Utopia Ensemble will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2025, a milestone we are extremely proud of. In these years, we have gone through an extraordinary journey as an ensemble. Our core qualities – transparency, expressiveness and the art of blending – have been further refined and taken to a higher level. Since our current line-up was found, we have continued to grow in harmony and musical vision. This has not only earned us a strong position on the international early music stages, but also praise from prestigious media such as Gramophone and Diapason, where our most recent recordings were awarded a Diapason Découverte and a Diapason d'Or.
With this brochure we invite you to become acquainted with eight concert programmes that together demonstrate the versatility of our musical approach. Each programme offers a unique perspective on 16th-century polyphony, highlighting both the musical treasures of that time and their contemporary resonance. In Requiem for an Emperor, for example, you travel through the spiritual and emotional landscape of Emperor Charles V, while Susato takes you to the vibrant Antwerp of the Golden Age, where the music of Tielman Susato filled the city with melodies. Andreas Pevernage focuses on the rediscovery of a Flemish master, a composer who unjustly remained in the shadow of his contemporaries. The Silence of the Night offers a meditative experience with Morales’ tranquil Lamentations. Miroirs connects old pictorial motets with contemporary art and current themes such as empathy and compassion. The deeply human experience of exile is also addressed in En Terre Estrange, where music and poetry depict the pain of loss and the longing for home. In Bruegel we immerse ourselves in the world of the master painter, with music that reflects the layering and versatility of his paintings. Finally, Ohimé! takes you to Italy in 1600, where passion and heartbreak come to life in refined polyphony.
Our programs not only appeal to the imagination, but also invite reflection and deepening. Polyphony has always offered a moment of peace and contemplation in a world full of changes. We hope that as you browse through this brochure you will be inspired by our musical discoveries and that you will want to pass them on to your audience. Do you have any questions or ideas? Please do not hesitate to contact us. We will surely find an answer or new possibilities together
Emperor Charles V was one of the most powerful and influential monarchs of the Renaissance. As a statesman, he reshaped the European landscape. But he also left his mark on the cultural world of the 16th century as a patron of artists and musicians. He was also a devoutly religious man. After his long reign full of wars, he withdrew to the Spanish monastery of Yuste, for silence and contemplation. In his will, he ordered thirty thousand memorial masses to be said, to ensure the peace of his soul after his death.
Pierre de Manchicourt, court composer of Charles' son Philip II and head of his Capilla Flamenca, played a major role in this immense task with his impressive Requiem. This work, imbued with serene beauty, shows Manchicourt's virtuosity in polyphonic composition technique and his masterful use of Gregorian chant as a foundation. But Utopia also searches for the man behind the monarch. They shed light on Charles' emotional world in his last days through motets and chansons by Franco-Flemish greats such as des Prez, Crecquillon and Charles' favourite Gombert.
This concert offers a unique opportunity to hear not only the grandeur of Charles V, but also his inner emotional world, supported by the refinement of Renaissance polyphony.
REQUIEM FOR AN EMPEROR. Ramée - Outhere Music. Release February 2025
SUSATO
Treasures of the Antwerp
Golden 16th century
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble and Jan Van Ouytryve (lute)
Music by Tielman Susato, Orlandus Lassus, Jacobus Clemens and Nicolas Gombert
Around 1530, Tielman Susato arrived as an immigrant to the bustling city of Antwerp, in the middle of its Golden Age. During this period of unprecedented economic and cultural prosperity, he built up a leading music publishing house, while also making a name for himself as a musician and composer. Antwerp, the cultural hub of Europe, offered the perfect breeding ground for his versatile talents.
As a pioneer in music publishing, Susato published works by great masters such as Lassus, Gombert and Josquin. His famous chanson Mille regrets was not only published by Susato, but also received a unique “réponse” from his hand. Although he is often remembered for his instrumental work, it is precisely his vocal music that is central to this programme. Utopia Ensemble performs his masterpieces, including the beautiful five-part mass In illo tempore quum audissent apostoli and the motet Salve quae roseo, an ode to the Antwerp that gave him so much.
Through this program, Utopia Ensemble invites the public to rediscover the musical wealth of Antwerp's Golden Age. The awarding of this recording with the prestigious "Diapason d'Or" underlines the exceptional quality and historical value of this repertoire. A unique experience that lifts every concert agenda to a higher level.
ANDREAS PEVERNAGE
A Flemish master rediscovered
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble and Jan Van Ouytryve (lute)
Music by Andreas Pevernage and Emmanuel Adriaenssen
In 2021, Utopia Ensemble released an impressive new CD with chansons, madrigals and motets by the Flemish composer Andreas Pevernage. This recording was received with acclaim and awarded the prestigious Diapason Découverte, underlining the exceptional quality of both the ensemble and the selected works.
