Reviews

An Encounter with the Musical Heritage of Silbermann

Marcell Fladerer-Armbrecht explores the rich development of European organ music on the historic Silbermann organ of the Dresdner Kathedrale.

A musical dream becomes reality

The Augsburger Domsingknaben and their musical partners gave me an evening with Biber's Missa Salisburgensis that I will not forget.

A Tree, a Temple and the Fury of the Queen of the Night

Katharina Müllner and the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden lend Mozart lustre, while Josef E. Köpplinger's witty production gives the familiar Zauberflöte a surprising twist.

A New Look at Fanny Hensel

Detlev Glanert reveals the orchestral richness of Fanny Hensel's Das Jahr, after which Vadim Gluzman and Bar Avni convince in Brahms' violin concerto.

A surprising musical tribute to Mendelssohn

Jörg Widmann and Angela Merkel open the Mendelssohn-Festtage in Leipzig with music, humour and a plea for a humane Europe

Flowers in Sound and Color

Exit for Klara's "Iedereen klassiek" in Bruges

The Four Elements in Human Voices

Christmas with Currende

New touring opera company makes an immediate impact with Lucia di Lammermoor

The world belongs to the bold. The last week of October 2026 proved that there are, at the very least, musical daredevils who, despite searching for subsidies like a needle in a haystack, have the courage and strength to perform far beyond all expectations with an enormous lack of financial resources, and to make clear that there is a future—a future in which they are part of. This became evident the day before with the young a cappella ensemble Vetus Carmina from Antwerp, and with the very first opera programmed by the Belgian Opera and Operetta Organisation, BOOO for short, which boldly took on Gaetano Donizetti's (1797–1848) Lucia di Lammermoor as a leap into deep water. Mission more than accomplished; I can still hear the cries of "bravo." So once more, for good measure: "Bravo!"

Rustgevend zingend renaissance Allerheiligen in Sint-Romboutskathedraal

The Sint-Romboutskathedraal is, like all Gothic and Romanesque churches, large and small, an ideal setting for Renaissance and polyphony to resound. The composers were so familiar with these spaces over the centuries that they took them into account when composing. It came so naturally to them that eventually they may no longer have thought immediately about whether it could still be heard clearly and comprehensibly. They did it in any case, and yes, then you are quickly tempted, even though that is not allowed in a church, is it?

The 12 Cellists + 1 from the Berliner Philharmoniker at Flagey

We are not immediately overcome by superstitious fears at the number 13, but there are twelve of them: the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker. For the concert in Brussels in the famous Studio 4 of the Flagey building, there was one extra cellist at the end of the concert. A surprise that was somewhat less surprising for the readers of Klassiek Centraal, as only our magazine was allowed to announce in advance who would be performing on stage.