These included dazzling gypsy songs by Brahms, beautiful Schubert, the quirky Poulenc, an Azerbaijani song, a jazzy performance and impressively performed Wolf songs. Great was the hilarity at the song, once written for Jasperina de Jong, by one of the singers about the men of pleasure, with the closing ‘tierelier’ being sung along exuberantly by the audience.
Not only the singers, but also the pianists deserved a big compliment for their indispensable part in the programme. One of them was Charlie Bo Meijering, who was asked by five singers to accompany them and did so in his own fabulous and sympathetic way.
All in all, it was a feast for the ears, due to the many voices and styles, the diverse repertoire and the great enthusiasm.
So were there no setbacks at all this afternoon? Yep. One soprano unfortunately had to cancel sick in the morning, and a singer from the Eindhoven area narrowly escaped two broken down trains, so that he started his - otherwise great! - performance. But otherwise it was a party, both during and after the concert, and the afternoon ran like clockwork, to use the Jasperina word again.
Liesbeth Reijerkerk
contact person The Hague region
English
