NETHERLANDS: THOUSANDS GATHER FOR THE 18TH OPEN AIR PRISENGRACHT CONCERT ON AMSTERDAM'S CANAL

Record ID: 388561

  • Title: NETHERLANDS: THOUSANDS GATHER FOR THE 18TH OPEN AIR PRISENGRACHT CONCERT ON AMSTERDAM'S CANAL
  • Date: 21st August 1999
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) CONCERT VISITOR SAYING: "This is typical for Amsterdam, it stopped raining when the concert started, and there are about a hundred thousand people standing here and when they have to be silent everybody is being silent, it is actually one big party." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CONCERT VISITIOR SAYING: "It is a beautiful place, it is a very nice atmosphere
  • Embargoed: 5th September 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA624NX3OIIJEXNDTKY3XN43TFJ
  • Story Text: Thousands of people gathered around one of the canals of water-logged Amsterdam to hear a unique open-air concert by the celebrated French pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque.
    A floating podium in the middle of the picteresque Prinsengracht, one of the main canals in the centre of Amsterdam, was the location for this annual unique music event.
    From early Saturday afternoon boats jammed the canal and people packed the narrow streets around the canal to secure a good position for the 18th Prinsengrachtconcert.
    The main attraction of this year's concert was the celebrated French pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque.
    Under a clear and dry sky against the backdrop of the famous Westerkerk, the sisters played works by Bernstein and Ravel, among others.
    "I believe that classical music should be for every one and that it should also be in the streets.So these kind of concerts are perfect, it gives a sense of modernity to classical music and this is really what I love," Katia Labeque told Reuters Television.
    Her sister Marielle Labeque said that the special canal setting made up for the loss of sound.
    The highlight of the concert was the interpretation of 'Le Carnaval des Animaux' by Saint Saens.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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