Passa Porta Festival
haunts La Monnaie
From March 28 to 30, the tenth edition of the Passa Porta Festival will take place, dedicated entirely to the theme of ‘Ghosts’. This year, numerous events will also be held at La Monnaie, ranging from encounters with leading authors to literary tours.
The Passa Porta Festival is Brussels’ biennial, multilingual High Mass for literature. Around a hundred international and Belgian writers will be gathering with thousands of readers during no fewer than 70 events. The festival programme offers possibilities to both meet some of the greatest names of contemporary world literature while also discovering new talents. During this tenth anniversary edition, La Monnaie will host seven events.
Opening Event: Ghost Stories
28.03 • 20:00-22:00 • Malibran Room • Multilingual
On this grand opening night, the festival’s theme, “Ghosts,” comes to life. Five internationally renowned authors present brand-new texts, in a stage design by Jessa Wildemeersch and accompanied by live music from John Birdsong, Margaret Hermant, Fabien Leseure, and Pieter Theuns.
Literary Tour of Our Workshops
29.03 • 10:00-11:00 & 11:00-12:00 • La Monnaie Workshops • NL / FR
We don’t need to convince you of opera’s power of imagination. But did you know that writers often find inspiration both on and behind the stage? During a tour of La Monnaie’s Workshops, authors Donald Niedekker (NL) and Victoire de Changy (FR) share how opera has shaped their work.
Conversation with Lize Spit and Jan Vantoortelboom
29.03 • 16:30-17:30 • Malibran Room • NL
Both Lize Spit and Jan Vantoortelboom explore the loss of a parent in their latest books, Autobiography of My Body and Mauk. Inès Eshun, who made her debut with the semi-autobiographical The Horror of Family, delves into the ghosts of their past.
Conversation with Erri De Luca
29.03 • 18:00-19:00 • Malibran Room • FR
For over 30 years, Neapolitan author Erri De Luca has been building a body of work in which social, political, and ecological engagement take center stage. The beauty of nature, even in its most rugged form, also plays a crucial role. Discover more in this in-depth interview.
Conversation with Merethe Lindstrøm
30.03 • 11:00-12:00 • Grand Foyer • NL
Merethe Lindstrøm is one of the winners of the Nordic Council Literature Prize, one of Scandinavia’s most prestigious literary awards. Ruth Joos talks to the author about, among other things, the new translation of Days in the History of Silence, a novel compared in Norway to The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld.
Panel Discussion: Croire aux Fantômes
30.03 • 13:30-14:30 • Grand Foyer • FR
Perhaps writers are more inclined than others to believe in apparitions and supernatural manifestations. But what happens when they consciously choose to integrate ghosts into their fiction? How do they shape them, and from what cultural perspective? A panel discussion with Jan Carson, Thomas Flahaut, and In Koli Bofane, moderated by Anne-Lise Remacle.
Dead Ladies Show
30.03 • 16:00-17:45 • Grand Foyer
Author Gaea Schoeters and Passa Porta present the Belgian edition of the Dead Ladies Show, a lively café chantant series celebrating remarkable women from the past who deserve lasting admiration.
