Makela’s Concertgebouw Mahler Marks the dawn of a new era in Amsterdam

Klaus Mäkelä and the famous stairs
Klaus Mäkelä and the famous stairs © Marco Borggreve

Friday night’s concert in Amsterdam, the first of a series of concerts with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (KCO) and their new Artistic Partner, Klaus Mäkelä conducting Mahler 6, was the hottest ticket in town.

Klaus Mäkelä and Dominic Seldis, principal Double Bass, celebrating after the concert © Clare Varney
Klaus Mäkelä and Dominic Seldis, principal Double Bass, celebrating after the concert © Clare Varney

Mäkelä seemed to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the score, only looking down to turn the pages. The music just seemed to spring forth from every sinew of his being. As a cellist of some considerable stature himself, Mäkelä innately understands a musician’s need to just be a musician. This implicit trust in their musicianship was evident to all and the result was oh, so exciting.

Katy Woolley, the 33-year-old principal horn of the KCO (from Devon, UK) was on fire, receiving the biggest ovation of the night | © C Varney
Katy Woolley, the 33-year-old principal horn of the KCO (from Devon, UK) was on fire, receiving the biggest ovation of the night © Clare Varney
Make | Mahler 6

Click here to read the review in full on Bachtrack

This concert was reviewed in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam on 19th August, 2022

Read more from Clare

Klaus Mäkelä | Inside the rehearsal room
Matthew Rowe

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