LA MONNAIE / DE MUNT

Nothing escapes her eagle eye. She is the puppet master in control of every situation. Mozart depicts Susanna – a female servant – as the most quick-witted character in Le nozze di Figaro. She’s been through enough to comprehend the true intentions of Il Conte di Almaviva. Now all she needs to do is get the Contessa onboard the #metoo-movement.

‘One of the singular artists of her generation’ (The New York Times); ‘a lavishly gifted soprano’ (The New Yorker); ‘This Is Who We’ve Been Waiting For’ (Peter Sellars). For anyone still in doubt: she has the Big Apple lying at her feet. And now Belgium too. A conversation with Julia Bullock, the driving force behind Zauberland.

There are many reasons why Achterland has been a cornerstone of the Rosas-repertoire since its premiere in 1990: its historical value, being the first of their productions to debut in La Monnaie, or the unique musical marriage between Györgi Ligeti and Eugène Ysaÿe. But what stands out the most after close to thirty years, is the groundbreaking choreography. Discover the iconic production in the photo series below, and see for yourself that even still images can resonate with the dancer's energetic virtuosity. 

For the Chorus of La Monnaie, each opera production takes weeks or even months of meticulous preparation. Martino Faggiani has for years been safeguarding its artistic quality. In this video, chorus manager Pieter Hulst lifts the veil on our illustrious and colourful maestro, and explains his unique work ethic that you’ll get to admire at our choral concert Via crucis.

In Zauberland, Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe, cornerstone of the Lied genre, is paired with new compositions by Bernard Foccroulle. We payed our previous intendant a visit to ask him about his inspiration behind this engaged recital production.

Trilogia Mozart Da Ponte is set in Brussels in the year 2020. The French creative arts company Clarac-Deloeuil > le lab is using Mozart to kick the ‘here and now’ into overdrive by making maximum use of video technology. In parallel to rehearsals for the three operas, the company also mobilized a full film crew and, with all the singers from the cast in tow, made its way to twenty-three surprising locations in Brussels. We went along to the set to talk to le lab directors Olivier Deloeuil and Jean-Philippe Clarac.

It can be quite challenging to get hold of a conductor in the final stretch before an opera premiere, let alone when he’s conducting three productions at the same time. We did however manage to talk to Antonello Manacorda, who will guide our orchestra through the Trilogia Mozart Da Ponte, about the musical genius from Salzburg.

Whatever politicians may be claiming, nobody is better suited to embody “the voice of the people” than our Choir. From partying peasants to wide-awake soldiers, from experienced sailors to loyal servants: no challenge too great for our choristers. In the Trilogia Mozart Da Ponte, for once, they can just be themselves: Brusseleirs in this present day and age. In a two-part documentary we follow them in their preparations for our Mozartian triptych.

He’s known the work for almost two decades, and being a French conductor with an immaculate feeling for coloration and rhythmical precision, it’s as if Offenbach wrote the score with him in mind. And yet… Alain Altinoglu has waited until now to tackle Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Why? We’ll let our maestro himself explain that, all while he's performing the highlights of the opera at the piano.

‘Love makes us great, but tears greater still…’ This season, we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Jacques Offenbach with a new production of his musical will and testament, Les Contes d’Hoffmann. The fantastic tale, the musical archaeology of the score, and the staging choices: they all take you on fascinating but winding roads. Follow the guide!

No clear-cut reprise, but not a complete rewrite either: Zeitigung might be the most original example of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s ever continuing search for new approaches to the Rosas repertoire. Ten years after the premiere of Zeitung, the choreographer starts off with the same musical building blocks – an anthology of two centuries of German classical music, now performed live by pianist Alain Franco – but she also invited dancer-choreographer Louis Nam Le Van Ho to bring his own flavour to the source material. A conversation with the three creators, in between the folds of a never-ending creative process.

In his composition Don Quixot, Strauss assigns the roles of the dreamy knight and his cranky but faithful servant Sancho Panza tot the cello and the viola. Wondering how that works? We sat down with Georgi Anichenko and Yves Cortvrint, the two soloists who take on the roles during our concert on the 20^th of November.