At a time when society is often marked by polarization and hardening attitudes, the Cold Days, Warm Hearts project seeks to harness the power of connection. The Residentie Orkest Haags Verhaal bring music and stories together in neighborhoods in The Hague, with humanity as the central theme. Because what does it mean to be there for someone else? And how does it feel when someone is there for you?

The series began on November 13 at the Vadercentrum Adam in Laak. Residents gathered there for a free three-course dinner, accompanied by music and conversation. It was an evening centered on warmth and closeness: eating, listening, and talking together, and discovering that there are always bright spots to be found—especially in each other.

During the gatherings, musicians from the Residentie Orkest play Residentie Orkest by composers such as Schulhoff, Piazzolla, and Beethoven. The music acts as a mirror and a catalyst for the stories shared by neighborhood residents and speakers. Interviewers from Haags Verhaal talked to people from the neighborhood about personal experiences, solidarity, and hope. This creates a unique combination of art and life stories, in which the power of humanity becomes tangible.

The project traveled to various locations in The Hague. On December 3, Theater De Vaillant was the setting, where the members of the Social Table and Quiet Den Haag took center stage. This was followed by meetings at Stichting Lichtpuntjes van Mariahoeve (December 9), at Haagse Helpers in De Utopie (December 10), and at Buurt- & Kerkhuis Shalom (December 13). Each location added its own color and story, but everywhere the same thing was paramount: coming together and talking about humanity.

The series will conclude on December 14 in Amare, where the interviewees from the neighborhoods will come together and their stories will ultimately be reflected in the music. During the concert by the Residentie Orkest, featuring Mahler's First Symphony and Schulhoff's impressive Menschheit Symphony, among others, the connection between art and society will be emphasized once again. The closing moment is not only a musical highlight, but also a celebration of the encounters that into the city place into the city .

Cold Days, Warm Hearts shows that humanity is not an abstract concept, but something we can experience and pass on every day. It is found in a shared meal, in a conversation that gives space, in music that releases emotions. The project invites us to reflect on the value of solidarity and empathy – and to discover that it is precisely in the dark days of the year that warmth and hope are close at hand.

This initiative was made possible in part by Fonds 1818, Fonds Residentie Orkest Rabobank The Hague.

Collaboration partner

Haags Verhaal

Partners & locations into the city

Father Center Adam, Stek, Buurt & Shalom, Theater de Vaillant - Social Table & Quiet Foundation, Foundation Light Points of Mariahoeve, Haagse Helpers