The Rite of Spring

From the very first bar, the tension is palpable. Jaap van Zweden, conductor emeritus of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and an artist with a strong and long-standing connection with the orchestra, drives the orchestra forward in a programme that offers no respite. On the contrary. Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto opens with a penetrating fanfare that immediately grabs you by the throat. At the piano is Bruce Liu, winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition, who captivates the audience from the very first notes. His playing is clear and precise, yet charged with musical intelligence and emotional expressiveness. After the interval, Stravinsky's Le sacre du printemps bursts forth, a work that caused a scandal when it premiered and has lost none of its impact. The music of this evening rushes forward, led by a world-renowned conductor with an indomitable drive for precision. An evening that does not seek to please, but to move and provoke.