Programme Ghent Festival 2019

Thrilling Music Festival

City Festival OdeGand Philippe Herreweghe Night of Imagination Piano Virtuoso David Fray

David Fray René Jacobs Arditti Quartet Night of the Imagination Philippe Herreweghe City Festival OdeGand

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Flanders Festival Ghent is an international music festival hosted in the vibrant cultural city of Ghent and the greater region of East Flanders. In 2019 the Festival celebrates its 62nd edition.

Ghent Festival focusses on high-quality classical music in its purest form, but also stretches the boundaries with a variety of creative formats. For instance, ‘OdeGand’ annually launches the Ghent Festival, which has since its conception grown into a breath-taking and adventurous city festival. For three weeks in September, Ghent Festival attracts more than 50.000 visitors with its daring programme of classical music, as well as world music and jazz. Young up-and-coming talent and world-famous artists share their passion and virtuosity with melomaniacs, as well as fledgling music explorers. There are no less than 180 concerts on the programme, with more than 1.500 (inter)national artists taking part! Flanders Festival Ghent is a member of the Federation of Flanders Music Festivals (FMiV) and the European Festivals Association (EFA).

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Flanders Festival Ghent welcomed the biggest stars over the years

Barbara Hendricks, Jordi Savall, Jessye Norman, Julia Fischer, Thomas Hampson, Wiener Sängerknaben, Yo-Yo Ma, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Alain Platel, Barbara Hannigan, Philippe Herreweghe, Angela Hewitt, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Esa-Pekka Salonen,‌ amongst many others!

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FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT 2019

IMAGINATION 14.09 — 05.10.2019

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“Once upon a time… long ago… in a place far from here…”

How many children’s mouths slowly fall open when they hear this first sentence, and how many eyes then start to shine, ready to be transported into a wonderful and magical adventure? Whether it’s a tale of princesses or gnomes, fairies or talking animals: the story naturally captivates these small, unprejudiced listeners.

The notion that all this is imaginary does not even occur to them.

Many years later, when we have long since forgotten the fairy tales, this magical world has given way to another kind of virtual world: a world of cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence, of fake news and a completely different kind of troll.

These are the phenomena of our time, controlled by complex algorithms and stored in a data warehouse—in a place far from here…

In the meantime, this digital world determines our whole lives, with ideas and solutions that lie hidden beneath a simple mouse click. Our brains become sluggish and ever-hungrier for the latest app. At the same time, they feel oversaturated, bombarded by the continuous stream of information and disinformation. We long to escape from this fast, bizarre world; we want light and space to allow us to think and create for ourselves.

And then… the Arts enter the mix: the Arts that fire our imagination and promote our creativity; that cast a new light on the world and challenge us to think differently. They allow us to reimagine and to reflect, to dream and to fantasise; and to focus, or indeed to be as absent-minded as we like.

Art in general, and music in particular, transports us on a fascinating and never-ending journey. A melody originates from a composer’s mind. They sing it in their head and set it down on paper. That paper is interpreted and created by the performer. The melody is brought to life again and thus reaches the ear of the listener, who relives it in their own mind. Music knows no bounds; it comes into being. And our continually curious imagination allows us to hear something different.

Flanders Festival Ghent will once again transport you to a fascinating musical story. We will bedazzle you with colours and emotions, with dreams and visions; we will give you space to daydream and to allow your imagination to run wild; but above all, we aim to inspire, to surprise and to delight you. Welcome to the Festival of the Imagination!

