Mahler's song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn accompanied by Julius Drake

Ema Nikolovska and Jusung Gabriel Park

The Recital Hall is dedicated to Mahler's most beautiful songs during the Mahler Festival. Perhaps today's most important Lieder accompanist, pianist Julius Drake, flanks vocalists he admires. Today, these are mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska and bass-baritone Jusung Gabriel Park.

Des Knaben Wunderhorn

In Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Mahler chose his favourite texts from the very old German collection of the same name. He composed twelve, sometimes fairy-tale-like songs. Love, faith, heroic deeds... everything floats by. Macedonian-Canadian Ema Nikolovska and South Korean Jusung Gabriel Park sing them. The latter is making his Amsterdam debut. Drake chooses to have some songs sung by the soloists together. 'Even though they are not necessarily written as such, there are often clearly two characters speaking,' he said in Preludium. 'And as a duet, they work really beautifully.'

Mahler Festival

From 9 to 18 May 2025, Het Concertgebouw is organizing a major Mahler Festival for the third time. After the Mahler Festivities in 1920 and 1995, all of Mahler's symphonies will be heard again in the Main Hall. Among others, they will be performed by the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, which was once conducted by Mahler himself. A selection of top soloists and choirs, led by conductors such as Iván Fischer and Jaap van Zweden, devote themselves to these monumental works. More information about the Mahler Festival can be found here.

Amsterdam 750

On 27 October 2025, Amsterdam will celebrate its 750th anniversary, marking a year-long celebration. Starting on 27 October 2024, a jubilee year full of activities for all Amsterdammers begins.