To start the opera season, La Monnaie commissioned a pop requiem from the Belgian composer Jean-Luc Fafchamps. With the title Is this the end?, this new piece has three parts. The first part, Dead little girl, will be presented in September, as a unique video production combining cinema and live opera. Broadcast directly from La Monnaie, you will only be able to experience it at home via streaming.
Éric Brucher’s libretto introduces us to a teenager who is caught between life and death and faces other characters hovering in a transitory state of ‘departing consciousness’. With the current Coronavirus crisis, this theme takes on a particular meaning in that many victims’ families or loved ones have been unable to say goodbye to them.
Ingrid von Wantoch Rekowski directs, aiming to give life to this ‘Mass’ of people who are half alive. Presented in a brand-new format, the show combines a film — shot in La Monnaie buildings — with live performances by seventeen musicians from La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra, eighteen vocalists from La Monnaie Chorus and three soloist singers.
The unexpected and tragic death of conductor Patrick Davin during the rehearsals for this production made a deep impression on our institution as well as the international music scene. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, with all colleagues who knew him, and with the many artists and coworkers closely involved in the preparation of this world creation. After long and serene talks in which the emotions and wishes of all those concerned - his family first and foremost - were taken into account, the board of directors of La Monnaie has decided to proceed with our showings of Is this the end? as planned. Everyone considers these performances as an homage to Patrick Davin.
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www.lamonnaie.be/en/isthistheend
1 hour
Sung in English, subtitled in Dutch and French
€ 10
World Premiere
In memory of Patrick Davin
20:00
15:00
A pop requiem in three parts by Jean-Luc Fafchamps
PART ONE : DEAD LITTLE GIRL
Libretto ÉRIC BRUCHER
Artistic concept JEAN-LUC FAFCHAMPS, ERIC BRUCHER, INGRID VON WANTOCH REKOWSKI
Conductor PATRICK DAVIN, OURI BRONCHTI
Stage director INGRID VON WANTOCH REKOWSKI
Video director JEAN CLAUDE WOUTERS
Costumes REGINE BECKER
Chorus master ALBERTO MORO
The Teenager SARAH DEFRISE
The Man AMAURY MASSION (LYLAC)
The Woman ALBANE CARRÈRE
La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra
La Monnaie Chorus
MM Academy, led by Benoît Giaux
Production DE MUNT / LA MONNAIE
Film production HELIOX FILMS
With the support of ARS MUSICA AND LUCILIA CAESAR
In coproduction with Shelter Prod and Prospero MM Productions With the support of taxshelter.be and ING With the support of the tax shelter of the Belgian federal government