Veerle Simoens Director Flanders Festival Ghent FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

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SAT 14/09

ODEGAND

Scintillating City Festival NEW! OdeGand routes 4 More info on p.1

Downtown Ghent, various locations

SUN 15/09

MON 16/09

CITY OF EAR

O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM

Unique choir creation with Joris Blanckaert & 30 East Flemish choirs

Downtown Ghent

Celebratory Opening Concert with Cappella Amsterdam, Amsterdam Sinfonietta & Belgian Brass

p.13

SUN 22/09

THE GENERATION PROJECT

PARKLIFE

p.23

Parkbos Ghent

MON 23/09

TUE 24/09

MASTERFUL BRUCKNER

MOZART: A SYMPHONY OF SONGS

Leading global figure with Ghent roots: Philippe Herreweghe with Collegium Vocale Gent & Orchestre des Champs-Elysées St. Bavo’s Cathedral

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Open-air music festival for pleasure seekers of any age

Gems of three centuries of chamber music by promising ensembles of the ECMA & their masters

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St. Bavo’s Cathedral

FRI 20/09

Music Centre Bijloke — Kraakhuis

p.14

p.20

p.16

René Jacobs distils Mozart’s genius

Opera Ghent

p. 22

THU 26/09

FRI 27/09

MÉDITERRA– NUIT

FORGOTTEN

Dementia on the waves of music by the Nederlands Kamerkoor (Netherlands Chamber Choir)

Southern rhythms in the heart of Ghent

Opera Ghent, Old Fish Market, Minard Theatre Selection of bars in Ghent

p.18

Opera Ghent

SUN 29/09

TUE 01/10

BACH’S GOLDBERG VARIATIONS

AMOR

Visionairy experience in the realm between life and death with Michèle Anne De Mey & Jaco Van Dormael

Matinee concert with piano virtuoso David Fray Opera Ghent

p.24

WED 02/10

p.10

NIGHT OF THE IMAGINATION

World-beating Quartet

Haven for art

p.25

SAT 05/10

Citadel Site

p.17

18/09 — 13/12

FINAL CONCERT: VERDI’S REQUIEM

GHENT FESTIVAL IN EAST-FLANDERS

Drama & grandeur with Choir & Orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen

Opera Ghent

Opera Ghent

FRI 04/10

ARDITTI QUARTET

MIRY Concert Hall

p.9

Different concerts in 24 cities & municipalities

p.12

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GESAMT KUNST

© Amsterdam Sinfonietta

O MAGNUM MYSTERIUM Celebratory Opening Concert with Cappella Amsterdam, Amsterdam Sinfonietta & Belgian Brass

PERFORMERS Cappella Amsterdam choir Amsterdam Sinfonietta orchestra Belgian Brass Maud Vanhauwaert writer

MON 16/9 | 20:30 TICKETS & INFO St. Bavo’s Cathedral 58 | 49 | 38 | 23 | 12 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en An opening concert should always be something extraordinary. To this end, Flanders Festival Ghent has put together an exceptional programme around this year’s theme, Imagination, which seeks out the fine line between light and darkness, life and death; between the earthly and the transcendent. Beneath the vaults of St. Bavo’s Cathedral, a symbol of mankind’s urge to create, this concert seeks to capture the cumulative imagination of different generations of artists who have drawn on the symbolism of light and darkness.

The encounter between the writer Maud Vanhauwaert and three leading ensembles – Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Cappella Amsterdam and Belgian Brass – adds a new chapter to this story. This opening evening is more than just a concert. It is an all-round experience that appeals to at least six senses, meaning that for a time, you simply revel in its overwhelming effect.

This spirit-lifting experience sets the tone for three weeks of Ghent Festival!

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PROGRAMME Anton Bruckner – Aequales, WAB 114 & 149 Alfred Schnittke – Three Sacred Hymns William Walton – From Henry V: Two Pieces for Strings Claudio Monteverdi – From L’Orfeo: Act III, Sinfonia no 2 Thomas Tallis – O nata Lux – Why fum’th in sight Ralph Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Giovanni Gabrieli – O Magnum Mysterium Johann Sebastian Bach – Ich ruf’ zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 Arvo Pärt – From Kanon Pokajanen: Prayer after the canon Ottorino Respighi – From Antiche arie e danze, Suite no 3: Italiana Gerald Finzi – From Dies Natalis, Op. 8: Intrada

