Despite his versatility, we persistently remember Bernard Haitink as a Mahler specialist. It must have to do with imaging, as we have seen Haitink conduct a Mahler symphony several times on TV during the Christmas Matinee in the Concertgebouw. On Christmas Day 2009, the now eighty-year-old Haitink will again lead the matinee. The symphony planned for this occasion comes from a certain Beethoven,
… but that also failed to banish Mahler's name from the programming. Nor is Christiane Stotijn missing, the mezzo-soprano born in 1977 who can now count himself one of Haitink's favorite singers. In November 2008 she contributed to Haitink's glowing rendition of Mahler's Second Symphony, nicknamed 'Auferstehung'. The sacd composed from these concerts was released on the home label of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. (HJ)more
