Jaap van Zweden on European tour with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
JAAP VAN ZWEDEN on European tour with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Jaap van Zweden, former music director of the New York Philharmonic, will embark on his first European tour with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in May 2025. The tour will take the orchestra through five cities from May 14 to 23, performing eight concerts in Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
MAHLER FESTIVAL 2025: A HISTORIC INVITATION
The tour will center on the performances on May 14 and 15 at the 2025 Mahler Festival at the renowned Concertgebouw Amsterdam. The CSO is the first North American orchestra ever invited to this extraordinary festival, which has only been held twice since its founding in 1920.
Van Zweden, whose Mahler interpretations are known for their emotional depth, describes the music as deeply human:
"The beauty in Mahler's music is like an emotional roller coaster," says van Zweden. "Sometimes Mahler finds peace in his music—that's when the true beauty begins. He takes us on his personal journey, his misery. The loss of a child, a difficult marriage—all of this is reflected in his music. And sometimes he lets go and approaches the eternal light."
A TOUR IN THE SIGN OF MAHLER
The program focuses on two works by Gustav Mahler: the “Symphony 6 in A minor” and the “Symphony 7 in E minor,” which will be performed in Chicago beforehand:
April 17–19, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 7,” Symphony Center, Chicago
8th–9th May 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 6”, Symphony Center, Chicago
TOUR DATES AND VENUES
May 14, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 6”, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
May 15, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 7”, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
May 17, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 6”, Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
May 18, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 7”, Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
May 19, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 7”, Kulturpalast, Dresden
May 20, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 6”, Smetana Hall, Municipal House, Prague
(as part of the Prague Spring Festival)May 22, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 6”, National Music Forum (NFM), Wrocław
May 23, 2025: Mahler: “Symphony No. 6”, National Music Forum (NFM), Wrocław