VERGETEN (FORGOTTEN) Dementia on the waves of music with the Nederlands Kamerkoor (Netherlands Chamber Choir) FRI 27/9 | 20:30 Opera Ghent

TICKETS & INFO 38 | 32 | 25 | 14 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

Š Melle Meivogel

Vergeten (Forgotten) might best be described as an indeterminable journey through the mind of someone with dementia. The texts are written by Spinvis, the hugely popular polymath who never shies away from the great human themes, taboo or otherwise. Where words are simply inadequate, music steps in: the performance is driven by a haunting musical selection from the contemporary choral repertoire. The Nederlands Kamerkoor (Netherlands Chamber Choir) has already been performing on the global stage for almost a century and relishes the opportunity to venture into this experimental terrain. Immerse yourself in a truly moving project in which creative figures of all stripes connect in a melting pot of theatre, music and dismay!

PERFORMERS Nederlands Kamerkoor NYK actor Erik Bosgraaf recorder Jorrit Tamminga electronics Peter Dijkstra conductor

TEXT & DIRECTION Spinvis text Titus Tiel Groenestege director PROGRAMME Works by Johannes Brahms, David Fennessy, Kaija Saariaho, Ingvar Lidholm, Spinvis...

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AMOR Visionary experience in the realm between life and death with Michèle Anne De Mey & Jaco Van Dormael

TUE 1/10 | 20:30 Opera Ghent

TICKETS & INFO 38 | 32 | 25 | 14 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

Following the overwhelming success of a digital ‘nanodance’ in Kiss & Cry and Cold Blood, Jaco Van Dormael and Michèle Anne De Mey build on this dynamic by experimenting with a new theatrical language in Amor.

© Maarten Van den Abbeele

PERFORMERS Michèle Anne De Mey dance Jaco Van Dormael direction BachPlus conducted by Bart Naessens 10

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PROGRAMME Works by Alessandro Scarlatti, Henry Purcell, Olivier Messiaen, Prince…

Š Julien Lambert

Amor is a dance in the spirit world between life and death. This controversial performance was prompted by a near-death experience of the choreographer and dancer Michèle Anne De Mey after suffering a thermal shock in Canada. In an attempt to reconjure this extreme event, De Mey almost loses herself in a comatose vision in which she encounters love as the ultimate antidote to death.

She is helped in her psychological odyssey by the filmmaker Jaco Van Dormael, who integrates the spectators into the proceedings by firing off visual associations at them. The music fulfils a similarly beguiling role: works from figures such as Purcell, Vivaldi and Biber, performed live by baroque ensemble BachPlus, flirt precariously on the fine line between reason and emotion.

Thus, the stage of Opera Ghent becomes the symbolic battleground between science and mysticism, dance and music, life and death.

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DRAMA & GRANDEUR WITH VERDI’S REQUIEM Final Concert: Choir & Orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen

SAT 5/10 | 20:30 Opera Ghent

TICKETS & INFO 73 | 62 | 47 | 28 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

© Jens Baert

It came as a great surprise when the Italian operatic genius Giuseppe Verdi proudly presented his audience with a requiem. Moreover, his monumental Messa da Requiem is not entirely at home in the traditional line-up of the genre. As a religious sceptic, Verdi speaks a language in this work that is more theatrical than ecclesiastical. Nonetheless, the outcome is indeed quintessential Verdi: the Dies Irae and Rex Tremendae are thrilling great hunks of energy in which the four soloists perform a number of intimate passages, and the whole work gradually draws to a close in a tone of acute despair.

Even in his operas, Verdi never passed through so broad an emotional spectrum in so few pages. The Orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen has had the music of Verdi at its fingertips for generations, and the internationally renowned Choir of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen is also eager to get its teeth into one of the great favourites of the choral repertoire.

An unforgettable hour and a half!

