Classical music with a French accent, in Enschede, Arnhem and Nijmegen. Here, conductor Kerem Hasan presents a refined French program, with Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé. The French soprano Véronique Gens also takes the stage. She performs the delicate Les nuits d’été by Berlioz. The concert opens with Ricercare by Hendrik Andriessen.

The young English conductor Kerem Hasan amazed the entire music world when he conducted a stunning Mahler concerto with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra as a substitute for Bernard Haitink in 2018. It was the start of a dream career that has taken him to many major orchestras in recent years. He makes his debut at Phion with a refined French program. Ravel is purely impressionistic in his ballet Daphnis et Chloé. With subtle pastel sounds he inimitably portrays the brooding atmosphere of this Greek mythological shepherd idyll. Beautiful evocative music containing the most beautiful sunrise ever composed for orchestra.

At least as delicate is Les nuits d’été by Ravel’s compatriot Berlioz. He is known for his sometimes megalomaniac works, but this song cycle is an example of refined music. Poetry that sings about sun-drenched nature and soft gray moonlight, but also about lost love and saying goodbye to life. French music through and through sung by a true Frenchwoman. For years, Véronique Gens has been one of the great stars of French vocal music, mastering it to perfection.

The concert opens in Dutch with a work by Hendrik Andriessen. His Ricercare is a beautiful modern interpretation of this age-old musical form.

Program:

Hendrik Andriessen – Ricercare

Berlioz – Les nuits d’été 

Ravel – Daphnis et Chloé