A weekend featuring two nearly sold-out concerts at Amare! Argentine master pianist Nelson Goerner returned to The Hague to perform Chopin’s lyrical Piano Concerto No. 2, followed by Sibelius’s powerful Symphony No. 1, conducted by Elena Schwarz. “A celebration full of surprises and familiar moments,” according to De Nieuwe Muze. On Friday , the audience also Friday an intriguing One Minute Symphony by composition student Paul Schmidt and the rarely heard Overture by Polish composer Grazyna Bacewicz.

Pianist Goerner was particularly “fabulous in the bel canto, where he connected the notes sometimes with a sparkling quality, then again with fluidity.” Elena Schwarz also “ lived up to all expectations” in Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 . She nailed the exact tempos, maintained a good balance between the voice groups, and achieved a vibrant cohesion that rivaled that of renowned maestros.

All in all, a weekend in which romance, virtuosity, and orchestral grandeur came together effortlessly.

Savour the moment a little longer with the beautiful photos by Eudardus Lee.