Hortus Festival

Providing a beautiful way to spend a balmy yet cultured summer evening, the annual Hortus Festival takes place in the botanical gardens of Amsterdam, Haren, Leiden and Utrecht. The Amsterdam concerts are every Thursday from 21 July to 18 August.

Composer, virtuoso, epistler

The programme offers six different chamber music programmes in unique locations. The festival's eighth edition is dedicated to Franz Liszt, born 200 years ago this year. Liszt was not only a great composer and a renowned piano virtuoso - his piano recitals ('soirees') won him much acclaim and even awards - he was also a prolific writer of letters.

European cultural and social life

By involving excerpts of Liszt's letters, many of them written during his extensive travels through Europe, the festival programme aims to get at the personality behind the music. The letters provide a unique insight in the social, musical and intellectual life in Europe's most important metropolises at Lizst's time.

For full programme details, please see www.hortusfestival.nl.