Close Encounter: The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus

Experience a unique behind-the-scenes look with Brussels Philharmonic's Close Encounters: attend a rehearsal from a privileged vantage point — the choir stalls right on the stage of Studio 4. What will be rehearsed and how it will unfold, we cannot tell you just yet – the rehearsal process is unpredictable. But one thing is certain: you will be right at the heart of our symphonic world!

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.