PERFORMERS Eleanor Lyons soprano Teresa Iervolino mezzo-soprano Sergey Romanovsky tenor Roberto Scandiuzzi bass Choir & Symphonic Orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Vlaams Radiokoor Alejo Pérez musical direction Jan Schweiger choir direction 12

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PROGRAMME Guiseppe Verdi Messa da Requiem

CITY OF EAR Unique choir creation with Joris Blanckaert & 30 East Flemish choirs

SUN 15/9 | 14:00 & 16:00 Ghent city centre

FREE OF CHARGE www.gentfestival.be/en

As a thundering finale to OdeGand on Sunday 15 September, we will be presenting the brand-new City of Ear performed with composer Joris Blanckaert. City of Ear will be raising the issue of acoustic ecology in one of the world’s noisiest eras. We have more and more difficulty in hearing the sounds around us that really matter and that spark communication.

With this event, ‘The Voice’ will (re)gain its place in the city.

City of Ear is a soundscape for the city. Overall, hundreds of voices will be sounding out from every corner of the city centre. Walking between the 30 choirs will be a unique experience as the constantly changing music interacts with the sounds of the city. Come and enjoy witnessing ‘The Voice’ prevail in Ghent!

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FESTIVENTS ODEGAND EN ROUTE(S) Scintillating City Festival SAT 14/9 | 13:30

Downtown Ghent, various locations

TICKETS 29 EURO www.odegand.gent

© Steven Hendrickx

Music that entices you. Historic Ghent that enchants you. Rhythms that leave you no choice but to move. All this and more is OdeGand. This scintillating music festival will once again be resonating along the idyllic banks of the Lys, snaking across the squares and meandering through the many hidden corners of the city. On Saturday 14 September, OdeGand will be conquering Ghent’s musical heart – and yours too!

Will you opt for heavenly music beneath Ghent’s towers; an exhilarating southern voyage; fairy-tale sounds; infectious percussion; or simply first-class classical music? Also you’ll enjoy the familiar OdeGand vibe with boats, bubbles, taxi bikes, musical gems, a blood-curdling piano battle and the breath-taking closing spectacle.

The festivities will be in full swing all day long, and especially in the evening, when we’ll be lighting up Graslei and Korenlei with music on the water and launching fireworks. Kick off your cultural season with a bang at OdeGand!

New! Long queues at the concert locations are a thing of the past. Now you can reserve your OdeGand Route in advance, guaranteeing you a place during the various concerts!

Programme & routes online on Wednesday 19 June via www.odegand.gent/en

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© Wouter Van Vaerenbergh

© Rudy Carlier

© Steven Hendrickx

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PARKLIFE Open-air music festival for pleasure seekers of any age

SUN 22/9 | 11:30 Parkbos Ghent

FREE ADMISSION TO THE PARK VILLAGE PARK ROUTE 8 EURO (UNDER 5Y FREE) Programme online half of August www.parklife.gent

Parklife is back in 2019! On Sunday 22 September, the Parkbos will truly come to life with this delightful open-air music festival for pleasure-seekers of all ages. You determine the rhythm at this musical Mecca on the outskirts of Ghent. As the wonderful sounds fill your ears and homemade delicacies caress your tongue, the grass beneath your feet will gently vibrate with the music being made by young children, old hands, superb string specialists and youthful wind instrumentalists. Step into our green bubble to experience this blissful sensation!

Š Rudy Carlier

Š Wouter Van Vaerenbergh

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NIGHT OF THE IMAGINATION A haven for art

FRI 4/10 | AT NIGHT TICKETS Citadel Site, MSK, 33 EURO S.M.A.K., Plantentuin Full programme online from the end of August via www.nachtvandeverbeelding.gent/en

Let Flanders Festival Ghent set you free with the Night of the Imagination, the latest addition to the Festival family. Starting with the firm conviction that it is free spirits who liberate us from compartmentalised thinking, predictable paths and the paralysing effects of convenience, Flanders Festival Ghent will be giving free rein to the Imagination on the evening and night of 4 October. The Citadel Site will become a haven for ideas and creativity. A veritable Valhalla for all art forms with an open perspective on the here & now. Anything goes: an installation, a performance—or even an installation performance—music, literature, poetry, dance and film…

Step into this new, uncharted world and let your imagination run wild. Shake of the shackles and join us at the Night of the Imagination!

