Reviews
Review: Gergiev Festival, Rotterdam
08.09.2008"Nederlands Kamerkoor gives sensitive performance of delicate Arvo Pärt”
"The thirteenth Gergiev Festival opened on Saturday evening in the Doelen concert hall in Rotterdam, as is traditional, and to a capacity crowd, which on this occasion included Minister of Culture Plasterk. The minister found himself in the lions’ den, since the concert was opened by the Nederlands Kamerkoor, one of the ensembles whose future is under serious threat as a result of recent cultural-political decisions.
In his opening speech, Jan Raes, the departing director of the Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, referred to what he described as the ‘inexplicable recommendation’ from the Nederlands Fonds voor de Podiumkunsten (Dutch Fund for the Performing Arts). Raes’ subsequent expression of support for the choir was greeted with loud applause. The fine a cappella performance of Pärt’s “Da pacem Domine”, conducted by Klaas Stok, then received similar approval from the audience. [...]”
Anthony Fiumara in Trouw of 9 September 2008
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