Eric Whitacre, the man who made choral music cooler than ever, brings a playful twist to the holidays with two musical Christmas stories. Add to that a selection of traditional carols (and who knows—he might just get the audience to sing along!), and you’ve got a festive concert for the whole family.

With a wonderfully absurd text by Ogden Nash, Whitacre pulls out all the theatrical stops in The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus—a spirited, witty Christmas triptych. It’s a tale that will make parents chuckle and children behave just a little better… hoping to avoid the fate of young Jabez.

The Gift of the Magi is Whitacre’s dramatic take on a classic American holiday tale: a young couple wants to surprise each other with a gift on Christmas Eve. What they lack in money, they more than make up for in love—leading to an ending that’s both unexpected and heartwarming.

programme

Mykola Leontovych
Carol of the Bells (1916) (arr. Peter Wilhousky)

Eric Whitacre
Lux Aurumque (2000)

Traditional
O Tannenbaum (1824)

Michael Praetorius
Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen (1609)

Shawn Kirchner
Brightest and Best (2004)

Eric Whitacre
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (2000)
The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus (2017)
The Gift of the Magi (2019)*

*with Laurence Servaes (Della), Aline Goffin (Sheila), Lucas Cortoos (Jim), Helen Cassano (Mrs. Sinclair) & Conor Biggs (Shopkeeper)

Your Concert Night

14:30 guided tour: Flaneren door de passages en galerijen van Brussel (Korei Guided Tours) (combi-tickets)
18:00 Christmas Sing-Along: sing with Eric Whitacre & the Vlaams Radiokoor on the square in front of Flagey (more info)
18:00 doors open & glühwein
19:30 introduction: Klaudia Zając & Eric Whitacre (EN)
20:15 concert (without intermission)
21:45 end

CONCERT WITHOUT INTERMISSION (90')
with the support of Beside Tax Shelter and the Belgian Tax Shelter

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interview Eric Whitacre

In the lead-up to the concert, Bart T'Jampens challenges the composer with five dilemmas. Read the article and get a surprising glimpse into the world of Eric Whitacre.

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The holidays: the perfect moment to curl up on the couch and enjoy hours of guilt-free movie magic. Film journalist Robin Broos compiled the ultimate Christmas binge for you. Discover his festive favourites below.

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lyrics

Follow along with the texts during the concert.

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Close Encounters

Ready for a sneak peek behind the scenes? Join us for Close Encounters: experience a rehearsal from a truly unique spot—the stage stalls at Studio 4.

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Hark! podcast

The stories behind our favourite Christmas carols: where do these beloved yuletide songs come from? What inspired the people who composed them, and how did they become so popular? Find out with this podcast.

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🎫 TICKETS
€41 > €5

📍 FLAGEY
Heilig-Kruisplein, 1050 Brussels

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