Concertini 2025-26

La Monnaie’s chamber music season offers the talents of our Symphony Orchestra – one of the artistic pillars of our house – the opportunity to expand their repertoire. In a quiet setting and with intimate instrumental ensembles, the musicians perform well-known works and also have some wonderful surprises in store for you. What’s more, in a spirit of eclecticism, we seek to embrace different eras, from the baroque to the present day, and to highlight ensembles encompassing all families of instruments.

As usual, we will draw a link with the works from the opera and symphony programmes. The concerts will thus feature pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, arias by Romantic composers from Italy, some of Hector Berlioz’s songs, and contemporary works by Iain Bell.

For his part, cellist Sébastien Walnier will take us into the world of jazz, while pianist Jan Michiels will tackle Kris Defoort’s Dedicatio Book II – think back to last season’s great success with the Belgian composer’s first cycle.

The voice will also be very much in evidence. The young singers of the MM Academy will surprise you on a number of occasions, notably during the traditional Wild Cards or the concert presenting the Laureates and Soloists of the new class. Soprano Sarah Defrise will perform works by Luciano Berio and Cathy Berberian. Finally, mezzo-soprano Marie-Juliette Ghazarian (MM Laureate) will return for a recital culminating in Gioachino Rossini’s extraordinary cantata Giovanna d’Arco.

The formula remains unchanged: every Friday lunchtime from early October to mid-June, we open wide the doors of the Grand Foyer for a delightful musical moment accessible to all! Like last season, the calendar and full programme will appear on our website at the beginning of June and in the form of a brochure in September.