With the closing concert "From the New World," the Antwerp Spring Festival crowned its fifth edition with a performance that was not only thoughtfully programmed, but ultimately revealed itself as an impressive musical experience. In collaboration with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, on Sunday, April 26, a journey was undertaken that led from the Caribbean soundscape through Afro-American traditions to Dvořák's European perspective on the "New World" – a thread that in the Handelsbeurs Antwerp came powerfully into its own both conceptually and acoustically.
Under the inspired direction of Diego Matheuz, the Symphony Orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen confirmed its very high level. What immediately stood out was not only the technical mastery and homogeneity, but especially the intensity and joy of the ensemble: here was an orchestra that performed with clear dedication to the repertoire. Matheuz proved to be the ideal partner as a charismatic conductor who coupled structure and clarity with an infallible sense of expression and dramatic tension. Conductor and orchestra formed a particularly tight match.
The opening with Margarita by Inocente Carreño (1919-2016) immediately set the tone with a sparkling and colorful performance that carried far more than mere exotic charm. In this work, rooted in the atmosphere and rhythms of the island of Margarita, Carreño combines dance-like energy with a refined sense of orchestral color. The orchestra convincingly captured that double layering: lively, rhythmically sharp passages were interspersed with more contemplative moments, without losing the tension. The orchestration sounded clear and differentiated, with a natural flow between the different sections. Particularly striking was the melancholic middle section, in which the music temporarily withdraws and makes room for more introspection. The solos from, among others, the first violin and cello were delivered here with a beautiful ease and expressive nuance. Characteristic was the organic way contrasts were developed: exuberance and refinement did not stand opposed to each other, but flowed logically into one another. Thus Margarita gained not only color, but also clear form and inner coherence.
With Ethiopia's Shadow in America by Florence Price (1887-1953) followed a work that can be not only listened to, but also read as an impressive musical narrative. Price evokes here a trajectory from African origins to Afro-American reality, with elements from spirituals, late-romantic tradition, and original thematic material interlocking. Matheuz and the orchestra approached this with evident care for structure and layering. The different sections – contrasting in character but thematically connected – were clearly profiled and logically built, with attention to detail without losing sight of the whole, with the contrasting episodes in particular – from restrained lyricism to more explicit drama – sharply articulated. The warm string sound and the nuanced woodwinds created a rich, but never heavy sonic palette. At the same time, the underlying tension remained beautifully controlled. Striking were the gravity, dedication, and conviction with which this repertoire was approached: not as a rare addition, but as a fully-fledged symphonic work. The emotional charge was not exaggerated, and therefore worked all the more effectively. The result was an interpretation that convinced both conceptually and musically, and that left the impression that this work truly deserves its place in the repertoire.
It is a credit to the festival that it provided space to discover both Price and Carreño: music that not only intrigues, but also decidedly leaves you wanting more.
Against this background, the Ninth Symphony, From the New Worldby Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) took on the weight of a culmination point, in a performance that can unquestionably be counted among the most memorable I have had the pleasure of hearing of this work. From the very first measures, there was that natural sense of drive: the opening section received a flowing and organically breathing tempo, in which the melancholy was not spun out, but gave direction and generated tension. What especially struck me here was the intensity of the ensemble – an orchestra that not only played with utmost precision, but clearly invested in every phrase. Small accentuations, subtle shifts in dynamics and phrasing: these are details that often go unnoticed, but here made the difference and gave the score a special vitality.
The Largo formed for me one of the most affecting moments of the concert. The construction was exemplary in its simplicity and natural flow, with tempos that allowed space without ever stalling. The famous English horn solo sounded restrained and noble, almost fragile in its directness, and was carried by an orchestra that accompanied with exceptional attention and gentleness. Here one heard musicians who listened to each other, who breathed together – a quality that is difficult to enforce, but all the more powerful when it is there.
The Scherzo then maintained its elasticity and rhythmic sharpness, light-footed but never superficial. And then the finale, launched attacca, as an inevitable release of what preceded. Here everything came together: playfulness in the tempos, an almost tangible joy of playing, and technical mastery that seemed effortless. The energy was contagious without forcing, and carried the whole toward an ending that both convinced and moved.
What made this performance so special to me was not only the high level, but the way Matheuz deployed that level in service of the music. No showmanship, no exaggeration, but a thoughtful, deeply felt interpretation in which detail and overall architecture continually reinforced each other.
What made this closing concert exceptional was the coherence between programming, performance, and experience. Here a concept was not illustrated, but music was brought to life – with conviction, imagination, and craftsmanship. The Antwerp Spring Festival thus confirms itself as an initiative that not only programs, but truly realizes memorable concert moments.
