Some rooms change the way you hear music. Theater de Liefde, a former chapel tucked into the Begijnhof in the heart of Haarlem, is one of them. The walls are close, the acoustics are warm, and the space between a singer and the people listening almost disappears. During Haarlem Vinyl Festival 2026, that closeness becomes the setting for two concerts that could hardly be more different, and yet share the same restless love of music that travels across borders.

The Heat of the Rising Sun
On Saturday 3 October, Suzy V brings the heat. The Dutch singer-songwriter, who carries her Sicilian roots in everything she writes, presents The Heat Of The Rising Sun, the most ambitious project of her career so far. Co-produced with Benjamin Rheinländer (Celine Cairo, Karsu), the album plays out like a modern opera: full of Mediterranean drama, a little mafia swagger, and a fierce, unapologetic energy that turns heartbreak into strength.

Exclusieve album preview
Suzy V has spent years building toward this. The album does not officially arrive until 16 October, which makes this evening at Theater de Liefde a rare early listen opportunity.

Josee Koning 

The next afternoon, the weather changes completely. On Sunday 4 October, Josee Koning fills the same room with Brazilian sunshine. With 60 Years of Brasil '66, she and her band celebrate six decades of Sergio Mendes (1941–2024), one of Brazil's most beloved musicians. Koning is the leading voice of Brazilian music in the Netherlands, with 14 albums and a career that has taken her across Europe and to Brazil itself, alongside greats like Ivan Lins and João Bosco. Joined by singer Egle Petrosiute and a trio of pianist Hans Vroomans, drummer Yorán Vroom and Brazilian bassist Matheus Nicolaiewsky, she revisits the songs that made Mendes a household name, from "Mas Que Nada" to his sunlit reworkings of "The Fool on the Hill" and "Scarborough Fair." Expect bossa nova, samba and a generous dose of swing.

Two nights, two climates, one small stage. Whether you are drawn to Mediterranean fire or Brazilian warmth, Theater de Liefde will be the place where the songs come close enough to touch.

Tickets for both concerts are available via Theater de Liefde
Access is also included in the Weekend Pass (€95), available here.