Next weekend, Italian conductor Valentina Peleggi will make her debut with the Residentie Orkest. What are we going to hear, is she looking forward to her debut and is a first time for a "new" orchestra just exciting?  

'I am very much looking forward to coming to The Hague! Yes, indeed, the first time with a new orchestra has a special buzz, and I especially can't wait to get to know Residentie Orkest ! Sharing music with such incredible musicians and ultimately creating something special together is something incredibly exciting: I can't wait to be there. 

You are bringing an unknown work by Puccini, his Preludio sinfonico. What is this piece and why do you want to perform it in The Hague? 

"I always enjoy bringing a little bit of my country and my story to the musicians and the audience. This short piece, a little gem, was recently discovered in the archives of the Milan Conservatory. Puccini wrote it when he was very young, a bit like Grieg when he composed his Piano Concerto. Yet you can already hear Puccini's enormous talent as he searches for his own style, supported by a passionate melodic inventiveness. On the other hand, I have a personal family connection with Puccini. But that's a whole other story, maybe I'll tell it next time! 

In addition to Grieg's phenomenal Piano Concerto , Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet will also be heard. Why should I come and listen to that? 

'Romeo and Juliet is an absolute masterpiece and timeless. There is love, passion, destiny, friendship, hatred, power and death. All masterfully translated into music. Every color, every theme perfectly forms the psychology of the character, like a musical painting of the inner soul. From the three suites we perform a selection that recreates the story and offers a musical journey through it. This is not just a piece to listen to, but to be totally immersed in. Join us and bring this inspiring score to life! 

So a special concert just before Christmas. What do you listen to yourself at Christmas time? 

'A combination of timeless carols, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, all the new pieces I will have in my luggage for the next five months and the beautiful sounds of nature in my beautiful rural home in Umbria, Italy. And, of course, bagpipers who travel on foot through the small villages of Italy at this time of year, bringing music, stories and joy in exchange for a glass of mulled wine.