Former Music Director Mariss Jansons returns to Amsterdam to conduct Pique Dame at the Dutch National Opera with ‘his’ Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He encounters a noteworthy cast and under his baton the orchestra sounds ‘brilliant and splendid’ (Der Tagesspiegel). Renowned director Stefan Herheim staged Tchaikovsky’s much-loved opera about a young man who, for the prospect of earthly wealth, gambles away his chance for love and happiness. Herheim, whose stagings are famous for their multi-layered levels of interpretation, attempts to reflect on the composer’s contested sexuality. ‘The Latvian maestro, the intriguingly performing orchestra, the smartly-chosen soloists, and director Stefan Herheim have succeeded in staging an extraordinary production’ (Die Presse). ‘Stefan Herheim makes a great picture show out of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pique Dame’’ (NMZ). ‘A masterpiece’ (Der Standard).