Rotterdam Philharmonic Gergiev Festival

For me, the sea has always been supremely powerful and mysterious at the same time. In my amateur philosopher’s mind, I have always regarded the sea as a metaphor for mankind itself; always somewhat obscure, a source of life and death, curious, and beautiful. We will present all these characteristics of man and the sea during this 17th edition of our Festival. Join us on board for a breathtaking journey on the theme Sea & You, and experience the sea as the mirror of man.

The opening night of the Festival takes you straight to the deep waters of the soul. Helmsman Valery Gergiev sails you to the Isle of the Dead, depicted strikingly in Böcklin’s famous painting. This journey between life and death has been expressed in music by Reger, Rachmaninov and Strauss.

Basic and raw emotions predominate in Verdi’s blood-curdling drama ‘Otello’, about a sea hero on Cyprus who is betrayed by his best friend. Still, nothing is as treacherous as the sea itself. This has become painfully clear in the history of Titanic, which was billed as ‘unsinkable’. Like the sea, the Festival offers many gems. Seize the opportunity to discover and experience Lise de la Salle or the famous Choir of King’s College.

In a grand finale, Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts The Magnificent Night of the Sea, an ode to inspiration and the vitality with which the sea feeds us. Let me invite you to lean over the rail and be overwhelmed and inspired!

On behalf of the entire Festival team,

Hans Waege