A bit skimpy this week, but I hope it’s better than nothing…
Monday 13th December
- Opera Arias – Handel: La Scintilla with Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo soprano) and Franco Fagioli (countertenor), BOZAR, rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels at 20:00. Vocal fireworks guaranteed.
Tuesday 14th December
- Chamber Music – Beethoven’s String Quartets op 18/5, op 18/2 and op 59/2: Artemis Quartett, Royal Brussels Conservatory, rue de la Regence 30a, 1000 Brussels at 20:00 (intro at 19:30). Two of his first quartets and a good one from the middle period. One of six concerts wherein the Artemis Quartett will perform all the Beethoven string quartets.
Wednesday 15th December
- Lieder Recital – Schubert’s Schöne Müllerin song cycle: Werner Van Mechelen (baritone) and Jozef de Beenhouwer (piano), BOZAR, Hall M at 12:40.
- Chamber Music – Beethoven’s String Quartet’s op 74 and op 131: Artemis Quartett, Royal Brussels Conservatory at 20:00 (intro at 19:30). See 14/12 and 16/12.
Thursday 16th December
- Orchestral Music – Philippe Boesmans’ Ouverture ‘Wintermärchen’; Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez (2nd movement); Bela Bartok’s Hungarian sketches; Daniel-François-Esprit Auber’s Amour sacré de la patrie (La Muette de Portici); Jacques Brel’s Le plat pays – Bruxelles (arr. Ch. Larrieu); Manuel de Falla’s El sombrero de tres picos (3rd part) and Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9 (4th movement): National Orchestra of Belgium’s Christmas Concert with the European Union Choir and Helen Kearns (soprano), Helen Lepalaan (mezzo), Jörg Dürmüller (tenor), Werner Van Mechelen (baritone) and Raphaella Smits (guitar), BOZAR, rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels at 20:00 (intro at 19:30). Too much of a medley for my taste.
- Chamber Music – Beethoven’s String Quartets op 127 and op 59/3: Artemis Quartett, Royal Brussels Conservatory at 20:00 (intro at 19:30). See 14/12 and 15/12.
Friday 17th December
- Recital – works by Rossini, Bottesini, Torcelli: ‘I bassi virtuosi’ with soloists from La Monnaie, Muntplein, 1000 Brussels at 12:30. Scarce details to be found for this lunchtime concert.
- French Baroque Music – Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Anacréon and his Pigmalion: Les Arts Florissants with Alain Buet, Sophie Karthäuser, Emmanuelle de Negri, Ed Lyon and Virginie Thomas, BOZAR, rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels at 20:00 (intro at 19:30).
- Lieder Recital – Mahler, Wolf, Bach and Webern: with Christine Schäfer (soprano) and Eric Schneider (piano), La Monnaie, Muntplein, 1000 Brussels at 20:00.
Saturday 18th December
- Choral Music – Six cantatas by Christoph Graupner: ‘Unheard at Christmas’, Ex Tempore, BOZAR, Hall M, rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels at 20:00.
- Clarinet Recital – Lutoslawski’s 5 Dance preludes; Poulenc’s Clarinet Sonata, Debussy’s Rhapsody nr 1; Brahms Hungarian Dances; Martin Fröst’s Vox Saltatoira; Jean Françaix’s Tema con Variazioni; Piazzolla’s Escualo, Oblivion and various Klezmer dances: Martin Fröst (clarinet) and Itamar Golan (piano), Royal Brussels Conservatory, rue de la Regence 30a, 1000 Brussels at 20:00.
Sunday 19th December
- Trumpet Recital – Martinu’s Sonatine H 357; Ravel’s Deux mélodies hébraïques; Grieg’s Haugtussa, op. 67; Manuel de Falla’s 7 Canciones populares españolas; Piazzolla’s Oblivion (again), Libertango and traditional Norwegian Christmas music: Tine Thing Helseth (trumpet) and Havard Gimse (piano), BOZARSundays, rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels at 11:00 (10:30 if you want breakfast).
- Jazz: David Murray Cuban Ensemble plays Nat King Cole Spanish ballads with Omara Portuondo (voice) and strings from deFilharmonie, BOZAR, rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels at 20:00.
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