Geert Mak: America, a democracy saved

Acclaimed Dutch historian and writer Geert Mak joins pianist Ramon van Engelenhoven and soprano Taylor Burgess at de Doelen on Wednesday 4 November 2026 for America: A Democracy Saved. Combining historical storytelling with classical music, this special evening explores a defining period in American democracy and the cultural changes that accompanied it.

Taking place during the week of the United States midterm elections, the performance looks back roughly a century to another period of political and economic uncertainty. Mak examines how President Franklin D. Roosevelt responded to the Great Depression through his New Deal reforms, reshaping American society and institutions.

His narrative is accompanied by music reflecting the artistic and social developments of twentieth-century America. Pianist Ramon van Engelenhoven and soprano Taylor Burgess perform works by composers including George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds and Igor Stravinsky.

Rather than a conventional lecture or classical recital, the programme combines spoken history and live music, inviting audiences to consider the connections between politics, culture and democracy.

Programme highlights

• George Gershwin: Three Preludes
• Aaron Copland: The Young Pioneers and Zion's Walls
• Florence Price: Hold Fast to Dreams
• Margaret Bonds: Dream Variation
• Igor Stravinsky: Con moto from Symphony in Three Movements, arranged by Ramon van Engelenhoven

Tickets and practical information

America: A Democracy Saved takes place in the Jurriaanse Zaal at de Doelen, Schouwburgplein 50, Rotterdam, on Wednesday 4 November 2026. Doors open at 19:30, with the performance running from 20:15 to approximately 21:45.

Regular tickets cost between €35 and €49, with €16 tickets available for visitors aged 30 and under in selected seating categories. Prices include service charges.

For tickets and further information, visit the official de Doelen website.