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MÉDITERRA-NUIT Southern rhythms in the heart of Ghent

THU 26/9 | 18:30 TICKETS & INFO Opera Ghent, 34 EURO (TWO DIFFERENT CONCERTS 1ST CAT.) Old Fish Market, Minard Theatre 26 EURO (TWO DIFFERENT CONCERTS 2ND CAT.) Selection of bars in Ghent One-hour concerts www.gentfestival.be/en

Marco Rodrigues

The gentle melancholy of a fado singer with a guitar enthrals you. You sip your port, delicious petiscos within easy reach. You’re in good company, surrounded by kindred spirits who share your love of music. Now close your eyes and you’re transported to sultry Lisbon—you find yourself in one of the many traditional bars of the Alfama quarter, the birthplace of fado. Here, unwinding and mingling with the locals, is the perfect holiday destination. But what if we told you there’s no need to fly south for exactly this experience?

During Méditerra-Nuit, Flanders Festival Ghent will quite simply be bringing the cream of Mediterranean music to Ghent. With Portuguese fado, Spanish flamenco along with a smattering of Sardinian and Greek music, you’ll instantly be catapulted back to your last trip south.

A few years ago, the great fadista Marco Rodrigues raised the roof at NTGent during the Flanders Festival Ghent, and this year we have been lucky enough to secure him once more.

Together with a whole host of other musicians, he’ll be kicking of our southern festivities!

Practical details During Méditerra-Nuit you can choose two different concerts that will be staged at the Opera Ghent, Minard Theatre and the Old Fish Market. Throughout the evening, you can visit a selection of bars where you can enjoy more fabulous southern music!

DINNER & CONCERT

A three course menu (drinks excl.) & two concerts (1st cat.)

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CAFE THEATRE | 74 euro | max 4 pers.

PAKHUIS | 68,90 euro | max 4 pers. www.gentfestival.be/en/dinnerconcert

Luisa Palicio

Elena Ledda

FLAMBOYANT FLAMENCO WITH LUISA PALICIO

AUTHENTIC SARDINIA WITH ELENA LEDDA

After two sell-out performances at the Floraliënhal last year, there was no question that flamenco should also play a role in the 2019 festival. As one of the most talented and best-loved flamenco dancers of her generation, Luisa Palicio was named Artista Revelación at the Seville Biennale. She will enchant you with her extraordinary elegance and the graceful movements of her bata de cola, the typical Flamenco dress with its fitted train. Get ready for her penetrating gaze, poise, and rhythmically stamping feet: hold on tight for a performance whose sensuality simply sizzles on the stage!

Elena Ledda, easily Sardinia’s most successful female singer, combines her island’s unique musical tradition with contemporary instruments and jazz influences. With her pure voice and an intense programme, she’ll immerse you in the emotions of her resonant religious heritage. Let yourself be seduced by her unique sound!

OPERA GHENT | 18:30 & 20:00

OLD FISH MARKET | 21:00 & 22:15

O’FADO WITH MARCO RODRIGUES

GREEK MAGIC WITH KATERINA PAPADOPOULOU

Marco Rodrigues lives and breathes fado.

He is Portugal’s leading fado star, and apart from the big concert stages, you’ll also find him performing in authentic Lisbon bars.

He will soon be swapping his southern birthplace for sultry Ghent during Méditerra-Nuit. He will overload you with his passionate voice and sense of drama.

All who hear him are certain to be hooked!

Together with three musicians and a dancer, Katerina Papadopoulou—one of Greece’s most phenomenal singers—brings to life the passionate soul of traditional song with her own contemporary panache. With her unrivalled expressiveness and intensity, she will immediately transport you to a Greece of both the past and the present!

