Classical music festival draws still larger crowds

AMSTERDAM - The Grachtenfestival (Festival of the Canals) claims it ushers in a new (classical) music season in Amsterdam and the Netherlands, with some performances and events performed in the open air amid the city’s unique atmosphere of canal-side monuments and more. The 2011 edition of the ten-day series of events attracted over 47,000 people, up a few thousand from last year. In all, the schedule included 150 concerts at 45 locations. When attending a concert next time, consider Amsterdam musicians seated on a floating platform just above the water level with the public (un)(comfortably) using adjoining quays and bridges as stands with many more spectators looking on from the windows of the houses lining the canals. Other performances were given in the gardens (or hofjes) of museums, in building lobbies, and on even rooftop terraces, creating an atmosphere so unique Amsterdam.