Pevernage is a composer who is unjustly less well-known, perhaps because his career was largely in Flanders? However, he was not only chapel master of the cathedral in Antwerp, but also worked in Bruges and Kortrijk. In these cities he left his mark on musical life, and he composed numerous masterpieces, including picture motets that are recognized as Flemish masterpieces.
His chansons are a highlight of the genre, in which he innovatively connected with the Italian madrigal style. This craftsmanship was confirmed by the famous printer Christoffel Plantijn, who published four magnificent books of Pevernage's work. Pevernage's music can easily compete with that of his more famous contemporaries, such as Orlandus Lassus, Clemens non Papa and Giaches De Wert.
This programme offers a unique opportunity to introduce the audience to the refined beauty of Pevernage's oeuvre, supplemented with lute music from his time. This versatile concert programme offers a fascinating insight into the rich musical heritage of Flanders, and will surprise and delight both connoisseurs and newcomers.
Lamentations for the Fallen City of Jerusalem
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble
Music by De Morales, Josquin, Tubal, Weerbeke and Gregorian chant
For its first CD in 2016, Utopia Ensemble immediately recorded a world premiere: the seven Lamentations by Cristóbal de Morales. With this, they brought to life the timeless splendor of one of the greatest Spanish polyphonists. These moving laments, which sing the fall of Jerusalem in Biblical poetry, are masterpieces of tranquil beauty.
In this renewed concert program, Utopia presents four of Morales' Lamentations within the framework of the Triduum Sacrum, the three holy days preceding Easter. The music from this period appeals to a wide audience, thanks to its calming and meditative character. The transparent polyphony of Morales' works invites listeners to contemplation and deepening. In addition to Morales’ works, Utopia complements the programme with music by Josquin Desprez and Gaspar van Weerbeke, his predecessors at the papal court chapel, and by Adriaen Tubal, a contemporary of Morales who worked in Italy and Antwerp.
This concert offers a unique mix of intimate polyphony and masterful compositions from the Renaissance, ideal for concert organisers who want to surprise their audience with a programme that offers depth and refinement.
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble and Bart Rodyns (organ)
Music by Verdonck, Lassus, Daniel Raymundi and Benjamien Lycke a.o.
Images: Benjamien Lycke
MIROIRS is a unique concert programme in which Utopia Ensemble combines sixteenth-century illustrated visual motets with contemporary compositions, creating a fascinating dialogue between past and present.
Pictorial motets, typographic works of art from sixteenth-century Antwerp, played an important role in the Counter-Reformation. They were distributed to encourage believers to lead a virtuous and merciful life, and thanks to their uniqueness were recognized in 2012 as masterpieces of Flemish heritage. Their message of mercy is as relevant today, spurred on by the need for empathy, solidarity and compassion in our modern, fast-paced world.
In MIROIRS, Utopia links these historical masterpieces to contemporary reflections, in which composer, lyricist and designer once again join forces, this time with digital art forms. These reflections offer concertgoers the opportunity to reflect on the theme of compassion in a new context. The result is a concert experience that is not only musically stimulating, but also offers space for reflection and deepening.
For concert organisers, MIROIRS is a programme that brings the audience into contact with cultural heritage and contemporary art in an innovative way, enriching it with deeper themes that will leave a lasting impression.
in collaboration with
EN TERRE ESTRANGE
The
Impossible Return
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble and an actor/narrator
Music by Lassus, Gombert, Pevernage, Gesualdo and Marenzio
Texts by Ovid, Victor Hugo, Maurice Maeterlinck, an anonymus Syrian
En Terre Estrange is a compelling concert program in which Utopia Ensemble brings to life the deep emotions of exile, through music and texts by composers and authors who have themselves lived in exile. Political persecution, impossible loves or disasters – the reasons for exile are numerous, but the power of loss and the longing for home remains universal.
Featuring works by Ovid, Nicolas Gombert, Carlo Gesualdo and Victor Hugo, Utopia explores the pain of separation from lovers, land and roots. From the biblical prisoners who remember their homeland of Zion to Italian madrigals where exile is experienced as death, each composition breathes the same intensity and deep-seated thirst for an unattainable return.
This program is a unique combination of vocal masterpieces and poetic texts, which take the audience into the inner struggle and sorrow of the exile. Utopia concludes with a moving musical prayer, a hymn in which God is begged to bring the refugees back to their homeland.
BRUEGEL
Paintings translated musically
Pieter Bruegel, one of the most fascinating painters of the sixteenth-century Netherlands, knew better than anyone how to capture nature, the seasons and the daily life of the common man. But Bruegel also painted surreal scenes full of mystery, inspired by Hieronymus Bosch, often with a religious undertone. His eye for detail continues to amaze museum visitors to this day.