OLD FISH MARKET | 18:30 OPERA GHENT | 22:15

MINARD THEATRE | 19:30 & 20:45

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LEADING GLOBAL FIGURES WITH GHENT ROOTS MASTERFUL BRUCKNER Leading global figure with Ghent roots: Philippe Herreweghe with Collegium Vocale Gent & Orchestre des Champs-Elysées MON 23/9 | 20:30 TICKETS & INFO St. Bavo’s Cathedral

73 | 62 | 47 | 29 | 15 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

When Philippe Herreweghe shines his light on something, he is guaranteed to deliver a striking result. During Ghent Festival, Herreweghe is joining forces with his world-famous kindred spirits Collegium Vocale Gent and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées to focus on the Romantic repertoire.

The orchestral grandeur of Anton Bruckner conceals a deep-rooted religiosity, both in his instrumental Symphony No. 2 and in his vocal Mass No. 2. With impressive blocks of sound, like musical renderings of giant cathedrals, Bruckner puts his music entirely at the service of the Eternal Unknown.

Thanks to his characteristic use of period instruments, Herreweghe also lays bare a great transparency and naturalness. In the meantime, there is an ever-growing series of CD recordings, all of which attest to Herreweghe’s successes in penetrating Bruckner’s rough exterior to expose the warm heart within. Experience art religion in its purest form in the hands of a monumental conductor, in this the perfect setting of St. Bavo’s Cathedral.

A shining star in the Festival firmament that you simply must feast your eyes on!

PERFORMERS Orchestre des Champs-Elysées Collegium Vocale Gent Philippe Herreweghe conductor PROGRAMME Anton Bruckner Symphony no 2 in c Minor Mass no 2 in e Minor

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DINNER & CONCERT

A three course menu (drinks excl.) & two concerts (1st cat.)

PAKHUIS | 113 euro | max 4 pers.

MIDTOWN GRILL | 128 euro | max 4 pers. www.gentfestival.be/en/dinnerconcert

© Michiel Hendryckx

© Michel Garnier

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MOZART: A SYMPHONY OF SONGS René Jacobs distils Mozart’s genius TUE 24/9 | 20:30 Opera Ghent

TICKETS & INFO 58 | 44 | 36 | 22 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

© Molina Visuals

For years, leading Belgian conductor René Jacobs has been one of the most prominent standard-bearers in a worldwide Mozart revival. In 2005 Jacobs even received a Grammy for a CD recording of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. It is the very same opera that forms the framework for this idiosyncratic programme packed with passion and drama. Jacobs distils the most moving passages from The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute to create a Mozart opera in miniature. Moreover, the vocal rough-and-tumble between two lovers is interspersed with the youthful enthusiasm of Mozart’s Symphony in G and with the mature craftsmanship of his final symphony, of which the heroic title ‘Jupiter’ comes as no surprise. Thus together with the ensemble B’Rock, universally praised as the creative pioneers of the Belgian music scene, Jacobs offers us an insight into the mind of the versatile genius Mozart.

PERFORMERS Sunhae Im soprano Johannes Weisser baritone B’Rock Orchestra René Jacobs conductor

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PROGRAMME Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Arias from Le Nozze di Figaro and Die Zauberflöte Selections from Symphony no 40 in g Minor and Symphony no 41 in C Major

YOUNG GO-GETTERS AND LIVING LEGENDS THE GENERATION PROJECT Gems from three centuries of chamber music by promising ensembles & their masters FRI 20/9 | 20:00 Bijloke Music Centre Kraakhuis

TICKETS & INFO 12 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

When different generations of leading musicians share a stage, sparks are sure to fly.

