and currently based in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history the orchestra gave most of its concerts at the Newcastle City Hall. It also gave monthly concerts in Middlesbrough town hall and at Stockton & Billingham Technical College in Billingham. Since 2004 the orchestra has been resident at Sage Gateshead. In June 2013 Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the title ‘Royal’ on the orchestra, formally naming it Royal Northern Sinfonia.
5 Star review in De Volkskrant.
26-02-2024 Royal visit
Her Majesty Queen Máxima will probably be present during one of the concerts. She is patron of the Royal Concertgenouw Orchestra. Royal House of the Netherlands.
22-02-2024 Photo album Mahler Festival Amsterdam 2025
A photo book has been opened in the blog for the photos of the Mahler festival in 2025.
14-02-2024 Tram and bus in Amsterdam (.pdf)
In front of the main entrance of the Concertgebouw Museumkwartier / van Baerlestraat (F5 on the map) is the tram-stop for:
- Line 12 (green): Central Station trainstation v.v. Amstelstation trainstation (half-circle-line).
- Line 3 (purple-light): Zoutkeetsgracht v.v. Flevopark (half-circle-line).
- Line 5 (purple-dark): Van Hallstraat v.v. Westergasfabriek (north-south-line). (N.B. Apollolaan 123 is Gerrit vd Veenstraat/Beethovenstraat.)
Tram and bus are provided by the GVB (Gemeentelijk Vervoer Bedrijf, Municipal Transport Company) of Amsterdam.
05-02-2024 Five star review Gurre-Lieder in De Volkskrant (Dutch)
“Unparalleled”
01-02-2024 Gurre-Lieder (1911) by Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951)
This month the Concertgebouw Orchestra will play the Gurre-Lieder by Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951). The composer was born 150 years ago. The previous performance in Amsterdam of this gigantic work took place in 1921. More than a hundred years ago it was led by the composer himself. There were approximately 750 musicians. This year (2024) is the second time the Concertgebouw Orchestra plays this work. Conductor is Riccardo Chailly.
- More about Gurre-Lieder – Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951) (Dutch).
- Concertmaster: Guy Braunstein (1971).
- Sung in the German language. Subtitles in Dutch and English.
27-01-2024 Roberto Mahler (1881-1953) from Chile
There is new information about a cousin of Gustav Mahler who spent much of his life in Chile. This cousin, Roberto Mahler (1881-1953), was also a conductor and composer.
22-01-2024 New RCO Brand Identity: Enticing pictures
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has updated its brand identity. An important element is the eye-catching photography by Carli Hermès.
Since January 2024 the Concertgebouw Orchestra has a new brand identity, a result of the orchestra’s growing ambition to reach people of all ages and backgrounds. This new visual identity, developed by design agency Motif, gives the orchestra a more direct and emotional appeal and it also works very well with digital media.
The crown motif will be retained and given a prominent place as the pictorial mark in visual communications, in combination with the diamond shape. The word Koninklijk (Royal) is also back in the logo, and international communications will use the orchestra’s English name. This will increase recognition, by both people we already know and segments of the population that we want to reach better. We’ll be relying more on images in order to get the attention of potential new audiences.
‘I make portraits, pictures with the energy and the feel of the music, so that you want to hear what you’re seeing. Music is energy.’
The orchestra will be working with the photographer Carli Hermès over the coming months. Everyone knows Hermès, although they may not be aware of it. His photos appear in many advertising campaigns, as well as in national and international magazines. His non-commissioned work is also highly regarded. Now it’s the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s turn to call on his unique visual language. ‘The message has to be recognisable in text and image.’
15-01-2024 Mahler Foundation and Marina Mahler at Festival
Reports are coming from the Mahler Foundation that Marina Mahler will be present as a “Guest of Honour” at the festival. Work is also underway on a special documentary in which Marina visits a number of places that meant a lot to her grandfather.
11-01-2024 RCO - Principals 2023/2024
- Concertmaster: Vesko Eschkenazy and Liviu Prunaru
- Viola: Santa Vižine
- Cello: Gregor Horsch and Tatjana Vassiljeva-Monnier
- Double bass: Dominic Seldis
- Flute: Emily Beynon and Kersten McCall
- Oboe: Alexei Ogrintchouk and Ivan Podyomov
- Clarinet: Calogero Palermo and Olivier Patey
- Bassoon: Andrea Cellacchi and Gustavo Núñez
- Horn: Katy Woolley and Laurens Woudenberg
- Trumpet: Miro Petkov and Omar Tomasoni
- Trombone: Bart Claessens and Jörgen van Rijen
- Tuba: Perry Hoogendijk
- Timpani: Tomohiro Ando and Bart Jansen (new)
- Harp: Petra van der Heide
- All musicians of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (RCO)
05-01-2024 Posters in hallways
Posters hang in the hallways.
04-01-2024 New lighting and sidewalk in 2024
September 2023, the historic Museumplein (Museum square) entrance festively reopened its doors. The Concertgebouw has restored its connection with Museumplein with three large French doors. In addition to the reopening, the entrance on Jan Willem Brouwersstraat was also renovated. All entrances will be equipped with additional lighting so that they can be clearly found. The work is being carried out in close collaboration with the municipality of Amsterdam, which will also renew the sidewalks around the building in 2024.
There are three entrances (Entree):
- J.W. Brouwers straat (street).
- Museumplein (Museum square).
- Concertgebouwplein (Concertgebouw square).
Doors A to D: Ground floor (Begane grond). Hall (Zaal).
Doors E to K: First floor (Eerste verdieping). Balcony & Podium (Balkon & Podium).
01-01-2024 Countdown to opening festival
Countdown to opening Mahler Festival Amsterdam 2025 on 09-05-2025. Remaining days from today:
01-01-2024 Happy New Year!
Bert and Judith van der Waal van Dijk (the Netherlands)
End of posts in 2024.