In December 2022, La Monnaie presented the world premiere of On purge bébé!, Philippe Boesmans' final opera. The recording of this mischievous one-acter, conducted by Bassem Akiki, is now out on the Fuga Libera label.
Inspired by Georges Feydeau’s vaudeville, On purge bébé ! tells the story of the all-too-common troubles in the Follavoine family. Just as Monsieur is about to close a deal with the French army for his ‘unbreakable’ chamber pots, Madame launches into a spiel about their tyrannical son Toto’s constipation. It is the beginning of a madcap day in which both chamber pots and petit bourgeois façade meet their end.
The release has already received praise from the music press for "the perfect rendering of the richness of the score" and the "great theatrical commitment" of the cast, led by Jean-Sébastien Bou, Jodie Devos and Denzil Delaere.
Discover the recording on CD, or via download and stream.
Are you a Belgian culture lover and fan of the Queen Elizabeth Competition? For an audience survey, UGent students are curious to know your opinion about this prestigious competition.
This autumn, sail through the cultural heartland of Middle-Europe. From 6 to 23 November 2025, Rivages du Monde and La Monnaie invite you to a musical cruise on the Danube to mark the 10th anniversary of the MM Academy.
To expand its ranks and welcome new voices, the Cassandra Choir is organising two audition evenings, on 20 and 27 January 2025!