During the European Chamber Music Academy, a selection of promising virtuosos were able to hone their skills in a series of intensive masterclasses with their musical role models who have already more than earned their spurs. At the closing concert, The Generation Project, this new generation of talented musicians undergoes its musical baptism of fire at De Bijloke alongside their illustrious mentors. For this select group, this undoubtedly signals the starting shot of a flourishing career, in which they will actively shape international concert life over the coming years. With works from Haydn, Brahms, Schumann and Saariaho, there is a generous selection from the rich chamber music repertoire on the programme. Allow yourself to be astonished by the sparkling enthusiasm of tomorrow’s stars.

PERFORMERS European Chamber Music Academy Trio Hélios Kruppa Quartet Cosmos Quartet Jan Talich violin Petr Prause cello Marianna Shirinyan piano

Kruppa Quartet

PROGRAMME Joseph Haydn Piano trio in G Major, “All’Ongarese” Johannes Brahms Sextet for strings in B flat Major Kaija Saariaho Light and Matter Robert Schumann Piano quintet in E flat Major

"ECMA, founded by Hatto Beyerle from the Alban Berg Quartett has been for us a life changing experience. Our perspective on music has shifted into a deeper and more profound understanding of the stories we tell on stage. It has been an honor to meet so many great minds of the musical and artistic world, helping us move forward with our art, and convey emotion to the people who listen to it."

- Kruppa Quartet FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

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BACH’S GOLDBERGVARIATIONS Matinee concert with piano virtuoso David Fray SUN 29/9 | 15:00 TICKETS & INFO Opera Ghent

34 | 28 | 18 | 12 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

© François Berthier

Despite his young age, the French pianist David Fray can boast an impressive record of achievements. Having won virtually every prestigious prize for emerging talent, he made a series of much talked-of CD recordings with prominent orchestras.

Fray is valued not least for his playful and idiosyncratic character, which has also led to being compared to Glenn Gould, the iconic performer of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. It is no coincidence that Fray also regards this striking work by Bach as one of his favourite pieces.

In a collection of variations on an apparently innocent theme, with his Goldberg Variations Bach presented thirty miniatures with the most diverse musical characters. Navigating between lyricism and tempestuousness, Bach examines the tension of the original theme.

This undisputed culmination of the Baroque period not only demands a virtuosity of the performer that Fray clearly has at his fingertips, but also a musical personality that he is only too pleased to translate into the vocabulary of the piano. During our ‘Matinee Concert’, Fray truly brings out the best in Bach’s brilliant masterpiece!

PERFORMER David Fray piano 24

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PROGRAMME Johann Sebastian Bach Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

LIVING LEGENDS: ARDITTI QUARTET World-beating quartet WED 2/10 | 20:30 MIRY Concert Hall

TICKETS & INFO 28 | 18 EURO www.gentfestival.be/en

© Astrid Karger

With the Arditti Quartet, the Festival has secured one of the most famous string quartets of recent decades. Always up for an unusual challenge, the Arditti Quartet quickly evolved into a major champion of contemporary classical music, often in the most radical form.

Musical greats like John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Wolfgang Rihm and György Ligeti dedicated their compositions to the Arditti Quartet, and even went to them for advice when fine-tuning these works. No other ensemble has been so significant in the development and dissemination of the contemporary chamber music repertoire. It therefore came as no surprise when they became the first ensemble ever to win the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Prize — essentially the Nobel Prize for music.

After 45 years, the Arditti Quartet sounds as obdurate and uncompromising as ever. A live performance by these four living legends should therefore be high up on every music lover’s bucket list!

PERFORMERS Arditti Quartet

PROGRAMME Pascal Dusapin – String quartet no 5 György Ligeti – String quartet no 2 György Kurtág – Officium Breve in Memoriam Andreae Szervánszky, Op. 28 Anton Webern – 6 Bagatelles, Op. 9 John Cage – String Quartet in Four Parts FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

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WHY CHOOSE GHENT FOR A WEEKEND TRIP? Vibrant Ghent is well worth a weekend trip.

It’s ideal for a last-minute city trip as well.

