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.
Meet Holland’s next opera star! On Sunday evening, October 20, MM Soloist Leander Carlier won ARIA, a singing competition on the Dutch TV channel NPO1. In addition to a trophy, he also secured a place at the Dutch National Opera Studio (Amsterdam).
Get out the napkins because La Monnaie is participating in The Biggest Spaghetti Fest in the World! On Saturday, November 23, at 12:30 p.m., we are offering 75 vegetarian meals, accompanied by a visit to our Workshops, in support of non-profit organisation Accolage.
Carpooling to La Monnaie with other opera lovers? Besides being more sustainable, it’s nicer and cheaper than going alone! La Monnaie is the first cultural venue in Belgium to join forces with Slinger, a simple tool which allows you to arrange a ride with another spectator from your area in just a few clicks.