In the concert program “Bruegel” Utopia Ensemble is inspired by his iconic paintings such as The Triumph of Death, The Tower of Babel, and Peasant Wedding. This musical portrait of Bruegel combines folk songs, religious works and love songs from his time. The program reflects the versatility of Bruegel's art: from raw, folk themes to deeply religious reflections.
With music by contemporaries from the Low Countries, Utopia brings the different facets of Bruegel's character to life in a layered experience. This results in a captivating concert without self-censorship: folk songs in contrast with religious works and devotion or somewhat bawdy love songs give the facets of our grand master of the canvas new color. This concert guarantees a rich and varied musical journey through the world of Bruegel.
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble a capella or with Arnaud Vande Cauter (organ)
Music by Lassus, Gombert, Crecquillon, Janequin, de Rore and Sweelinck
OHIMÉ!
Love poetry in polyphony around 1600
Line-up: Utopia Ensemble and Korneel Bernolet (harp sichord) and Thomas Baeté (gamba)
Music by De Wert, Monteverdi, Willaert and Marenzio
“Ohimé!” and “Si dolce è il tormento” – Italian sounds like music to the ears, and that is no coincidence. The language is the soul of the madrigal, a sixteenthcentury genre in which passion, love's happiness and sorrow are sung. What many do not know is that this typically Italian genre owes its origins largely to the influence of Franco-Flemish composers.
Utopia Ensemble invites the audience on a musical journey through the beautiful poems of Guarini, Ariosto and other Italian masters. This poetry, full of longing, pain and love, is brought to life in a fabric of refined polyphony. The madrigals in this program are not only an expressive painting of human emotions, but also a meeting between Italian and Flemish musical traditions. Let yourself be enchanted by these beautiful gems of musical expressiveness.
The Utopia Ensemble, founded in 2015, is the reference for Flemish vocal polyphony from the sixteenth century. The ensemble strives to preserve and renew this musical heritage. From their home base, the Sint-Pauluskerk in Antwerp, they work both locally and internationally to promote this music. Since 2018, the Utopia Ensemble consists of Michaela Riener (mezzo), Bart Uvyn (countertenor), Adriaan De Koster (tenor), Lieven Termont (baritone) and Guillaume Olry (bass). Each member has earned their spurs with renowned ensembles, and together they guarantee an exceptional vocal quality. The ensemble functions without an artistic director; decisions are made collectively, resulting in a harmonious, pure sound that embodies polyphony in its purest form.
Utopia is a regular at prestigious festivals such as Laus Polyphoniae and the MAFestival, and also performs internationally in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Their CD recordings have been praised: their debut with Cristóbal de Morales received international acclaim and their CD with works by Andreas Pevernage was awarded the "Diapason Decouverte". Their most recent CD, dedicated to Tielman Susato, was awarded the “Diapason d’Or” in 2024.
Concert organizers can count on Utopia’s unique expertise in Flemish polyphony, combined with a contemporary approach. “Utopia connects past and present in a masterful way,” according to a raving critic. The ensemble not only wants to honor the heritage, but also to let the audience connect with this timeless music in a profound way.
WHAT THE PRESS SAYS
“Très bel équilibre entre une matière vocale très précise (captée en proximité) et une réverbération dense et opulente. Une image particulièrement homogène des cinq voix, au service de la polyphonie.”
Diapason (Diapason d’or) over Salve Susato
"The performances by the Utopia Ensemble (5 solo voices: mezzo-soprano, countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass) are outstanding. One can hardly imagine a better blended consort of voices or more sensitively shaped performances."
American Record Guide over Salve Susato
"De leden van het Utopia Ensemble bereiken een voortreffelijk geluid, met een delicate combinatie van hun stemmen en een grote gevoeligheid in de dynamiek van het zingen, die ze met veel beheersing en variatie aanpassen aan het karakter van elk stuk.”
Scherzo over Salve Susato
"What we get here is very fine music, and that goes for all three genres that are represented. Utopia delivers superb performances."
MusicWeb International over Pevernage
"La séduction qui opère doit aussi beaucoup à l’exceptionnelle qualité du jeune ensemble belge. Les cinq chanteurs – un par partie – phrasent avec une douceur et une fluidité absolue, ciselant une polyphonie transparente et d’une extrême lisibilité."
Diapason over Pevernage
“Utopia have a much lower centre of gravity yet maintain similar clarity while simultaneously warming the texture with soft Flemish-tinged vowel sounds. The results are beautiful, intimate and thoroughly engaging.”