Quirky Ghent offers a fascinating cultural cocktail brimming with trendy, modern urban life.

Ghent is a city where people enjoy life: a chilled-out place where anything goes and a city that feels human.

Its friendly, welcoming people love the good life.

Don’t miss the chance to admire the world-famous masterpiece — the Mystic Lamb by the Van Eyck brothers — during your weekend trip.

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VISIT GHENT Tourist Information Centre Old Fish Market Address Sint-Veerleplein 5 9000 Ghent Open Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00 www.visitgent.be/en

Ghent Marriott Hotel

Korenlei 10, Ghent +32 (0)9 233 93 93 www.marriottghent.com

Pillows Grand Hotel Reylof

Hoogstraat 36, Ghent +32 (0) 9 235 40 70 www.pillowshotels.com/ghent

NH Hotel

Hoogpoort 63, Ghent +32 (0)9 233 33 31 www.nh-hotels.com

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5x APERO O’CLOCK IN OUR FESTIVAL RESTAURANTS! Enjoy a free house aperitif when presenting your concert ticket during the festival period (16 Sept. – 5 Oct. 2019). This promotion isn’t valid during OdeGand.

Cafe Theatre Schouwburgstraat 77 +32 9 265 05 50 www.cafetheatre.be

Pakhuis Schuurkenstraat 4 +32 9 223 55 55 www.pakhuis.be

Lof Restaurant Hoogstraat 36 +32 9 235 40 70 www.lofrestaurant.com

Midtown Grill Korenlei 10 +32 9 269 77 44 www.midtowngrill.be

San Gent Brabantdam 50 +32 9 245 42 37 www.sangent.be

Patyntje Gordunakaai 91 +32 9 222 32 73 www.patyntje.com

Taxi’s Zuidstationstraat 35 +32 9 278 90 44 www.taxisrestaurant.be

Nenuphar Afsneedorp 28, Afsnee +32 9 221 22 32 www.restaurant-nenuphar.com

Korenlei 2 Korenlei 2 +32 9 224 00 73 www.korenleitwee.be www.korenleieen.be

© Steven Hendrix

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FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

1. Opera Ghent Schouwburgstraat 3

Interparking Kouter Kouter 31

2. St. Bavo’s Cathedral Sint-Baafsplein 4

Parking Center Korte Meer 22/B

3. Bijloke Music Centre Bijlokekaai 7

Interparking Gent Zuid Franklin Rooseveltlaan 3/A

4. Citadel Site, MSK, S.M.A.K. Citadelpark

5. Minard Theatre Romain Deconinckplein 2

6. MIRY Concert Hall Biezekapelstraat 9 7. Old Fish Market Sint-Veerleplein 4 FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

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Official Fleet Partner

Main Partners

Concert- and projectpartners

Public Funding

Media Partners

Official Festival Suppliers Vormgeven in edele metalen Kerkplein 7 9840 De Pinte 09 282 42 14 Koestraat 2 9000 Gent 09 233 66 10 www.edelgedacht.be

Special thanks to De Gezonde Lunch - Garage Deleersnyder - St. Bavo’s Cathedral - Members of our FestivalClub - Lumière Minard Theatre - MIRY Concert Hall - Old Fish Market - Muriëlle Vercruysse - Bijloke Music Centre Opera Ballet Vlaanderen - UZ Gent

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FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT

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SEE YOU AT THE FESTIVAL! 62ND EDITION 14.09 – 05.10.2019

Buy your tickets online www.gentfestival.be/en Or contact Tickets Gent Sint-Baafsplein 17, Ghent +32 (0)9 225 01 01 Open Mon-Fri 10:00 –18:00 Sat 14:00 – 18:00 Contact us!

Bijlokekaai 8, bus 9, Ghent T +32 (0)9 243 94 94 info@festival.be www.gentfestival.be/en Follow us #gentfestival

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FLANDERS FESTIVAL GHENT