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Monnaie-De Munt 2017-2018 Season

Finally! La Monnaie-De Munt, the famous Brussels Opera House is finally returned to its audience. After several months of renovation, music lovers around the world are happy to come back to a hall that is dear to them. La Monnaie is a haven for voices and opera productions are always on the menu thanks to the intelligence and relevance of its programming. Just consider the opera that opens this season 2017-2018. Pinocchio is a new piece by Philippe Boesman, probably the most popular of today’s composers. When the Brussels Opera has the excellent idea to propose music of today, it makes sure to offer the best. Stéphane Degout in Pinocchio or Georg Nigl in Il Prigioniero also on the program are two of today’s greatest baritones, very comfortable in all repertoires. The staging of a new production of Dallapiccola’s opera, together with Das Gehege de Rihm, is by Andrea Breth, a German stage director familiar with Rihm’s work. The Lucio Silla equally arouses a lot of interest because the work of the divine Mozart is not often displayed, unlike the trilogy Da Ponte. Here again, all means are gathered for a great success. With Antonello Manacorda in the lead, among the great artists on stage in this production of Tobias Kratzer (a director to follow) we cheerfully find Lenneke Ruiten, Anna Bonitatibus or Jeremy Ovenden.

 

Another reprise and a marvelous one! Poulenc’s Carmelite Dialogues which delighted the public at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées is back on the program. The staging of Olivier Py is a masterpiece of intelligence and incredible drama and offers us an unforgettable moment at the theater. The first distribution is quite similar to the one, already perfect, of Paris (Patricia Petibon, Véronique Gens, Sophie Koch, Sandrine Piau, Stanislas de Barbeyrac). A second cast is equally thrilling with Anne-Catherine Gillet, Marie-Adeline Henry and Karine Deshayes and the sophisticated presence of the great conductor Alain Altinoglu. The new music director of the Belgian institution is also leading the other major event of the 2017-2018 season. You must quickly reserve your seats to attend the Lohengrin by Wagner. Postponed to this season, this production is also delivered by Olivier Py. The stage director who flies from success to success never leaves one indifferent. Two distributions are expected with Eric Cutler or Joseph Kaiser, Ingela Brimberg or Meagan Miller … Alain Altinoglu shares the poster with a beautiful artist he knows well. In one of her best roles, Nora Gubisch plays Judith of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle with the phenomenal Ante Jerkunica as Duke. Great artists are also on display at Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci such as Eva-Maria Westbroek, Alex Penda and Evelino Pidò.

 

Of course, we should also mention dance and the choreographers attached to the theater: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Sasha Waltz, Alain Platel … but also the many concerts such as the recital of Natalie Dessay and Philippe Cassard, those of Anna Bonitatibus, Pavol Breslik or Simon Keenlyside. Other events take place at the Palais des Beaux-Arts … the season is so rich and so prestigious that you should book your tickets atLa Monnaie-De Munt without delay!