When the visionary choreographer Sergei Diaghilev asked him in 1909 to create a new work for Les Ballets Russes, the young Maurice Ravel chose to present an intense Greek love story with Daphnis et Chloé.
Ravel’s approach—emphasizing color and atmosphere—initially met with misunderstanding and resistance. Yet even Stravinsky declared, “It is not only Ravel’s finest work but also one of the most beautiful masterpieces of French music.” The inimitable Lever du jour stands as proof, where the dawn awakens in sound—from whispering wood tones and fresh bird calls to the passionate reunion of lovers at sunrise.
Passionate love also inspired Nadia Boulanger when she composed her Fantaisie variée pour piano et orchestre for Raoul Pugno, who was not only her teacher but, as would be revealed years after her death, also her lover.
Finally, Annelies Van Parys channeled her love for Europe into EUtopia: a work where despair and hope interlace, questioning whether Europe is merely a utopia or if Beethoven’s vision in “Alle Menschen werden Brüder” will ultimately prevail.
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The Brussels Philharmonic invited slam poet and Brussels city poet Lisette Ma Neza to reimagine Daphnis and Chloé. How does she unlock its mystical layers? Which words reveal its hidden worlds? Her new text sparks a bold play of light and letters, projected across stage and hall. Words pulse, glow, and cast shadows, creating an emotional rollercoaster ride to match the music of Ravel.
♫ 𝟐𝟎:𝟏𝟓 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄
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• Annelies Van Parys, EUtopia (2024)
• Nadia Boulanger, Fantaisie variée pour piano et orchestre (1912)
• Maurice Ravel, Daphnis et Chloé (1912)
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★ with Alexandra Dariescu (piano), Vlaams Radiokoor & Octopus
★ conducted by Kazushi Ono
★ visual concept by Lisette Ma Neza (poetry) & Gerd Van Looy (artistic coordination)
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► 18:00 doors open
► 18:30 lecture: Ravel Deconstructed by Florestan Bataillie (EN)
► 19:30 introduction: Sander De Keere (EN)
► 20:15 concert (with break)
► 22:15 end
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𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘛𝘢𝘹 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘛𝘢𝘹 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳
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