Concertgebouw Review

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Concertgebouw

Fodor's Review:

There are two auditoriums, large and small, under one roof at the Netherlands' premier concert hall, famous for having one of the finest sound systems the world over. With its Viennese Classicist facade surmounted by a golden lyre, this building opposite the Rijksmuseum draws 800,000 visitors to 800 concerts per year. In the larger of the two theaters, the Grote Zaal, Amsterdam's critically acclaimed Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest (Royal Concert Orchestra), whose recordings are in the collections of most self-respecting lovers of classical music, is often joined by international soloists. Their reputation has only grown in the last decade under the baton twirling of conductor Riccardo Chailly, who has just passed the honor to the highly regarded Latvian Mariss Jansons. Guest conductors read like a list from the musical heavens: Mstislav Rostropovich, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Bernard Haitink. Visiting maestros like these naturally push the prices up, but the range remains wide: expect to pay anything between EUR 5 and EUR 100. But throughout July and August, tickets for the Robeco Summer Concerts, which involve high-profile artists and orchestras, are an excellent bargain. The Koorzaal, (the "Choir Hall"), is a smaller venue for chamber music and up-and-coming musicians, and is the usual setting for the free lunchtime concerts on Wednesdays at 12:30, that take place from September through June.

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