Name: Javier Perianes
Start: 2026-01-25T16:00:00
Location: Philharmonic Hall of Liege

As the curtain rises on 2026, Belgium's Philharmonic Hall of Liège hosts a series of captivating musical events that promise to enthrall audiences. From the rhythmic crescendo of Ravel's Boléro to the mythological narratives in 'Zeus's Name!' and the rich tapestry of sounds in 'Porgy & Bess,' each event offers a unique sonic journey. Conductors, pianists, and orchestras converge, weaving stories through melodies that echo the past and present. These events not only celebrate music but also invite audiences to explore cultural connections through sound.

A Harmonious Start to 2026: Exploring the Musical Events in Belgium

The Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège is set to embark on a captivating musical journey, offering an array of events that delve into ancient myths, celebrate diverse cultures, and explore timeless symphonies. From the epic battles of antiquity to the enchanting melodies of Rajasthani music, this series features passionate performances by renowned artists like Pierre Solot, Javier Perianes, and Colin Currie, unraveling the intricate tapestry of global musical heritage through a modern lens.

A Musical Odyssey: Exploring Myths, Cultures, and Timeless Symphony

Javier Perianes

Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège

Although Bruckner placed his symphonic work in the tradition of Beethoven, he could not equal the great Ludwig: his Ninth Symphony remained unfinished, with several incomplete versions of the finale. Aware of his imminent end, he left a majestic score that the extraordinary Marko Letonja, a regular guest of the OPRL, will magnify: a devastating scherzo framed by slow movements that resonate like a final farewell to life. Bruckner's sonic testament... At the end of his life, Richard Strauss composed a final bouquet of vocal pieces, the Four Last Songs, peaceful swan songs tinged with melancholy.

Bruckner 9

UCLouvain

Philharmonic Hall of Liege

Grand Manège

A disciple of Alicia de Larrocha and Daniel Barenboim, the great Spanish pianist Javier Perianes returns to Liège for a program largely dedicated to Spain, at the initiative of EUROPALIA. First, he brings together Falla's early pieces with works by Chopin that seem to have inspired them. Second, he brings together Falla's Four Spanish Pieces , premiered in Paris in 1908, with four excerpts from Albéniz's formidable collection Iberia , an absolute masterpiece of piano literature whose colors and exuberance constitute a formidable homage to his native country.

Brooklyn-based composer (1990) known for her collaborations with prestigious institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum and the National Film Board of Canada, Elori Saxl surrounds herself with a classical trio and enriches her soundscapes at the borders of minimalism and jazz with a new classical dimension. Her albums The Blue of Distance (2021) and Drifts & Surfaces (2024) have received critical acclaim, evoking the gushing minimalism of 1970s Steve Reich, the talent of electronic precursors Matmos, or the dramatic harmonics of Philip Glass's Glassworks . A unique sonic and melodic universe to explore in the "New Classics" series.

Elori Saxl

Fire is a symbol of warmth, joy, celebration, passion... but also of destruction and death! Throughout this interactive concert, explore the connection between the element of fire and music by discovering how it has inspired a wide variety of symphonic works. Visual creations by artist Nele Fack (Studio Sandy) projected in the magnificent Salle Henry Le Bœuf will respond to the notes of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège. Prepare yourself for an explosion of sounds, emotions, and sparkling rhythms!

The four elements: fire

BOZAR

Two flautists from the OPRL and harpist Primor Sluchin invite you on a journey to the confines of Impressionism... when the muses, goddesses, and nymphs of Antiquity inspired the greatest artists. An odyssey to discover six French composers whose works reveal the captivating influence of ancient Greek myths inhabited by the god Pan, the nymphs Syrinx and Chloris, and the Dryads, protectors of the forests. This concert benefits from the talent of storyteller and singer Noëmi Waysfeld, notably for a Chanson de Bilitis by Debussy with its erotic and passionate verses.

Concert of the Nymphs

With over 185 million copies sold and a success that has remained undiminished since 1987, the FINAL FANTASY video game still captivates today with its journeys through magical worlds and epic tales, and its adventures that captivate veterans and newcomers alike! The music, by Nobuo Uematsu ("the Beethoven of video game music" according to Classic FM) and Masashi Hamauzu, now takes on a life of its own in the form of a vast fresco for full orchestra: "Final Symphony". A fantastic and powerful sound experience, but also an inner journey that allows each fan to reconnect with the sound universe they know and love. Legendary!

OPRL+ Fantasy: Final Symphony

The Dhoad Ensemble embodies the essence of traditional Rajasthani music, centered around the figure of Rahis Bharti, a native of Jaipur, who carries on the legacy of her lineage of troubadours in the courts of the maharajas. This transgenerational ensemble transports the audience into a whirlwind of rhythms and emotions where each note resonates like an echo of the desert. Dhoad's music blends mystical chants, traditional melodies, and classical compositions from North India, carrying a universal message of love, peace, and honor.

India: The Gypsies of Rajasthan

There's nothing like a concert celebrating love in all its forms on the eve of Valentine's Day! Fauré's Suite from Pelléas et Mélisande (1898), both delicate and sensual, plunges into the mysterious world of Maeterlinck, where love is inextricably intertwined with fate. As for Prokofiev's Suite from Romeo and Juliet , taken from Shakespeare's masterpiece, it evokes all-consuming passion, between lyricism and heightened violence, leading us into the tragic drama of two star-crossed lovers. The three songs by the Argentinian Golijov (in 2002), originally written for the soprano Dawn Upshaw, are little gems inspired by poems by Sally Potter, Rosalía de Castro, and Emily Dickinson.

Romeo and Juliet

Théâtre royal de Mons

Is there a better love story than Romeo and Juliet this Valentine's Day weekend? Set in Verona, where two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, share an ancestral hatred, it tells the story of the most famous couple of all time. Prokofiev's powerful music, performed by the OPRL, expresses with rare intensity this true but tragic love, crushed by the weight of old family grudges...

O Romeo!

Every year, a wonderful tradition is maintained within the Orchestra: the musicians warmly welcome their new colleagues by inviting them to participate in a chamber music concert. This event aims not only to introduce them to the public, but also to create a genuine bond between the Orchestra's members, both old and new. The tailor-made program reflects the diversity of talents and inspirations of the new generation, and promises wonderful discoveries.

The new kids

The Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia revisits Schubert's most famous quartet, Death and the Maiden , in Gustav Mahler's version for string orchestra. Mahler, sensitive to Schubert's pathos, transforms it into a drama filled with existential concerns and questions. Composed at the age of 12, Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto in A minor remains marked by the elegance of classicism, and allows us to hear for the first time in Liège the elegant playing and colorful palette of the Franco-Hungarian pianist Suzana Bartal.

The Girl and Death

This is a concert entirely dedicated to one of the greatest composers of the 19th century  . Born in Pesaro (on the Adriatic coast) in 1792 and died in Paris in 1868, Gioachino Rossini is the author of some of the most famous operas in the world. Five string players from the OPRL join forces to resonate the well-known themes from the overtures to The Barber of Seville and William Tell , but also to rediscover Rossini's chamber music through duets and sonatas, all presented with humor and lightness by Pierre Solot, exceptionally borrowed from the Music Factory series.

Javier Perianes

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