‘Verdi: Messa da Requiem’

When the opera genius Giuseppe Verdi suddenly presented his audience with a requiem, it came to everyone as a great surprise. His monumental Messa da Requiem, therefore, does not simply belong in the traditional line-up of requiem masses. A religious sceptic, Verdi also speaks the language of theatre rather than that of the church in this work. Yet, the result is Verdi pur sang: the Dies Irae and Rex Tremendae are shimmering chunks of energy, the four soloists deliver some intimate passages, and the entire work slowly fades away in a tone of abject despair. Even in his operas, Verdi never traversed such a broad emotional spectrum in so few pages. Philippe Herreweghe allows choir and orchestra to shine in one of the great favourites of the choral repertoire.

On 27 April, in addition to Verdi's Requiem, there will also be a Nocturne where you can visit our exhibitions Swedish Ecstasy and Michel François from 6pm to 11pm, followed by drinks and a DJ set. You can buy a ticket for both events, for which you pay 8 euros on top of the concert ticket. This offer is limited and cannot be combined with other discounts.