By John Dunkelgrün.
If you have missed the International Music festival this year, get on their mailing list to be reminded next year. It is a real happening and a joyous feast of music in a trio of wonderful – and very Dutch – locations: the old church in Wassenaar, the Waasenaar beach and “De Paauw”, the old Wassenaar town hall.
Between the classical chamber music events is a traditional Cuban Night at beach pavillion “Sport” at the Wassenaarse Slag. The pavillion was decorated with Cuban flags and there was rhum and caipiriña courtesy of the Cuban Ambassy. The Cuban Ambassador, H.E. Mrs. Zelmys Dominguez, was there in a wonderful signature red dress, accompanied by her cultural and political attachés, Mrs Wendy Garayta and Mr. Carlos Rodriguez, as were a nucleus of the Wassenaar and The Hague elite.
The artistic director of the festival, the gifted violinist Ms Irina Simon-Renes acted as MC as if she had never done anything else. Among many other interesting things she told an enraptured audience was that the Tango, way back when, originated in Cuba. She introduced the wonderful band of Estrella Acosta, who with their catching numbers from the 1950’s got even the oldest festival enthusiasts off their feet.
The organisers but especially Mrs. Elizabeth Hessels and Baroness Margaret de Vos van Steenwijk and all the volunteers deserve nothing but praise.
Next year, don’t miss it.
