Five exceptional singers – including Bejun Mehta in the title role – will bring to life the surprising and spectacular vision of the follies of love of Orlando, presented by stage director Pierre Audi. Will desire and destruction or reason prevail? Will the appearance of an eagle – both menacing and kindly – save a hero from a final descent into madness? Is love so dangerous? Conducted by René Jacobs – grand master of this repertoire – Handel's music will delight us thanks to the young ensemble B’Rock and their period instruments.

28 April, 02, 04, 06, 09 & 11 May 2012 - La Monnaie

Jacques De Decker speaks with distinguished British Pakistani writer Tariq Ali about his recent work as a novelist and political critic. From this point of view, he sheds new light on the fascinating character of Orlando, taken from Ariosto’s epic and Handel’s opera: a ‘European’ warrior in search of his identity, torn between duty and passion, reason and madness, hatred and love.

In cooperation with Het beschrijf. Meeting in English.

06 May 2012 at 11am - La Monnaie, Grand Foyer

Are you under age 30? Do you have a Go!pera card? Spend an original evening at the opera with Sioen, the young rock singer from Ghent, who will take you on a discovery of Handel’s Orlando.

Two-part evening with performance for only €20!

09 May 2012 at 5pm - La Monnaie

Two major figures in Italian culture have inspired the Muziektheater Transparant team in particular to create Orlando Furioso. From Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, scenographer Wouter Van Looy chose the story of Orlando’s return and imagined a new scenario. Based on Vivaldi’s work, Jan Van Outryve created a contemporary composition for two singers and a surprising instrumental ensemble. The result is a modern oratorio intended above all for an adolescent audience, which speaks of the great ideals of man and his desire for love in a bitter context of religious wars and social decline.

Performance for young people aged 12 and over.

10 May 2012 at 8pm - La Monnaie

From 12 May until 1 June, the full performance of Orlando will be available for free on our website.

Expert in subtleties and refinement, Italian conductor Evelino Pidò brings us a little-known opera by Rossini for his debut with La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra. The participation of soprano Anna Caterina Antonacci adds an even bigger dimension to this event.

29 April & 03 May 2012 - La Monnaie

These two concerts by the London Symphony Orchestra showcase a particularly rich period in the history of music from the beginning of the 20th century, when Claude Debussy was a forerunner in the exploration of sound. Permeated by a deep spiritual force, the works on the programme are intense and poetic, reflecting a special musical universe.

Due to problems with his vision, Pierre Boulez will be replaced by Peter Eötvös – a close friend of his – for both concerts, with no changes.

03 & 04 May 2012 - Centre for Fine Arts

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 is without a doubt one of his most popular works. The titles and descriptive music of the five movements speak to the imagination, as does the orchestral apparatus, which was prodigious for the time. The thematically structured Violin Concerto was written by Schumann in his prime, and despite its intrinsic qualities, this concerto is still rarely performed today. Ludovic Morlot, La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Zehetmair bring us a captivating programme.

12 May 2012 at 8pm - Centre for Fine Arts

La Monnaie presents its Concertini lunchtime concerts every Friday at 12.30pm.

Come and enjoy these lunch-hour concerts and meet the musicians and other chamber music lovers who share your passion!

On the programme for the month of May:

Karol Szymanowski Mythes, pour violon et piano, op.30 (1915)
Claude Debussy Sonate en sol mineur pour violon et piano (1916-1917)
Tatiana Samouil (vl), Rostislav Krimer (pf)

4 May 2012 - La Monnaie, Grand Foyer

Works by Joseph Jongen, Béla Bartók & Zoltán Kodály

La Monnaie Children’s Chorus

Denis Menier (conductor)

11 May 2012 - La Monnaie, Grand Foyer

On the theme of  Giuseppe Verdi
La Monnaie Brass Quintet

18 May 2012 - La Monnaie, Grand Foyer

Works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven 
Martino Faggiani (pf)

25 May 2012 - La Monnaie, Grand Foyer

Winners of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition (violin)

30 & 31 May 2012 - La Monnaie, Grand Foyer